This morning’s hike with do became surreal in a hurry. First, the smoke remains (thicker than yesterday)—which kept things cool, at least. But it also made the light an odd orange-yellow. And I heard hardly any birds at all for a good part of our excursion. (Saw only a few, too.)
No towhees. No pigeons. One bunting. No gnatcatchers. A single cry from a young hawk. A sparrow I couldn’t identify.
At last, in the gully, hummingbirds rose and surrounded us—which, while a sweet relief, was also rather surreal.
[08/13/2021 update: Also surreal is the fact that my featured photo this date was a female Calliope Hummingbird, not a female broad-tailed. Yowza!]
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:09 a.m. (8:09 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Today’s hike with dog was a good ’un. Cool again in the morning (likely due to the smoke from western fires), yet cloudless (above the smoke), and with an interesting (if smaller) batch of bird species.
No hawk today, no thrush or warbler or sparrow. But, as is typical for the season, a nice contingent of hummingbirds of all ages.
But the bird of the day appeared later, back home, as Jack and I were hanging out in the front yard: a leucisticEurasian Collared-dove flew up to a guy wire above the house across the street. (Apparently, they’re not uncommon, but it was the first I’ve ever seen.)
Likely more smoke tomorrow, but it should subside in coming days.
[08/13/2021 update: An eBird hummingbird expert corrected my initial ID of female broad-tailed to female Calliope Hummingbird—a lifer for me!]
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:14 a.m. (8:14 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
More smoke in the air this morning, but not nearly as smoky as yesterday. Still, dog and I hiked early (in the cool, cool air) and kept it rather short. Still, as always, there were birds.
Three hummingbird species again today. Cooper’s Hawks again (one posing agreeably nearby). The surprise birds included Warbling Vireo and Black-throated Gray warbler—near where they both surely nested, up the leafy gully a ways. (I saw all these species there, in fact.)
Not many birds down in the neighborhood—although the red-tail stood sentinel late in the day on its utility pole toward town.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:04 a.m. (8:04 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
