Yesterday I decided we’d hike the ridge trail on Thanksgiving this morning, Jack and me. Snowed an inch or two overnight, though, and I thought—Nah. However, when we reached the big ’ol switchback, I changed my mind. We did the hike.
Before that, though, early in our hike, when I didn’t imagine I’d see anything too interesting, what should appear in the Russian olive tree but a Northern Goshawk. Third-ever bird of this species I’ve had, all in this particular patch.
Up the ridge, I spied a solitaire, heard Chukars—and I kept losing one or the other of my new ice grips. [I’d had this brand before, and they were fine, but something changed, apparently.] Didn’t really need them (eventually just took ’em off), but three times I had to retrace my steps to track down the lost grip. Once descending a couple hundred feet, at least. The hike took a good hour longer than usual on account of it.
But, kind of surprisingly, it was totally worth it—spending that extra time up a mountain with my dog.
Thankful.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:17 a.m. (MST), I hiked some 1,200 feet up a mountain.
A calm, nearly cloudless morning with chillier temps (20s (F)) than yesterday—and a bunch of nice surprises to discover. The first being a Canyon Wren in the rocky cavity up near the bluff. I heard it first, remembered the call from early spring, and managed even to spy the little energetic bird.
Soon after that sighting, I decided we should climb up to the ridge where the cairn stands—where I’d seen (from a distance) that it’d partly fallen in on account of (I assume) a few very windy days. It’d been a couple-three months, at least. Past time.
And it was a grand climb, a lovely view. I repaired the cairn (more or less), and dog and I ascended a couple hundred feet above it, sat a spell, then came back down (during which descent I heard—then spotted—a couple Chukars) and finally hiked a stretch of our usual trail, for good measure.
Good measure turned out to be a Sharp-shinned Hawk, perched low in the scrub not far away, casting about for voles or juncos until a trail runner jogged by.
All in all a very fine day.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:20 a.m. (MST), I hiked some 1,200 feet up a mountain.
Lazuli Bunting (female), collecting dog hairs at the Pipeline Overlook.
Lazuli Buntings are small, vocal, attractive, birds—and the most common species in my patch. You’d think I’d begin to take them for granted. But no.
Lazuli Bunting (male).
During this morning’s long, high hike with Captain Jack, we encountered a bunch of lazulis. Singing males (as usual), and furtive females. Upon topping the switchback that leads to the terminus of the Pipeline Trail we accidentally snuck up on a pair at the overlook. The female was hopping about in the rocks, plucking up dog hairs—lots and lots of dogs accompany their humans up there—shooing away the randy male who flitted nearby.
I counted twenty-three buntings on today’s two-and-a-half hour, three-and-a-third mile excursion. I’m sure I missed a few.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8 a.m., I hiked about 1,200 feet up a mountain.
