I hadn’t planned to hike with dog to the ridge this morning, but then I caught sight of a Black-throated Gray Warbler. Eager for my first photo of one this spring, I followed the bird uphill, from juniper to juniper, until it flitted back down below. Foiled again.
But while I was up there, I noticed how close we were to a plastic bag I’d seen flapping in the breeze from a scrub oak snag a few days ago. So I climbed higher to grab that annoying bit of litter. Then we encountered a small herd of deer, which moved up to the ridge, and I thought, Why not? Spooked a couple Chukars up there.
First-of-year Hermit Thrush (for sure) this morning. Realized the trill I’ve been hearing the past couple days belonged to an Orange-crowned Warbler. No corvids, oddly—but a total of 18 species.
Tomorrow won’t be so long a hike, but who knows what birds will appear.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 7:23 a.m. (8:23 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. American Robin*
2. Spotted Towhee
3. Black-capped Chickadee
4. Cooper’s Hawk
5. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
6. Black-chinned Hummingbird
7. Rock Pigeon*
8. House Finch**
9. Lazuli Bunting (v)
10. Chipping Sparrow
11. Hermit Thrush†
12. Black-throated Gray Warbler
13. Orange-crowned Warbler
14. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v)
15. Chukar
16. Broad-tailed Hummingbird (wing-trill)
17. Song Sparrow (v)
18. Mourning Dove (whistling wings)
Elsewhere
19. House Sparrow (v)
20. California Quail
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year bird
Tags: American robin, black-capped chickadee, black-chinned hummingbird, black-throated gray warbler, broad-tailed hummingbird, California quail, chipping sparrow, chukar, cooper's hawk, hermit thrush, house finch, house sparrow, lazuli bunting, lesser goldfinch, mourning dove, mule deer, Orange-crowned Warbler, rock pigeon, ruby-crowned kinglet, song sparrow, spotted towhee
