During this morning’s bright, breezy hike with dog, I encountered more wild birds than I have since at least last fall. Quite a few species, too—but I’ve had more species on my list this year. Just not as many individual birds.*
The youngsters have been sprung free.
Many young finches, many young robins, random other juvie birds—along with the usual high number of buntings and towhees. By my count, 107 individuals—among them (today’s highlight) a curious Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Can hardly wait to see what tomorrow will bring.
*Not counting large flocks of Rock Pigeons.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
I like an overcast day. If not for my inability to take a decent photo in dim light, I’d prefer birding on cloudy days.
This morning was gray and calm and pleasantly cool. Spotted (or heard) a good selection of birds up the mountain—including a singing female grosbeak, a random pair of cowbirds, and a wayward collared dove.
Most exciting for me, though: after three days of trying, I somehow managed to grab a single half-way decent photo of a Warbling Vireo.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:45 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Another fun morning hike. Even before the hike, in fact: the first bird I spied this early morning—perched on the tip of a conifer out front of the house—was a first-of-year species (Brown-headed Cowbird).
But during the hike proper—which happened on a nippy morning (40s (F) to start, in the mountain shade) turning into a warmish morning—I counted lots of species, failed at tracking a couple of new songs, but managed to tally a new lifer and see a bunch of hummingbirds.
The lifer: a Plumbeous Vireo, which I first heard, than caught a glimpse of. Alas, no photo, though. (Yet.)
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8 a.m., I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
