Got to the trailhead a bit earlier this morning, still cool, shady, breezy—and quiet. Missed a few more little flitty birds, too, but in the early sunny spots, a few sparrows emerged.
Three species, to be precise: chippies, Brewer’s, and (first in I don’t know how long) a single immature white-crowned hanging with the little guys. And later, back home, a family (or two) of House Sparrows showed up in the garden, dining on sunflower seeds.
I kinda dig sparrows.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:07 a.m. (8:07 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Kind of a lovely morning. Sunny and calm, with just a hint of breeze. Not too warm, not too cold. Summer singing going on.
I don’t know this for a fact, but my theory is that birds are singing again now that they’ve got fledglings roaming about who need to learn the songs of the species.
Whatever the fact of it, it’s lovely to think of all those young birds out there.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 7:15 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
Third straight foggy morning. Third straight warmish morning. This one had little wind, though, so the fog was thick and heavy. Still, birds arrived. First-of-year Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Little band of warblers. White-throated Sparrows singing all over the place—their sweet voices made nearer by the fog.
Out in the back fields, crows were mobbing something. Jack and I headed back there to see if it might be the owl again, but whatever it was flew before we arrived. I suspect it was a hawk in a tree.
More fog tomorrow, so I understand.
Beech Hill List Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. White-throated Sparrow (v) 2. Song Sparrow* 3. Black-capped Chickadee** 4. Purple Finch (v) 5. Brown-headed Cowbird** (v) 6. Northern Flicker (v) 7. Blue Jay (v) 8. Ruby-crowned Kinglet† 9. Northern Cardinal** (v) 10. American Robin (v) 11. American Goldfinch (v) 12. American Crow* 13. Chipping Sparrow** 14. Eastern Phoebe** 15. Palm Warbler 16. Yellow-rumped Warbler 17. Tufted Titmouse
Elsewhere
18. House Finch 19. Rock Pigeon 20. Herring Gull 21. Mallard
v = Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere †First-of-year bird
