A cooler morning—temps in the low 50s (F)—with something of a breeze. The high would end up higher than yesterday, but in shade this morning, I felt just a tiny bit chilly in my t-shirt. But as soon as we entered a sunny patch, dog and I, the morning proved perfectly comfortable.
Still not many birds, nor much birdsong, but a nice selection. The most numerous species? House Finch—with 20 individuals. Maybe they’ve fledged some youngsters and everyone had gone out for a spin.
Tomorrow will begin cool again, but the temperature’s supposed to rise to three digits (F) by evening. Guess we’ll see.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:35 a.m. (8:35 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
A little windy this morning, and few birds to start. As the sun topped the ridge and the air warmed up, more of the usual resident suspects made appearances—especially buntings and towhees.
It’s pretty dry, though. Drought conditions, in fact. Throughout the western states. Summer-like fire warnings with a couple weeks left in spring. Things are still green, and dragonflies are out, and pollinators are tending to multitudes of high desert flowers. But when draught comes to the high desert, there’s room for a little concern.
Still Nature knows what she’s doing. All life’s connected. And precipitation will come. Eventually.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:24 a.m. (8:24 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
A pleasant, rather quiet hike up the deer trails with dog this early morning. The usual suspects—some conspicuously singing, some flitting silently.
Seems the birds were actually a little more active in the neighborhood this day—hummingbirds in the flowers, magpies in the fringes, robins pulling up worms. Also a single male California Quail lurking in the fringes.
Warm in afternoon, but it was a pleasant heat. No longer summerlike in spring.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7 a.m. (8 a.m. MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
