Headed to the trailhead a bit earlier this morning, considering the temp was eventually supposed to reach 90° (F) today. Cool in the shade, warm in the sun. (No clouds that I could see.) Despite this dry, dry landscape, there are birds to be seen.
E.g., a female Black-headed Grosbeak. A hard-to-spy Virginia Warbler. A few gnatcatchers and Mourning Doves. Also saw a snake of some kind (garter snake? racer?), an Eight-spotted Skimmer, and a Rock Squirrel.
Tomorrow’s high is supposed to be about 95°.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 7:11 a.m. (8:11 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Lazuli Bunting
2. Black-headed Grosbeak
3. Black-chinned Hummingbird
4. Spotted Towhee
5. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
6. House Finch**
7. Warbling Vireo (v)
8. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
9. Pine Siskin (v)
10. Black-billed Magpie
11. Virginia’s Warbler (v)
12. Black-capped Chickadee
13. Chipping Sparrow (v)
14. Cooper’s Hawk (v)
15. Mourning Dove
16. Black-throated Gray Warbler (v)
17. Song Sparrow* (v)
Elsewhere
18. European Starling
19. American Robin
20. Eurasian Collared-dove
21. California Quail
22. Rock Pigeon
23. Barn Swallow
Mammals
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: Ameriican robin, barn swallow, black-blled magpie, black-capped chickadee, black-chned hummingbird, black-headed grosbeak, black-throated gray warbler, blue-gray gnatcatcher, California quail, chipping sparrow, cooper's hawk, Euopean starling, Eurasian collared dove, house finch, lazuli bunting, mourning dove, rock pigeon, rock squirrel, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Virginia’s warbler, warbling vieo, Woodhouse’s scrub-jay pine siskin
