This morning was kinda cool—not only temperature-wise, but birding-wise. E.g., a random Olive-sided Flycatcher appeared out of nowhere and perched at the top of the tallest Russian Olive (no great photo, alas). And a good-sized flock of Lesser Goldfinches showed up out of the (literal) blue.
But most cool wasd my first-ever look at hummingbird parent dealing with hummingbird youngsters. The gully had broad-tails again, but this time I saw more than one—three, in fact. It wasn’t a close look, and I wasn’t exactly positive what was going on, but it sure looked like a busy adult was dealing (not always patiently) with a pair of fledglings. Twitters were uttered, and tailes were flashed. It was some fun.
(Back at the house, the little quail family remains obsessed with the garden out front. Also a fun distraction.)
No rain today. Now crossing my fingers for the weekend.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 6:57 a.m. (7:57 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Cool in the shade this morning, and hot in the sun. Not as hot as it was this afternoon (mid- to upper-90s (F)), but we got to the trailhead early, dog and I, and had a quick hike. Slowed down on the shady stretches and sped up in the sunny ones.
Saw and/or heard quite a few birds. Got a photo of a gnatcatcher singing animatedly (as they all do). Out on a sunny twig, too, that little bird.
Might reach 100° tomorrow.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:02 a.m. (8:02 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Lazuli Bunting 2. American Robin 3. Black-capped Chickadee 4. Rock Pigeon 5. Black-chinned Hummingbird 6. Pine Siskin 7. Spotted Towhee 8. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 9. Violet-green Swallow 10. Black-headed Grosbeak 11. House Finch** 12. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 13. Empidonax (sp.) 14. Chipping Sparrow (v) 15. Black-throated Gray Warbler (v) 16. Warbling Vireo 17. Black-billed Magpie 18. Song Sparrow* (v)
Elsewhere
19. Eurasian Collared-dove 20. California Quail 21. European Starling 22. Rock Picon
Mammals
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
Encountered another Rock Wren this morning—on a quiet but fun (they’re all fun) hike with dog—but this was the first I’ve seen that wasn’t in the little abandoned quarry atop the bluff. Far afield, in fact.
And it participated in the most serene moment of our excursion, in fact: I’d taken some photos of the wren when a hummingbird flew up and hovered a few seconds about two feet from my face. (“Well, hello, there,” I said.)
And after that we just stood there, Jack and I, in the presence (at a little distance) of a Rock Wren.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:16 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 2. Black-capped Chickadee 3. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4. American Kestrel 5. Spotted Towhee 6. House Finch* 7. Broad-tailed Hummingbird 8. Rock Wren 9. Black-billed Magpie* 10. Northern Flicker
