A few days ago, in the front yard, I noticed what appeared to be a couple of fledgling House Sparrows following their parents around. Those were likely the first fledglings of the year noticed by me. Today brought two more.
First, up on the deer trails, I noticed a very young towhee fluttering around in the undergrowth. Later, back home, I spied a couple of fledgling magpies following their parent around.
Although i’s not real easy to do, I like trying to keep track of the new birds o the season.
[A note on the hot, dry weather: I heard a radio forecast today that essentially predicted temps up in the 90s (F) pretty much every day from here through the month of August. Yesterday we tied the all-time record high of 107° (F). Not gonna let up for a good while, apparently.]
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:02 a.m. (8:02 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
The heat wave continues. Was already in the upper-70s (F) when dog and I headed up the trail, and the high temp reached (by one report) 106°. (Possibly a record.) Our hike was a quick one, but we weren’t alone up there.
I refer to a few squirrels and dragonflies—and more than a few birds.
Not many more than a few. But a nice surprise in the form of an appearance up near the Monarch Quarry of my second-ever Ash-throated Flycatcher.
The high tomorrow is supposed to cool down into the 90s tomorrow. Ahhh.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:15 a.m. (8:15 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Dog and I started early, what with a hot day forecast. Sure enough it was cloudless, but here on the east side of the basin, we’ve got the mountain shade early—and a little bit of a breeze kept things about room temperature on our way up to the ridge, where I decided we could climb for a change.
And climb we did. Had plenty of water for Jack, and most of the hike was in shadow. (The sunny spots were a little toasty.) Quite a few birds out early—I figure they didn’t want to have to brave the afternoon heat. Which, by the way, reached 100° (F). (Tomorrow’s supposed to get to 101°, and the day after 102°.)
It’ll be a drought-ravaged year here in the west, but still we’ll go out hiking. (Early.)
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:03 a.m. (8:03 MDT), I hiked about 1,200 feet up a mountain.
