Hummingbirds are everywhere just now—especially in the leafy gully called Coyote Canyon. Broad-tails, mostly, but also black-chins and the occasional rufous. Plus (I just found out today, when an ebird hummingbird expert corrected a couple errant IDs I made a few days back) calliopes. Encountered at least a dozen hummers in the gully this morning.
Also witnessed a dramatic chase, when a Cooper’s Hawk whooshed from the slope behind dog and me in pursuit of a robin. The robin flew as fast as it could, weaving through the trees with the hawk on its tail, calling as it fled (in robin language) Hawk! Hawk! Gotta confess, that hawk’s whooshing wing sounds gave me goose flesh as it sailed past not six feet from me. Not sorry I didn’t see the result of that chase.
Later this hot afternoon, during errands, I saw three crows. That was cool
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 6:57 a.m. (7:57 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Lesser Goldfinch**
2. Mourning Dove
3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
4. Western Kingbird
5. Spotted Towhee
6. Black-chinned Hummingbird
7. Rock Pigeon
8. Black-billed Magpie* (v)
9. House Finch*
10. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
11. Broad-tailed Hummingbird
12. Downy Woodpecker (v)
13. American Robin
14. Cooper’s Hawk
15. Black-capped Chickadee
16. Warbling Vireo (v)
Elsewhere
17. Eurasian Collared-dove
18. House Sparrow
19. California Quail
20. American Crow
Mammals
Red Squirrel
Mountain Cottontail
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crown, American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, black-chinned hummingbird, blue-gray gnatcatcher, broad-tailed hummingbird, California quail, cooper's hawk, downy woodpecker, Eurasian collared dove, house finch, house sparrow, lesser goldfinch, mountain cottontail, mourning dove, red squirrel, rock pigeon, spotted towhee, warbling vireo, western kingbird, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
