A bright morning, temps about 45 (F) or so. Slight breeze. Looked like the overnight wind directly was more or less southerly, so I thought it possible a new migrant or two might pop up somewhere.
Welp, two did.
The first was a Chipping Sparrow that popped up in a juniper along the deer trail as I was looking to spot a junco. Was a lovely surprise.
The second was a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher that popped up on our return hike (by which time the temperature was much warmer). Actually heard the bird first, then spied it—also in a juniper.
I’d forgotten how much joy first-of year spring migrants bring.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:58 a.m., sun time, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Overcast and hazy sun this morning. Birds about—plenty of ’em, vocalizing and moving around—although no crazy migrants yet. Breeze was from the southwest, though, so favorable for mogration.
Wren again, nesting chickadees, five kinglets, a Cooper’s. Lots of birds in the neighborhood, too—and in town (including a domestic mallard in Sugar House that I did not list here).
Deer, too, and the voice of a quail.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:47 a.m., sun time, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Pine Siskin** 2. American Robin* 2. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 3. Spotted Towhee 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. Black-capped Chickadee 7. Rock Wren 8. House Finch* (v) 9. California Quail* (v) 10. Northern Flicker* 11. Black-billed Magpie* (v) 12. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 13. Cooper’s Hawk (v) 14. Red-tailed Hawk 15. Song Sparrow* (v)
Elsewhere
18. Lesser Goldfinch 16. House Sparrow 17. Eurasian Collared-dove 18. European Starling 20. Mourning Dove 21. California Gull
Mammals
Red Squirrel Mule Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
Overcast—but warmer, with mud on thee trails. Despite the chance of it, dog and I experienced no snow or drizzle. No crazy migrants (other than a distant wren of some kind I happened to spot high atop a rock on the ridge). But many, many siskins—more even than juncos.
And before our hike, at home, I managed to convince a goldfinch to pose for us.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:54 a.m., sun time, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Pine Siskin** 2. American Robin* 3. Spotted Towhee 4. Rock Pigeon* 5. House Finch** 6. Black-billed Magpie** (v) 7. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 8. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 9. Dark-eyed Junco* 10. Sharp-shinned Hawk 11. Northern Flicker
Elsewhere
12. House Sparrow 14. Eurasian Collared-dove (v) 15. Lesser Goldfinch 16. European Starling 17. California Quail
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
