It rained this morning. Not a lot, but enough to soak life in the high desert—at least briefly. The rain (more accurately, the trailside foliage with rain on it) also soaked Captain Jack’s coat and my pants legs. Not enough for much mud, and it’ll dry up soon enough, but I couldn’t help enjoying the feeling of dampness and wetness and moistness.

The usual suspects were active. Few posed for photos, but the portrait of one particular towhee rather summed up the sweet break in the drought.

Still the risk of wildfires, though, as this pleasant interlude will pass soon enough (as all things must). But it felt pretty good to have to change my water-drenched jeans.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 7:41 a.m. (8:41 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Lazuli Bunting
2. Rock Pigeon*
3. Spotted Towhee
4. Black-chinned Hummingbird
5. Eurasian Collared-dove
6. House Finch*
7. Lesser Goldfinch**
8. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
9. American Robin* (v)
10. Cooper’s Hawk
11. Black-billed Magpie* (v)
12. Black-capped Chickadee
13. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
14. Chipping Sparrow
15. Black-headed Grosbeak

Elsewhere

16. Song Sparrow
17. House Sparrow
18. California Quail

Mammals

Rock Squirrel

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