A bird’s been singing for more than a week up little Coyote Canyon, just above where dog and I typically veer off onto the upper deer trail, so we’ve been heading up the gully in search of it. But it’s always kept far enough off trail to make the chase futile. This morning looked at first to be a repeat of this routine—but then the bird flitted down below us up into a maple right along the trail. Just had to sneak quietly down in the direction of its buzzy voice, and there it was.
Nearby was also a Warbling Vireo, a couple other wood-warblers, an accipiter, chippies, buntings, and towhees. It’s a birdy place up there this time of year.
As is just about every place, if you take a walk outside.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:33 a.m. (8:33 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
From their sudden abundance, I’d assumed all the Lazuli Buntings that were going to arrive had arrived already. But this chilly, breezy, slightly drizzly morning brought a whole new batch to the patch. Fifteen individuals in all.
And plenty of other birds were active and abundant. Heard at least two Black-headed Grosbeaks (and saw two for sure, both singers, eyeing each other at a good distance). A pair of hummingbird species, ever-present towhees, gnatcatchers, and the rest. No mammals and few insects, but I’m sure the unsettled weather had something to do with that.
It’s been a late migration compared to last spring’s—I hear this from other areas of the continent, as well. Which, happily, means more to come.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:39 a.m. (8:39 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Another bright but chilly morning, a morning filled with birdsong. No new migrants, but plenty of recent ones—and a couple of mystery birds.
I didn’t see the mystery birds, although in two cases I chased their songs. In one particularly thrilling instance, I spied a good-sized, quiet, plain-colored bird swoop in front of us into the undergrowth, never to be seen again.
In two instances, I chased birds whose voices I recognized in hopes of getting a photo, to no avail. This happens a lot, but the disappointment gets shorter by the year, because I know there’ll be more birds to chase—and a successful chase is worth at least a score of misses.
Good chance of rain showers in the morning. A successful chase in a little weather is best of all.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:39 a.m. (8:39 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
