The past two mornings have been particularly clear and bright and chilly. Temps in the low-20s (F) when Jack and I hit the trail at mid-morning. But up above the shady switchbacks and over into the southern expanse, the trail had muddy spots—despite the chill—and the warmth attracted birds.

In particular, juncos, chickadees, robins, starlings, flickers—for the second straight day, we stood and watched as scores of birds flitted up the mountainside and into the scrub.

And above it all, I spied a pair of eagles.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 10:15 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up the mountain.

1. Black-billed Magpie*
2. House Finch*
3. Black-capped Chickadee
4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay**
5. Dark-eyed Junco
6. Northern Flicker
7. American Robin
8. European Starling*
9. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
10. Golden Eagle

Mammals

Mule Deer
Rocky Mountain Elk

(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere