Among the commonest—and certainly the loudest—bird species hereabouts is the Black-billed Magpie. Which makes it rather astonishing that I haven’t seen or heard any the past two days on my hike up the mountain with dog.
However, I’ve seen plenty down in the neighborhood. And it’s pretty clear what’s going on.
Early nesters, magpies are, and after the youngsters fledge, they seem to move downhill. E.g., across from the trailhead over the past couple weeks, I’ve spied several ganging up on a neighbor’s cat. Plus, just about everywhere you can hear the whine of the big, goofy fledglings.
Today, after a couple thundershowers, a family showed up in the yard. Been working at the front window, so I took a little break to watch these smart, sometimes annoying, highly entertaining local corvids.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:30 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Slept late this morning. We didn’t make it to the trailhead until the sun had long cleared the ridge. Warm, not too breezy. Didn’t know what to expect.
Not many birds on my list, but what showed up were vocal. The usual buntings and towhees and grosbeaks, along with chippies, finches, gnatcatchers. No magpies, which was odd. And the cherry on top was a cooperative Black-throated Gray Warbler (singing an interesting alternate song that—astonishingly—didn’t fool me).
After two long hikes, today’s was a quick one. Rain forecast for the weekend. Wind and rain. Scattered thunderstorms. Should be interesting. Looking forward to it.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 9 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
I’d never seen a Black-headed Grosbeak until I’d moved to Utah. Saw a single quiet grosbeak in the shady switchback late last summer or in early fall, just for a moment. Impressive-looking bird that I knew nothing about.
Now, in deep spring, I feel like I know them fairly intimately. Not least because of the grosbeak nest I spotted about fifty paces from the trailhead where dog and I begin our daily hikes. From my observations, I’ve learned that both males and females will occupy the nest—and that this particular male often sings while sitting there in the leafy shade.
I’ve learned also that grosbeaks sing a lot—both sexes. (However, I haven’t yet seen any territorial skirmishes of the sort I’ve read about.) I know their song, of course—and their loud, staccato chip-note, which is similar to a Rose-breasted Grosbeak’s, but less squeaky.
Knowledge through observation: the most satisfying part of being a birder.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:45 a.m., I hiked about 1,200 feet up a mountain.
