Last evening, a fire broke out below the trail dog and I hike each day. No word on the cause (I suspect human carelessness), but it spread over about four or five acres before a quick response by firefighters—helicopters dropping water and fire retardant—doused the flames. Crossed the trail at one spot and left a scar on the landscape. Nonetheless, birds aplenty this morning.
Quite a few more species than usual for summer, in fact. Notable was the first Black-throated Gray Warbler in a couple weeks, I’d guess (and my first female), along with a Western Tanager, a Cooper’s Hawk with prey, the young Red-tailed Hawk again—and the clear voice of a sapsucker that I never caught sight of. (I suspect a lifer Red-naped Sapsucker, but I can’t be sure.)
Got up into the 90s (F). Not a whole lot of wind. Draught conditions, or so it seems (no rain in the ten-day forecast). Still there’s that will to survive.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Rain this early morning. Captain Jack and I awoke to a gray day and a chill: about 42 degrees (F). We waited until the air dried up a bit, then hiked up the switchback—and saw no other dog or human. Saw a few birds, though.
Notable were two hawk species on this morning’s list. Not far from the trailhead, soaring in the direction of town, was a handsome Red-tailed Hawk. Then up the drippy valley trail (Coyote Canyon, I hear it’s called), I heard the distinctive kip-kip! calls of a Cooper’s Hawk.
The Cooper’s silenced the voices of Warbling Vireo and Black-throated Green Warbler, but I didn’t mind.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
The air this morning smelled slightly smoky, as dog and I ascended the trail. I suspect because of a fire down around Lehi. (Fireworks.) Mostly overcast, in advance of promised thundershowers (which did arrive this afternoon). Just felt a little off up there.
But we were blessed with a trio of grosbeaks, and a courageous display by two gnatcatchers (and a goldfinch) against a nonchalant (but much larger) scrub-jay.
Dipped (photo-wise) on a Warbling Vireo and two Black-throated Gray Warblers. But that’s OK.
Every day is a good day.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
