Interesting hike with dog this morning. Got to the trailhead at the usual time, and there was a breeze, and the sky was mostly overcast, and the air was a lot warmer than yesterday—nearly 80° (F), I’d say. A few birds about, the usual suspects.
Headed out, we surprised a huge flock of pigeons—maybe 240 or so?—which amused me in their synchronized circling.
Returning via the deer trail, I followed a scattering of chip notes to discover three species hopping about in a smallish juniper: Lazuli Bunting (a female), Black-throated Gray Warbler (two juvies and an adult), and Warbling Vireo. That was fun.
Then, on our return, a few raindrops fell. Literally a few. (Well, OK, maybe a few dozen.)
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 6:32 a.m. (7:32 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 2. Lazuli Bunting 3. Black-capped Chickadee 4. Black-billed Magpie* (v) 5. American Robin* (v) 6. Mourning Dove 6. Spotted Towhee 7. Black-chinned Hummingbird* 9. House Finch** 10. Rock Pigeon* 11. Black-throated Gray Warbler 12. Warbling Vireo 13. Lesser Goldfinch** (v) 14. Song Sparrow (v)
Elsewhere
15. Eurasian Collared-dove 16. California Quail (v)
Mammals
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
Supposed to be hot today, and the temp was already in the upper-70s (F) at the airport, so dog and I headed up to the trailhead about half hour earlier than usual. Gotta say it was pretty nice hiking in the mountain shade.
And there were birds a-plenty. Small flocks of young robins, large flocks of fnch families, a juvie Black-throated Gray Warbler, and my first nuthatch in a while.
Not until our return did we finally feel the warmth of direct sunlight—a hint of the heat to come.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 6:38 a.m. (7:38 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. American Robin* 2. Lazuli Bunting 3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 4. Mourning Dove 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. House Finch* 7. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 8. Spotted Towhee 9. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 10. Black-chinned Hummingbird 11. Black-capped Chickadee 12. California Quail* 13. Western Tanager (v) 14. Warbling Vireo (v) 15. Chipping Sparrow (v) 16. Black-throated Gray Warbler 17. Song Sparrow** (v)
These past couple days, as the temperatures in the Pacific Northwest broke all-time heat records (121°F in British Columbia??), Jack and I have had some nice coolish morning hikes up the foothills trails. Upper 60s to start, maybe mid-70s at the end. Today the trend continued.
Yep, it was a lovely morning for a walk in the high desert. We’ve even had scattered thundershowers lately.
[Sucks about anthropogenic climate change, though.]
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:05 a.m. (8:05 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Lazuli Bunting 2. Black-billed Magpie* 3. House Finch** 4. Song Sparrow* 5. Mourning Dove 6. Black-chinned Hummingbird 7. Spotted Towhee 8. Rock Pigeon 9. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 10. Black-headed Grosbeak 11. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 12. American Robin** (v) 13. Warbling Vireo (v) 14. Black-throated Gray Warbler 15. Turkey Vulture
Elsewhere
16. Eurasian Collared-dove 17. Lesser Goldfinch (v) 18. California Quail 19. House Sparrow (v)
Mammals
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
