For the fourth straight day, I saw a first-of-year bird on my morning hike with dog. Today’s bird—whose chip note I mistook for a yellow-rump’s at first—was a Black-throated Gray Warbler. Also spied the gnatcatcher again (which I assume is the same bird, since it’s unusually early for the species.
Otherwise, two hawks (Cooper’s and a redtail), were noteworthy, as well as a little herd of deer apparently spooked up the trail by a hiker.
Four days before we take off for Maine, Captain Jack and me. A lot to do yet, but we’ll manage somehow—along with our daily hike).
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:46 a.m., sun time, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2. American Robin* 3. Song Sparrow** 4. Spotted Towhee 5. Pine Siskin** 6. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 7. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8. House Finch* 9. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 10. Rock Pigeon* 11. California Quail* (v) 12. Cooper’s Hawk 13. Black-throated Gray Warbler 14. Red-tailed Hawk
Elsewhere
15. Eurasian Collared-dove 16. House Sparrow 17. Lesser Goldfinch `18. European Starling 19. American Kestrel
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
I’ve been getting a kick out of watching hummingbirds the past several days. They love little Coyote Canyon—chasing each other, zipping all around, twittering and playing those instrumental wings. It’s all I can do to follow ’em with my eyes, let along grab an occasional photo. And I generally have no idea what their up to. Three species today. Love those little guys.
Black-chinned Hummingbird (fem.).
Another noteworthy sighting: first Chukar in a while.
It was a smoky hike, though, thanks to the Parleys Canyon fire a few miles to the east. The fire’s ten percent contained tonight, with no structures yet threatened. The original estimate of 3,000 acres was reduced today to 619 acres, as crews got a better look at the burnt area through the smoke.
Pretty sure it’s still the largest wildfire of the year so far. Hopeful that things will be fully under control in the next day or two.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 6:55 a.m. (7:55 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay** 2. Eurasian Collared-dove* 3. House Finch* 4. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. Broad-tailed Hummingbird 7. Mourning Dove* 8. Warbling Video 9. Black-throated Gray Warbler 10. Rufous Hummingbird 11. Chukar (v) 12. American Robin (v) 13. Black-chinned Hummingbird 14. Lazuli Bunting
Elsewhere
15. House Sparrow 16. California Quail 17. Black-billed Magpie
Mammals
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
More smoke in the air this morning, but not nearly as smoky as yesterday. Still, dog and I hiked early (in the cool, cool air) and kept it rather short. Still, as always, there were birds.
Three hummingbird species again today. Cooper’s Hawks again (one posing agreeably nearby). The surprise birds included Warbling Vireo and Black-throated Gray warbler—near where they both surely nested, up the leafy gully a ways. (I saw all these species there, in fact.)
Not many birds down in the neighborhood—although the red-tail stood sentinel late in the day on its utility pole toward town.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:04 a.m. (8:04 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
