It’s that time of spring when things go from kind of warm to hot. Dog and I got to the trailhead early enough to enjoy some cool shade before the sun topped the ridge, but the last half mile was a little toasty. Still not as toasty as this afternoon. Which was not as toasty as tomorrow afternoon is forecast to be.
Still a goodly number of bird species—including a gang of first-year Western Tanagers, a stealthy Cooper’s Hawk, and the usual singing buntings. Although number of singing buntings and towhees was down a bit from yesterday.
We might even head up a little earlier tomorrow, dog and I.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 7:24 a.m. (8:24 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Lazuli Bunting
2. Black-headed Grosbeak
3. American Robin*
4. Black-chinned Hummingbird*
5. Spotted Towhee
6. Black-capped Chickadee
7. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
8. Western Tanager
9. House Finch**
10. Cooper’s Hawk
11. Orange-crowned Warbler (v)
12. Virginia’s Warbler (v)
13. Chipping Sparrow (v)
14. Warbling Vireo (v)
15. Chukar (v)
16. Mourning Dove
17. Pine Siskin (v)
18. Black-billed Magpie*
Elsewhere
19. Eurasian Collared-dove
20. California Quail
21. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
Mammals
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, black-chinned hummingbird, black-headed grosbeak, California quail, chipping sparrow, chukar, cooper's hawk, dblue-gray gnatcatcher, Eurasian collared dove, house finch, lazuli bunting, mourning dove, Orange-crowned Warbler, pine siskin, rock squirrel, spotted towhee, Virginia’s warbler, warbling vireo, western tanager, Woodhouse’s scrub jay