6 April 2026

Posts Tagged ‘black-billed magpie’

Jaybird

Friday, January 3rd, 2020
Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 03 January 2020.
Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay.

Sun today. Warm even. Not too warm in the shade early, as Jack and I ascended our familiar switchback trail, but as soon as the rising sun landed on us—ahhh!

Quite a few of the usual birds up there, and mule deer, of course. But also tracks of lesser mammals, including what looked to me like the tracks of Snowshoe Hares and Meadow Voles. I’m familiar with those from back east, and turns out they live here, too. So maybe so.

Warmed into the upper-40s (F). Just a lovely day.

My bird of the day? Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 10 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up the mountain.

1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. House Finch*
3. Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay*
4. Black-billed Magpie*
5. Dark-eyed Junco*
6. Song Sparrow (v)
7. Lesser Goldfinch*

Elsewhere

8. American Robin (v)
9. Rock Pigeon
10. California Gull
11. House Sparrow (v)
12. European Starling

v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

Mystery Bird

Thursday, January 2nd, 2020
Black-billed Magpie, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 02 January 2020.
Black-billed Magpie.

Another fine winter hike this morning. Overcast, but not too chilly. A layer of fresh snow, but not enough to cause us to slip and slide, dog and I. The usual suspects, bird-wise—and plenty of mule deer snoozing on the mountainsides.

Near the end of it—in a place where juncos and chickadees were flitting about and vocalizing—I heard a call I didn’t recognize. Almost like the song of a Northern Parula, but it wasn’t. (Not only because parulas are eastern warblers, but because the quality of the call was notably different.)

Have no idea what it was. Maybe I’ll find out someday.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 10:15 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up the mountain.

1. Black-capped Chickadee**
2. Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay*
3. House Finch*
4. Downy Woodpecker
5. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
6. Black-billed Magpie*
7. Northern Flicker
8. Song Sparrow (v)
9. Dark-eyed Junco

v = Voice only
**Voice only elsewhere

New Year’s Sightings

Wednesday, January 1st, 2020
Northern Flicker, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 01 January 2020.
Northern Flicker.

Not a lot of snow overnight, and only a few inches this first morning of 2020 before a lull occurred. So dog and I headed up the mountain.

Golden Eagle, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 01 January 2020.
Golden Eagle.

Didn’t expect many birds, and heard only a couple on our way up the switchback—and then an eagle flew low over our heads. Good start.

Soon I spotted deer. Lots of ’em. And soon after that, we encountered some juncos and House Finches. And then more deer. In fact, about this time a few humans and dogs moseyed up behind us, and one of the dogs spotted a deer just across the little valley and took off. Long story short: about two dozen mule deer began to move up the mountainside in a hurry.

No elk yet, but I’ve heard reports. Soon.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 10 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up the mountain.

1. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
2. Black-billed Magpie
3. Golden Eagle
4. Northern Flicker**
5. Dark-eyed Junco
6. House Finch
7. American Robin

Elsewhere

8. Lesser Goldfinch (v)

v = Voice only
**Voice only elsewhere

 
Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



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