Dog and I arrived at the trailhead even earlier this morning. The temperature was already in the upper-70s (F), I’d say, although there were a few clouds and a little breeze. Also a few bird species.
Most abundant (again) were pigeons. Then finches. Then buntings—and the rest. Did see a Cooper’s Hawk heading toward where their nest is. Or might be. (I’d just been wondering how they’d fare in these drought conditions.) Thought it was the second straight day with no mammals, but then I spied a Rock Squirrel high atop a boulder, high atop a ridge.
Short hike, good hike. We’ll do it again tomorrow.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 6:30 a.m. (7:30 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay (v)
2. Lazuli Bunting
3. Rock Pigeon*
4. House Finch**
5. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
6. Black-chinned Hummingbird
7. Spotted Towhee
8. Lesser Goldfinch
9. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
10. American Robin (v)
11. Black-billed Magpie* (v)
12. Cooper’s Hawk
Elsewhere
13. California Quail
14. House Sparrow
Mammals
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, black-chinned hummingbird, blue-gray gnatcatcher, California quail, cooper's hawk, house finch, house sparrow, lazuli bunting, lesser goldfinch, rock pigeon, rock squirrel, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
