Supposed to be hot today, and the temp was already in the upper-70s (F) at the airport, so dog and I headed up to the trailhead about half hour earlier than usual. Gotta say it was pretty nice hiking in the mountain shade.
And there were birds a-plenty. Small flocks of young robins, large flocks of fnch families, a juvie Black-throated Gray Warbler, and my first nuthatch in a while.
Not until our return did we finally feel the warmth of direct sunlight—a hint of the heat to come.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 6:38 a.m. (7:38 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. American Robin* 2. Lazuli Bunting 3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 4. Mourning Dove 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. House Finch* 7. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v) 8. Spotted Towhee 9. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 10. Black-chinned Hummingbird 11. Black-capped Chickadee 12. California Quail* 13. Western Tanager (v) 14. Warbling Vireo (v) 15. Chipping Sparrow (v) 16. Black-throated Gray Warbler 17. Song Sparrow** (v)
Dog and I enjoyed another cool morning hike this day—albeit a cloudless one. Only the moon and a few raptors up there. Heard a Cooper’s Hawk call from the nest above little Coyote Canyon, saw another circling above the house home this midday (with pay), and a red-tail in late afternoon.
Despite the drought, fledglings of several species are taking wing. House Finches have multiplied exponentially. I wonder how many more birds will head south come fall than showed up in spring this year.
(Note: I wonder this every year.)
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:15 a.m. (8:15 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
It rained this morning. Not a lot, but enough to soak life in the high desert—at least briefly. The rain (more accurately, the trailside foliage with rain on it) also soaked Captain Jack’s coat and my pants legs. Not enough for much mud, and it’ll dry up soon enough, but I couldn’t help enjoying the feeling of dampness and wetness and moistness.
The usual suspects were active. Few posed for photos, but the portrait of one particular towhee rather summed up the sweet break in the drought.
Still the risk of wildfires, though, as this pleasant interlude will pass soon enough (as all things must). But it felt pretty good to have to change my water-drenched jeans.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:41 a.m. (8:41 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
