Ah, an overcast day for a change. Our morning hike was far more humid than usual, but there was no warming sun beating down on Jack’s heavy coat, and his panting eased up a bit. (Still drank all his water.)

The birds on the trails were furtive and not very vocal, but it wasn’t hard to spot usual suspects. On the other hand, a few species made themselves apparent very subtly: a voice here or there, a flit within a juniper. At one point, when a female bunting posed for photos, I stopped to oblige—and saw a second little bird perched there. A warbler, looked like.

Later, when I looked at the photos, it was easy to ID a Virginia’s Warbler. A female I believe. Never made a peep. Had I decided not to snap that pic, I would’ve missed it altogether.

Sometimes it’s the little things.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:30 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Rock Pigeon*
2. Lazuli Bunting
3. Spotted Towhee
4. Black-chinned Hummingbird
6. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
7. Mourning Dove*
8. Red-tailed Hawk (v)
9. Pine Siskin (v)
10. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
11. Black-capped Chickadee
12. Turkey Vulture
13. Cooper’s Hawk
14. Warbling Vireo (v)
15. Western Tanager (v)
16. Black-throated Gray Warbler
17. Chipping Sparrow (v)
18. Virginia’s Warbler
19. Cliff Swallow
20. California Quail* (v)

Elsewhere

21. Eurasian Collared Dove
22. Barn Swallow
23. European Starling
24. Black-billed Magpie
25. Downy Woodpecker
26. American Robin

Mammals

Mountain Cottontail

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere