This series of hot spring days continues. Soon they’ll be hot summer days. In fact, it’s seemed a lot like summer this past week or so. Dog and I started up the trail early enough to beat the heat, had an interesting hike—and later enjoyed the afternoon at home.
One bit of drama in the side yard: Robins from multiple nearby nests ganged up noisily on a magpie that apparently had snagged a nestling. The magpie hid in some ground cover on the shady side of the neighbor’s house as at least eight or ten robins charged and hollered and fluttered around in a panic. Only got a glimpse of the magpie. It had some down in its bill (Young magpie gotta eat, too, I guess.)
A solo Turkey Vulture flapping up the basin rather typified this “summer” day.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 7:02 a.m. (8:02 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-headed Grosbeak
2. Lazuli Bunting
3. Black-capped Chickadee
4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
5. Spotted Towhee
6. Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
7. Black-chinned Hummingbird
8. Rock Pigeon
9. House Finch
10. Cooper’s Hawk
11. Warbling Vireo
12. Chipping Sparow
13. Turkey Vulture
14.Black-billed magpie
15. Song Sparrow
16. Lesser Goldfinch
Elsewhere
17. American Robin
18. House Sparrow
19. Eurasian Collared-dove
20. California Quail
Mammals
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-blled magpie, black-capped chickadee, black-chinned hummingbird, black-headed grosbeak, blue-gray gnatcatcher, California quail, chipping sparrow, cooper's hawk, Eurasian collared dove, house finch, house sparrow, lazuli bunting, lesser goldfinch, rock pigeon, song sparrow, spotted towhee, turkey vulture, warbling vireo, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
