Good and bad news this morning. The bad news first: Jack didn’t want to go. He’s had a couple episodes the past few days (stick lodged in throat, finally swallowed, and a missed jump into the truck after a hike, causing a minor fall), and he’s been a little lethargic since, so we have a vet appointment on Monday—although yesterday he was fine on the trails. Still, I figured he could use a day off (first since October 2019).
So although I thought about him the whole way, I ended up doing a ridge hike—a long, slow walk uphill a good ways, then downhill again, all the while observing a whole heap of migrating birds.
Pretty great hike this nearly cloudless morning. Not far along, I spied today’s first-of-year bird: a female Bullock’s Oriole perched in a treed atop the bluff. I heard it first—its raspy chatter and a few more musical notes—and got a distant photo.
Also got a few first glimpses of a Warbling Vireo (the species has been around for several days, but I finally laid eyes on one), a couple flickers (for a change), a couple grosbeaks.
Saw no others on the trail, neither humans nor dogs. Just man other plant and animal species.
Maybe more migrants tomorrow.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:30 a.m. (8:30 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
This one was supposed to be a warm day. And it was. But the real heat didn’t rise until after dog and I had finished a delicious hike in the sun.
Delicious for me on account of all the migrating bird life—including a first-of-year (and very likely only-of-year) Plumbeous Vireo—and delicious for Jack on account of all the smells.
We shall see what tomorrow brings.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:42 a.m. (8:42 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
