Light precipitation last night—rain in the neighborhood, snow up on the peaks—so we got a late start, dog and I. The morning was chilly and overcast, and the trails were slick with mud. I had no idea what I’d encounter.
MacGillivray’s Warbler.
A lot, turns out. Twenty-five species (actually 26, if you count the unidentified Empidonax), including two lifers. The first—a Black-throated Sparrow—just flitted up out of nowhere, without a sound. Was lucky to get a quick pic or two. The second was near the end of our hike, when another Empidonax popped up to a perch. Got a video of that quiet, nondescript bird, which (lucky for me) was flicking his tail down, then up—a sure sign that it was a Gray Flycatcher.
But the biggest deal for me was that right about the time the sun came out—beating all odds—I somehow managed a good look at the MacGillivray’s Warbler that’d been driving me nuts for the past four or five days.
Beyond all that, other surprise birds appeared—like my first Olive-sided Warbler in Utah, perched very near a random Dark-eyed Junco. Got real wet, slipped in mud a couple times, but felt like I’d just had some kind of serendipitous bath or something.
My tub runneth over.
24 May 2020 update: I’m told my Black-throated Sparrow was just the second reported sighting in Salt Lake County.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:30 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Forty-seven degrees this morning. A nice crisp hike. Interesting bird activity—including a few random occurrences (Olive-sided Flycatcher, another Warbling Vireo, a pair of dueling kestrels high on the ridge).
Gets nippy in a hurry up here at where the air is thin.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:15 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up the mountain.
I had to look it up. Sure enough, I’d seen an Olive-sided Flycatcher at Beech Hill before—just one, six years ago. This morning’s bird appeared in much the same circumstances: a lone, silent flycatcher, perched upright on a distant snag, wearing a dark-colored vest. Again, I had to download the photos before confirming the ID.
Chalk-fronted Corporal (female).
Also happened to spot a solitary kingbird in flight this overcast morning. Warm weather brought out butterflies and dragonflies.
And back home, I nearly stepped on a Garter Snake.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:30 a.m., I hiked the open trail (and a bit of the woods).
1. American Redstart**
2. Ovenbird (v)
3. Northern Cardinal (v)
4. Blue Jay
5. Chipping Sparrow (v)
6. Alder Flycatcher
7. American Crow*
8. Black-and-white Warbler
9. Red-eyed Vireo** (v)
10. Eastern Towhee
11. Chestnut-sided Warbler**
12. American Robin (v)
13. Olive-sided Flycatcher
14. Eastern Bluebird
15. Yellow Warbler** (v)
16. Song Sparrow
17. Field Sparrow
18. Gray Catbird
19. Veery (v)
20. Eastern Wood-pewee (v)
21. Eastern Phoebe*
22. Tree Swallow
23. Common Yellowthroat** (v)
24. Black-billed Cuckoo (v)
25. Eastern Kingbird
26. American Goldfinch (v)
27. Black-throated Green Warbler (v)
28. Broad-winged Hawk
Elsewhere
29. Morning Dove
30. Herring Gull
31. Rock Pigeon
32. Northern Parula (v)
33. Osprey (v)
v = Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
†First-of-year bird
