This morning with Jack on the semi-cool trails, under semi-smoky skies, I found myself—after a nice hike among hummingbirds, doves, corvids, towhees, et al—wishing to encounter a surprise. Then, although of course I was thinking of an unusual bird, I thought of how surprises can bring good news or bad news. Like a bird, say, or an angry mountain lion.
But within a minute of having this wish, a Brewer’s Sparrow popped up into a little snag within a few feet of the trail—and posed.
Good news.
[New estimate on the size of the Parleys Canyon Fire: 529 acres. At this writing, it’s 21 percent contained.]
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:08 a.m. (8:08 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Hummingbirds are everywhere just now—especially in the leafy gully called Coyote Canyon. Broad-tails, mostly, but also black-chins and the occasional rufous. Plus (I just found out today, when an ebird hummingbird expert corrected a couple errant IDs I made a few days back) calliopes. Encountered at least a dozen hummers in the gully this morning.
Also witnessed a dramatic chase, when a Cooper’s Hawkwhooshed from the slope behind dog and me in pursuit of a robin. The robin flew as fast as it could, weaving through the trees with the hawk on its tail, calling as it fled (in robin language) Hawk! Hawk! Gotta confess, that hawk’s whooshing wing sounds gave me goose flesh as it sailed past not six feet from me. Not sorry I didn’t see the result of that chase.
Later this hot afternoon, during errands, I saw three crows. That was cool
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 6:57 a.m. (7:57 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Lesser Goldfinch** 2. Mourning Dove 3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 4. Western Kingbird 5. Spotted Towhee 6. Black-chinned Hummingbird 7. Rock Pigeon 8. Black-billed Magpie* (v) 9. House Finch* 10. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 11. Broad-tailed Hummingbird 12. Downy Woodpecker (v) 13. American Robin 14. Cooper’s Hawk 15. Black-capped Chickadee 16. Warbling Vireo (v)
Elsewhere
17. Eurasian Collared-dove 18. House Sparrow 19. California Quail 20. American Crow
Mammals
Red Squirrel Mountain Cottontail
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
The air wasn’t perfect this morning, but it was clearly, well, clearer. And cleaner. Got to the trailhead a bit early, which—combined with the lessening photoperiod—made for a lot of mountain shade early. Along with few birds. In fact, more than half my hike with dog to me only a half dozen species.
But then the sun topped the ridge, and, like magic, things started to pick up. by hike’s end I’d added eight more—including (the funnest bird for me) a female grosbeak whose subtle (but distinctive) chip I heard, followed, and traced back to the source of the sound.
Nice to have clean(er) air for a change.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 6:56 a.m. (7:56 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. American Robin 2. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay* 3. Black-chinned Hummingbird 4. Rock Pigeon* 5. Spotted Towhee 6. Broad-tailed Hummingbird 7. Warbling Vireo 8. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 9. Mourning Dove 10. House Finch** 11. Lazuli Bunting 12. Pine Siskin (v) 13. Black-headed Grosbeak 14. Black-billed Magpie* 15. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
Elsewhere
16. Eurasian Collared-dove 17. California Quail
Mammals
Rock Squirrel Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
