Dry and hazy and early—even eerie, what with the dimness from the crazy haze. Bad air, I suspect (the basin fills with particulates some days), but eerie for sure.

However, birds. And an interesting assortment. Dragonflies and bee flies and a “cow killer” (tiny little velvet ant) and a squirrel. Gnatcatchers, buntings and the rest. Different species hanging out together. Eerie.

But I love this eerie day.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 6:31 a.m. (7:31 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

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

Elsewhere

14. Eurasian Collared-dove
15. House Sparrow (v)

Mammals

Rock Squirrel

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