9 February 2025

Posts Tagged ‘black-chinned hummingbird’

Standout

Wednesday, September 8th, 2021
Brewer’s Sparrow, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 08 September 2021.
Brewer’s Sparrow.

Another in a string of very similar September days—smoky, cool early, cloudless (or nearly so). About the same number of bird species, too, but different ones (as always). Few chances for great photos, but one that stood out.

Today’s standout: a handsome Brewer’s Sparrow.

Grandeur Peak Area List
At 7:14 a.m. (8:14 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. House Finch
2. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay*
3. Rock Pigeon*
4. Spotted Towhee
5. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
6. Black-chinned Hummingbird
7. Eurasian Collared-dove
8. Northern Flicker
9. Brewer’s Sparrow
10. Chipping Sparrow
11. Nashville Warbler
12. Black-capped Chickadee**

Elsewhere

13. Downy Woodpecker

Mammals

Red Squirrel

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

Togetherness

Tuesday, September 7th, 2021
Sparrow and tanager, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 07 September 2021.
Sparrow and tanager.

Fewer bird species on this morning’s hike with dog, but no matter—still fun. Most entertaining episode (to me, anyway) began as soon as I heard the telltale chip of a Song Sparrow down amid the scrub oaks below the trail. (The species is common down in the neighborhood, but I rarely see them up the slopes.) I knew that chime-like chip, and I spied the bird not far away.

As I wondered what it was doing up there, I heard the little trill-like alarm note of a Western Tanager, perched somewhere across the trail from the sparrow. The tanager’s remarks appeared to interest the sparrow—it fluttered over to where the tanager sat and took a seat itself.

Seems that, especially during migration, I often see different species traveling together, hanging out together, keeping each other company. Usually it’s other little species following chickadees around. (Chickadees are comforting for various reasons.) But other times I notice other species buddying up. (Like yesterday’s three sparrow spp.)

Migration’s slow still, but hoping for more surprises tomorrow.

Grandeur Peak Area List
At 7:09 a.m. (8:09 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay*
2. Black-chinned Hummingbird*
3. Rock Pigeon*
4. Spotted Towhee
5. Downy Woodpecker
6. Song Sparrow
7. Western Tanager
8. Black-capped Chickadee**
9. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
10. Rock Wren

Elsewhere

11. Lesser Goldfinch
12. House Finch (v)

Mammals

Red Squirrel
Rock Squirrel

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

Sparrows

Monday, September 6th, 2021
Chipping Sparrow in the morning, East Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Utah, 06 Septmber 2021.
Chipping Sparrow in the morning.

Got to the trailhead a bit earlier this morning, still cool, shady, breezy—and quiet. Missed a few more little flitty birds, too, but in the early sunny spots, a few sparrows emerged.

Three species, to be precise: chippies, Brewer’s, and (first in I don’t know how long) a single immature white-crowned hanging with the little guys. And later, back home, a family (or two) of House Sparrows showed up in the garden, dining on sunflower seeds.

I kinda dig sparrows.

Grandeur Peak Area List
At 7:07 a.m. (8:07 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay*
2. Black-capped Chickadee**
3. Eurasian Collared-dove*
4. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (v)
5. Spotted Towhee
6. Northern Flicker
7. Chipping Sparrow
8. Black-chinned Hummingbird
9. American Robin
10. Lesser Goldfinch
11. House Finch
12. Brewer’s Sparrow
13. White-crowned Sparrow

Elsewhere

14. California Quail
15. House Sparrow
16. Rock Pigeon

Mammals

Red Squirrel
Rock Squirrel

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere

 
Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson



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