A morning much like yesterday’s, but sunnier, less breezy—and dog and I were about a half-hour later hitting the trailhead. Still no flood of new migrants, but lots of buntings, one or two active Cooper’s Hawks, warblers, chippies, and the rest. Also a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.
I’d kind of forgotten about gnatcatchers, so it was a nice surprise to encounter a first-of-year male. Immediately recognized its thin, insistent voice, then watched it poke about the scrub oaks a bit. Fun.
Lovely day, truly. More first-of-years to come, and a fair week ahead to greet them.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 7:47 a.m. (8:47 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. Lazuli Bunting
6. Rock Pigeon*
7. Song Sparrow** (v)
8. House Finch**
9. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher‡
10. Chipping Sparrow
11. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay*
12. Orange-crowned Warbler (v)
13. Black-throated Gray Warbler (v)
14. Broad-tailed Hummingbird (wing-trill)
Elsewhere
15. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
16. House Sparrow (v)
17. European Starling
18. Barn Swallow
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year bird
Tags: American robin, barn swallow, black-capped chickadee, black-throated gray warbler, blue-gray gnatcatcher, broad-tailed hummingbird, chipping sparrow, cooper's hawk, European starling, house finch, house sparrow, lazuli bunting, lesser goldfinch, Orange-crowned Warbler, rock pigeon, song sparow, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
