Few clouds in this morning’s blue sky, and few bird species up along the deer trails. Rock Squirrels were rather conspicuous, as were Mule Deer, and insects—flies, wasps, butterflies—were a bit more numerous. Seems we’ll still have to wait some days for the first wave of migrants.
Especially considering the weather forecast for tonight and tomorrow: cooler temperatures, higher winds, and a ew inches of morning snow.
Ah, sweet fickle spring!
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:29 a.m. (8:29 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. American Robin* 2. House Finch* 3. Spotted Towhee 4. Song Sparrow** (v) 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 7. Black-capped Chickadee 8. Juniper Titmouse (v)
Warmer still, and mostly cloudless. Three cottontails in the quarry this morning, several deer up the juniper slope. Three tits (Black-capped Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee, Juniper Titmouse), a bunch of robins still, and a junco for a change.
But the most exciting bird was a lonely White-breasted Nuthatch. Don’t see many of those around here.
Feels like things are about to bust out. We shall see.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:35 a.m. (8:35 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Third cloudless day in a row. The trails are dry now, the temperature rising. Birds are changing their behavior a bit: California Quail calling for the first time this year, finches flying up into the juniper barrens again, robins moving through. Many robins.
My minor birding dramas involved chasing a pair of nuthatches, a Juniper Titmouse, and a Mountain Chickadee. Only got a glimpse of the titmouse. But the morning invigorated dog and me.
And the photoperiod continues to lengthen. And migrating birds will arrive.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:40 a.m. (8:40 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Song Sparrow** (v) 2. California Quail* (v) 3. American Robin** 4. House Finch** 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. Spotted Towhee 7. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 8. Black-capped Chickadee 9. Juniper Titmouse 10. Red-breasted Nuthatch 11. Mountain Chickadee (v)
Elsewhere
12. Eurasian Collared-dove
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
