If yesterday was warmish, today was positively balmy. What began as a comfortable, bright morning hike with dog—albeit with very icy trails in the shade—ended up sun-soaked and nearly 60° (F). Didn’t see that coming.
Nor did I see the robins coming, or anticipate the towhee’s whine, or expect the appearance of a pair of redpolls, or foresee the nice conversation with a friendly fellow “watcher,” or imagine Jack lying down in the snow to sun himself during said conversation.
Nor the pair of red-tails soaring overhead.
I did kind of expect the herd of deer—and the faint nervousness that a mountain lion’s been hanging around lately (judging not only by its snow-tracks). I shall be even more watchful than usual in coming days.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 09:12 MST, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-billed Magpie (v) 2. American Robin 3. Spotted Towhee (v) 4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. House Finch** 7. Black-capped Chickadee 8. Pine Siskin (v) 9. Dark-eyed Junco 10. Common Redpoll 11. Lesser Goldfinch (v) 12. Red-tailed Hawk
Elsewhere
13. House Sparrow (v) 14. Northern Flicker (v)
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail Mule Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
A warmish—high-30s (F)—overcast morning, last one before a stretch of precipitation (or so they say). Didn’t know what to expect to find up the switchback. Turned out to be a good day.
Along with the usual winter birds, I heard the solitaire again, then spied three soaring eagles, then heard (and saw) more robins, then encountered more deer than yesterday, and finally just stood on the trail and watched as a nice-sized flock of redpolls showed up.
Seems my redpoll reports are appearing in eBird as rare sightings. Today, I saw more than ever. Certainly a nice little irruption of the species this winter this year.
Depending on the weather, I might end my two-plus-year hiking streak tomorrow. We shall see, dog and I.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 09:36 MST, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. House Finch* (v) 2. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 3. Black-capped Chickadee 4. Rock Pigeon 5. Black-billed Magpie** 6. Dark-eyed Junco 7. Townsend’s Solitaire (v) 8. Golden Eagle 9. American Robin* 10. Common Redpoll
Elsewhere
11. Song Sparrow (v) 12. Spotted Towhee (v)
Mammals
Red Squirrel Mountain Cottontail Mule Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
When first I checked the temperature this morning, it was 10° (F). So Jack and I waited for the sun to top the ridge before heading up to the switchback. Not a lot of breeze, at least, although it was still a bit nippy in the shade. Turned out to be a lovely morning, and a lovely hike—which came with a few nice wildlife sightings.
Most of the sightings were mammals—in particular, deer. Many deer, bucks and does, young and old. Since we tend to hike slowly and quietly, we found ourselves very near some of the deer, so they moved (slowly and quietly) away. Fewer bird species—but the last was best: redpolls. Again. A pair this time, dining on Big Sagebrush seed.
A New Year’s miracle.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 09:46 MST, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Rock Pigeon* 2. Pine Siskin 3. Black-billed Magpie (v) 4. Northern Flicker* 5. House Finch* 6. Black-capped Chickadee 7. Common Redpoll
Elsewhere
8. American Kestrel
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail Mule Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
