Twenties (F) again this morning when Captain Jack and I hit the trails. Again, we were alone up there except for the birds and deer. The weather radar showed a snow shower, but the only precipitation I saw was out west a ways, and that didn’t reach us until our return trip.
Mostly juncos and siskins again—although this time the juncos outnumbered the siskins. Funnest birds were the little pair of Ruby-crowned Kinglets we encountered on our way up, poking their way about in the budding maples.
Supposed to warm up to the point of rain in the next day or two, and then turn more seasonable. Not many days until Jack and I head back to Maine. Changes.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:54 a.m., sun time, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 2. Pine Siskin** 3. Spotted Towhee 4. Rock Pigeon* 5. Song Sparrow* (v) 6. Black-billed Magpie (v) 7. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 8. House Finch** 9. American Robin* (v) 10. Dark-eyed Junco 11. Ruby-crowned kinglet
Elsewhere
12. House Sparrow (v) 13. Mourning Dove (v) 14. Eurasian Collared-dove (v) 15. Lesser Goldfinch 16. European Starling 17. American Crow (v) 18. Red-tailed Hawk
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
It snowed overnight, about four inches. Temperature in the upper-20s (F) when dog and I hit the trail. A bit of a breeze, the possibility of more snow (although none came until after our return). Didn’t expect many birds. But there were many. Especially siskins.
However, the best posing species were juncos. Two little batches, totaling about a dozen (as opposed to twice as many siskins—mostly in flight and only heard). Deer about, too.
The cold weather’s supposed to continue for a bit, then it’ll warm up for the weekend.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 8:23 a.m., sun time, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. House Finch** 2. Pine Siskin 3. Rock Pigeon* 4. Black-billed Magpie* (v) 5. American Robin* (v) 6. Mourning Dove 7. Black-capped Chickadee 8. Dark-eyed Junco 9. Song Sparrow* (v) 10. Northern Flicker (v)
Elsewhere
11. House Sparrow (v) 12. Lesser Goldfinch 13. European Starling 14. Eurasian Collared-dove
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
Only a degree or two above freezing this morning when dog and I headed up the trail. Breezy, too—windy almost. But mostly sunny (with a few big billowy clouds), and it’s always calmer under the ridge.
Quite a few bird species heard or seen, including a little wave of Ruby-crowned Kinglets. First I heard one while we were climbing the little shady gully (a.k.a., Coyote Canyon). Its voice was coming from up the south side where a bunch of deer were hanging out. Then, on the deer trail up closer to the deer, I heard (then saw) a pair if kinglets poking about in a juniper. Those two flew away, but two more showed up in another tree.
Finally, on our return, I heard (then saw) a sixth one flitting about in the scrub oak. More evidence of spring migration.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:52 a.m., sun time, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. American Robin* 2. House Finch* 3. Rock Pigeon* 4. Spotted Towhee 5. Pine Siskin 6. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 7. Northern Flicker** (v) 8. Dark-eyed Junco 9. Chukar (v) 10. Black-capped Chickadee 11. Black-billed Magpie 12. California Quail** (v) 13. Song Sparrow* (v) 14. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (v)
Elsewhere
15. House Sparrow (v) 16. Lesser Goldfinch (v) 17. Eurasian Collared-dove 18. European Starling 19. Red-tailed Hawk 20. Turkey Vulture
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere