Began today’s hike in the cool mountain shade, ended it in the warm mid-morning sun. Lots of birds in between (also three mammals)—among them a few less common species. Saw my second American Goldfinch of the year, for one thing.
I also missed a few IDs on the fly—e.g., thought sure I was watching a tanager fly far across the landscape, when it turned out (I saw from a distant photo) to be a grosbeak. And there was no chippy in with a little flock of Brewer’s Sparrows.
Fun hike.
(I missed a few sightings, though, I bet, from hiking a little early (too shady), so we might hit the trail a little later tomorrow.)
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:03 a.m. (8:03 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Fifteen species this chilly (50s (F)!) overcast late morning when dog and I arrived at the trailhead. We waited out the rain this time, and the trails were not too muddy. Quite a few more bird species, including some lessd familiar ones.
Hard to get decent photos in the dim-light conditions, but at the very end of our hike, a hawk soared over.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 10:24 a.m. (11:24 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
The air wasn’t perfect this morning, but it was clearly, well, clearer. And cleaner. Got to the trailhead a bit early, which—combined with the lessening photoperiod—made for a lot of mountain shade early. Along with few birds. In fact, more than half my hike with dog to me only a half dozen species.
But then the sun topped the ridge, and, like magic, things started to pick up. by hike’s end I’d added eight more—including (the funnest bird for me) a female grosbeak whose subtle (but distinctive) chip I heard, followed, and traced back to the source of the sound.
Nice to have clean(er) air for a change.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 6:56 a.m. (7:56 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. American Robin 2. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay* 3. Black-chinned Hummingbird 4. Rock Pigeon* 5. Spotted Towhee 6. Broad-tailed Hummingbird 7. Warbling Vireo 8. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 9. Mourning Dove 10. House Finch** 11. Lazuli Bunting 12. Pine Siskin (v) 13. Black-headed Grosbeak 14. Black-billed Magpie* 15. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
Elsewhere
16. Eurasian Collared-dove 17. California Quail
Mammals
Rock Squirrel Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
