Summer before last when I moved here, just walking with Jack in the neighborhood, I came upon a little covey of quail. California Quail, adults and juvies. I had no idea they lived around here—but thanks to some transplants back in the 1800s, they do.
They’ve been fun to watch, to get to know. At this time of year, they have young ’uns. I’ve seen fewer young ’uns than in the past two years (just one with its mom this afternoon), but they still inspire in me the power of tiny living things to mature quickly, to beat the odds, to survive to adulthood, and to bring into the world other tiny living things.
LFG, little quail.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:14 a.m. (8:14 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Up the trail with dog as usual, and as lately in the cool, cool shade. Many birds at first—and all told the most species in a while—plus just a little visual magic today for whatever random reason.
For instance: Rock Squirrels perched high on a rock on a ridge, one high, one low; a hummingbird teed up on a twig, the waning gibbous moon behind it; and in late afternoon, a red-tail perched on a utility pole, as an incoming jetliner passes in the sky behind it. (Saw what I assume was the same hawk, on the same pole, this early morning.)
A little magic is a good thing.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:11 a.m. (8:11 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Lazuli Bunting 2. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 3. House Finch** 4. Mourning Dove 5. Black-chinned Hummingbird 6. Spotted Towhee 7. Rock Pigeon* 8. Black-billed Magpie** 12. Black-headed Grosbeak (v) 10. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 11. Common Raven 12. American Robin* (v) 13. Sharp-Shinned Hawk 13. Warbling Vireo 9. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 11. Pine Siskin (v) 17. Song Sparrow* (v) 18. Lesser Goldfinch**
Elsewhere
19. California Quail 20. House Sparrow 21. Eurasian Collared-dove 22. Red-tailed Hawk
Mammals
Red Squirrel Rock Squirrel Mountain Cottontail
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
Dog and I enjoyed another cool morning hike this day—albeit a cloudless one. Only the moon and a few raptors up there. Heard a Cooper’s Hawk call from the nest above little Coyote Canyon, saw another circling above the house home this midday (with pay), and a red-tail in late afternoon.
Despite the drought, fledglings of several species are taking wing. House Finches have multiplied exponentially. I wonder how many more birds will head south come fall than showed up in spring this year.
(Note: I wonder this every year.)
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:15 a.m. (8:15 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
