If you’ve been following these ramblings, you’ll know by now that I love the Big Sagebrush plant. Love the bonsai-looking trunks, the rounded shape of the little leaves, and (especially) the sharp, invigorating smell of a crushed sprig of leaves (after asking politely to pluck it).
Turns out Lesser Goldfinches love this plant also—in particular the seeds. I caught a flock of ’em chowing down on sagebrush seeds during my morning hike with Captain Jack. First I’d noticed this symbiotic love relationship.
Today was a bright day, close to the shortest of the year. Lengthening days will begin again soon.
Grandeur Peak Area List
At 9:08 MST, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-capped Chickadee
2. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay (v)
3. Northern Flicker
4. Rock Pigeon*
5. House Finch**
6. Red-tailed Hawk
7. Townsend’s Solitaire (v)
8. Lesser Goldfinch
9. Chukar (v)
10. Dark-eyed Junco
Elsewhere
11. Song Sparrow
12. Sharp-shinned Hawk
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail
Mule Deer
Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: black-capped chickadee, chukar, dark-eyed junco, house finch, lesser goldfinch, mountain cottontail, mule deer, northern flicker, red squirrel, red-tailed hawk, rock pigeon, sharp-shinned hawk, song sparrow, Townsend’s solitaire, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
