What a lovely, summery morning—considering we’ve still got a month left of spring. Birds about, although no new firsts-of-year. A sneaky Cooper’s Hawk overlooking the Monarch Quarry (ignoring the tiny gnatcatchers attempting to mob him), buntings and grosbeaks and Warbling Vireos vying for their preferred high desert territories, four Turkey Vultures.
It was a warm one, and—other, perhaps, than a pair of Chukars we flushed coming along the deer trail—nothing particularly outstanding about this morning. Just a generally outstanding hike with dog.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 7:31 a.m. (8:31 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-headed Grosbeak
2. Song Sparrow* (v)
3. Lazuli Bunting
4. American Robin*
5. Black-chinned Hummingbird
6. Spotted Towhee
7. Black-capped Chickadee
8. Rock Pigeon*
9. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
10. Mourning Dove
11. Cooper’s Hawk
12. Pine Siskin
13. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay (v)
14. House Finch**
15. Chipping Sparrow
16. Warbling Vireo (v)
17. Turkey Vulture
18. Chukar
Elsewhere
19. California Quail
20. Black-billed Magpie
21. European Starling
Mammals
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, blac-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, black-chinned hummingbird, black-headed grosbeak, blue-gray gnatcatcher, California quail, chpping sparrow, chukar, Coopr’s hawk, European starling, house finch, lazuli bunting, mourning dove, pine siskin, rock pigeon, rock squirrel, song sparrow, spotted towhee, turkey vulture, warbling vireo, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
