A seeming slight lull in migration this morning, another coolish-one. Perhaps the drought is affecting things—well, I’m sure it’s affecting things, but this is only my second fall migration I’ve experienced here in Utah.
The usual suspects, couple chickadees, couple of corvids, bunch of house finches, all that. No yellow-rumps, but I did spy a lovely little White-crowned Sparrow.
Already wondering what tomorrow will bring.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:29 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Migration. This morning’s hike began quiet for maybe the first ten minutes in the mountain shade—then took off in a hurry. So many little birds moving through. Including (of course) a bunch of Yellow-rumped Warblers.
I’m used to the Myrtle subspecies back east, but I’ve gotten fairly accustomed to the Audubon’s out here in the high desert. This species is among the most abundant in North America, and even in a drought, they’re all over the place just now. Proof of fall migration.
I counted 25 ’rumps this morning (likely an undercount). One cool thing is, I can now ID this bird from its chip note—which is similar, but not identical, to the version back East. (A touch sweeter than the dry chip! of the eastern variety.) Other birds on the move: robins, kinglets, junco, White-crowned Sparrow, Mountain Chickadee. (The latter might be year-round residents, but they’ve sure been flitting around all over the place lately.)
Quite a list today. But I have to say I had the most fun following all the little yellow-rumps flitting around.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:26 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Robins everywhere this morning. Also a couple warbler species, a random junco, a Mountain Chickadee, and I glimpsed a furtive Green-tailed Towhee. Just one gnatcatcher, though—and not a single hummingbird. All signs of fall migration.
Birding friends from back in Maine have gathered at Monhegan Island. I’m envious. A favorite place, the best birding ever. But the challenges offered by a high desert landscape make things interesting also. Honestly, I have no idea what I’ll see or hear each day for the next couple weeks.
Tomorrow’s hike will be particularly interesting, since the first part of it will occur in summer, and the latter part will occur in autumn.
Will let you know.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:23 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
