As a part of our daily hike routine, Captain Jack and I climb a ways up a little shady canyon, to emerge on a well-worn deer tail that passes through an open area dotted with juniper trees. (It reminds me in a way of Maine’s blueberry barrens, but steeper, and with junipers instead of beech and birch and alders.) Sometimes it’s quiet up there, sometimes active.
Today it was quiet—not least because of a chill wind. But also likely thanks to a pair of Cooper’s Hawks that have returned this year to nest across the canyon. Still, House Finches were active (they apparently like to nest up there), as were a couple of scrub-jays—and I believe I found a tree that the Juniper Titmice seem to like. There were a couple deer up there, too—above us—and in a tree down in the canyon I’ve been watching chickadees clean out a nest dcavity.
Last spring came Warbling Vireos and Black-throated Gray Warblers and Virginia Warblers and Lazuli Buntings and more. Won’t be long.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 7:30 a.m. (8:30 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Song Sparrow** (v)
2. House Finch*
3. Spotted Towhee
4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
5. American Robin*
6. Cooper’s Hawk
7. Black-capped Chickadee**
8. Juniper Titmouse
9. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
10. Rock Pigeon*
Elsewhere
11. House Sparrow (v)
12. Eurasian Collared-dove
13. European Starling
14. Black-billed Magpie (v)
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, cooper's hawk, Eurasian collared dove, European starling, house finch, house sparrow, juiper titmouse, lesser goldfinch, mule deer, rock pigeon, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub-ay
