I’ve probably bragged too much about still having good hearing for my age. But, truly, hearing the notes and sounds and music that birds make helps me find them, ID them, engage with them. I feel lucky, thankful, grateful. Of course having good, accurate sight also means better birding—and there are plenty of birders who have only one or the other. But today in particular, my ears did most of the grunt work.
For instance, eight of 18 species on my hike list (and one on my “elsewhere” list) are there only because I heard ’em. I identified a “confusing” flycatcher based on the little subtle sounds it made. And I managed to hear (and learn) a brand new bird song.
In the latter case, my distant photo of the bird helped also. Dog and I were up on the deer trail, when I heard what sounded like a Chipping Sparrow singing a unique song for the species: its trill started high, then fell down a notch, and ended with a brief third pitch. I spied the singer at the top of a distant juniper and snapped off a few pics just in case.
Later, based on the blurry photos, I looked up the song of the Brewer’s Sparrow—and, sure enough, that was the bird I’d heard.
It’s fun to bird by ear.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:37 a.m. (8:37 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Low 40s (F) when I first check this morning. Overcast with a little rain falling. As I got ready for our hike, for whatever reason Jack decided he didn’t want to go. Figured at his age, it wouldn’t hurt to give my dog a day off every now and then, so this one was a solo birding trip.
Plenty of species right off the bat. Also a nice breeze. Also something of a slog. (Sheepishly, I admit to feeling OK with not having to clean mud off J’s paws.) Encountered a tanager early, more siskins than recently, four doves, a second tanager, and more. No surprise species or first-of-years, but still a lovely nippy morning.
(Judging by his reaction on my return, I bet the Captain opts to accompany me tomorrow.)
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:25 a.m. (8:25 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-capped Chickadee 2. Lazuli Bunting 3. Black-headed Grosbeak 4. Black-chinned Hummingbird 5. Pine Siskin 6. Spotted Towhee 7. American Robin* (v) 8. Rock Pigeon* 9. Mourning Dove 10. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 11. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 12. Western Tanager 13. House Finch** 14. Chipping Sparrow 15. Orange-crowned Warbler (v) 16. Black-billed Magpie* 17. Warbling Vireo (v) 18. Turkey Vulture
Elsewhere
19. Song Sparrow (v) 20. Eurasian Collared-dove (v)
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
Much unlike yesterday’s lowery overcast, this morning’s sky had no clouds in it, and the air carried quite a chill. Still fun to watch the doings of the wild bird life—especially, this morning, the Black-chinned Hummingbirds.
Broad-tails are also nesting around here somewhere, but it’s the black-chinneds that are zipping around everywhere above the scrubby surrounds. I’ve learned the peculiar hum their wings make as they zip by, as well as the fluty sounds those wings can emit when they’re doing their “U” display—zip up, pause zip down and up, pause, back and forth in the exaggerated shape of the alphabets twenty-first letter.
Today, I watched this display in minature, as a black-chinned made little declarative U’s in front of clump of sagebrush. I spied another hummer within the slump—rival? potential mate?—as the U-maker decided to perch for a bit.
That’s when I took this picture.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:11 a.m. (8:11 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
