This morning’s hike—much shorter than yesterday—was cool and sweet and fruitful (with somewhat cleaner air). Fun and unusual birds (including two species of swallow). Dog and I enjoyed it a lot. Still puzzling over hummingbirds however.
In particular, I’m having trouble distinguishing between various species of female/immature hummers. I thought I had Broad-tailed Hummingbirds down—but then I had an expert point out that two of my broad-tail photos actually showed Calliope Hummingbirds. What’s more, both birds look an awful like female Rufous Hummingbirds.
You have to take in consideration things like: overall size, beak length, short or longer tails, wing length compared with tail length, location of ruddy colored feathers, wider feathers, shiny feathers. I feel confident I can tell the sound of a broad-tails wingbeats (also black-chins’)—but so much is still a mystery.
You might thing it’s frustrating—but no. Just my latest birding challenge.
Grandeur Peak Area List
At 7:27 a.m. (8:17 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Cooper’s Hawk
2. Black-capped Chickadee
3. Broad-tailed Hummingbird
4. Spotted Towhee
5. Rock Pigeon*
6. Mourning Dove
7. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay**
8. House Finch**
9. Black-billed Magpie (v)
10. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (v)
11. Red-tailed Hawk
12. Black-chinned Hummingbird
13. Chipping Sparrow
14. Violet-green Swallow
15. Barn Swallow
16. Pine Siskin (v)
Elsewhere
17. Eurasian Collared-dove
Mammals
Red Squirrel
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: barn swallow, black-billd magpie, black-capped chickadee, black-chinned hummingbird, blue-gray gnatcatcher, broad-tailed hummingbird, chipping sparrow, cooper's hawk, Eurasan collared dove, house finch, mourning dove, pine sisksins, red squirrel, red-tailed hawk, rock pigeon, rock squirrel, spotted towhee, violet-green swallow, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
