If yesterday was warmish, today was positively balmy. What began as a comfortable, bright morning hike with dog—albeit with very icy trails in the shade—ended up sun-soaked and nearly 60° (F). Didn’t see that coming.
Nor did I see the robins coming, or anticipate the towhee’s whine, or expect the appearance of a pair of redpolls, or foresee the nice conversation with a friendly fellow “watcher,” or imagine Jack lying down in the snow to sun himself during said conversation.
Nor the pair of red-tails soaring overhead.
I did kind of expect the herd of deer—and the faint nervousness that a mountain lion’s been hanging around lately (judging not only by its snow-tracks). I shall be even more watchful than usual in coming days.
Grandeur Peak Area List
At 09:12 MST, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-billed Magpie (v)
2. American Robin
3. Spotted Towhee (v)
4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
5. Rock Pigeon*
6. House Finch**
7. Black-capped Chickadee
8. Pine Siskin (v)
9. Dark-eyed Junco
10. Common Redpoll
11. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
12. Red-tailed Hawk
Elsewhere
13. House Sparrow (v)
14. Northern Flicker (v)
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, common redpoll, dark-eyed junco, house finch, house sparrow, lesser goldfinch, mountain cottontail, mule deer, northern flicker, pine siskin, red-tailed hawk, rock pigeon, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay