This morning’s excursion was a fun one. What started as a day when every bird I pointed my camera at immediately flew away ended with three successful chases. One successful chase is an occasion to celebrate—but three?
First was a flycatcher I heard near the lopped-of scrub oaks, the spot where I’ve spied Dusky Flycatchers multiple times already, and it sounded like a dusky, but it fluttered way down the slope before I could get a look. Still hear it, though, so I crept down a ways and finally spied it on the tip of a tree. Yahtzee!
Second was a Warbling Vireo. I’ve heard this species calling nearly every day down in the leafy gully where it had a nest last year, but I’ve not had a chance for a decent photo. This morning, it might’ve been a different bird, because it was singing up the slope a ways, in a lone maple tree. Assuming I’d not succeed, as usual, I nevertheless crept up the deer trails until, by damn, I spotted the singer. Clickclickclick! A bunch of photos.
Third, a Virginia’s Warbler. The song I heard sounded like it came from one, but I couldn’t be absolutely sure, so—again—I started up the slope (from where I’d seen the vireo) until I found a long view of it in a snag about a hundred feet away. A Virginia’s for sure. Click!
Three successful chases. (No dips!) On a lovely, mostly overcast morning.
[Note: this day was exceptional also in that I spied my first Wild Turkey in Utah. It was strolling across a residential street down in the neighborhood.]
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 7:55 a.m. (8:55 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Lazuli Bunting
2. Black-headed Grosbeak
3. Spotted Towhee
4. Black-chinned Hummingbird
5. American Robin* (v)
6. House Finch**
7. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
8. Pine Siskin
9. California Quail (v)
10. Black-billed Magpie
11. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay*
12. Warbling Vireo
13. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
14. Rock Pigeon
15. Chipping Sparrow
16. Dusky Flycatcher
17. Mourning Dove
18. Orange-crowned Warbler (v)
19. Virginia’s Warbler
20. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
21. Wild Turkey†
Elsewhere
22. Song Sparrow (v)
23. European Starling
24. House Sparrow (v)
Mammals
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year bird
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, black-chinned hummingbird, black-headed grosbeak, blue-gray gnatcatcher, California quail, chipping sparrow, dusky flycatcher, European starling, house finch, house sparrow, lazuli bunting, lesser goldfinch, mourning dove, Orange-crowned Warbler, pine siskin, rock pigeon, rock squirrel, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Virginia’s warbler, warbling vireo, wild turkey, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
