On something of a lark, we did the ridge hike this morning, dog and I. a couple more inches of snow had fallen overnight, but the ascent up the switchback proved easy enough. However, it appeared only one other hiker had topped the ridge—and the snow was deep up there.
So it took us a good while. But the scenery was lovely, and we a had the company of deer. Not many birds—and one of them I heard uttering a call that I did not recognize. Got only a distant view of it flying away.
The rest of the day was rather a lazy one for dog and me
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:42 a.m. (MST), some 1,200 hundred feet up a mountain.
The past few days have brought a little excitement up the deer trail. This morning was a lovely one, with an interesting sky, deer and cottontail—and an unexpected Steller’s Jay. In fact, I heard a second Steller’s a bit farther up (they were both hiding in junipers but loudly vocalizing). And the near one even had the decency to pop up and pose for a photo or two.
(I’ve only seen this species three or four times since my move here, but now I believe I’ve learned a lot about its voice—shook-shook-shook, growl, and rattle.)
I had fifteen rather active bird species on my trail list today. Kind of feels like spring is on the way.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:41 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
How shall I describe this morning? A little frigid, breezy at first, utterly cloudless. Low-key at first—but the excitement built to a minor crescendo.
Townsend’s Solitaire.
A bunch of scrub-jays, for one thing. A dozen at least. They were noisy, apparently engaging in some kind of late-winter territorial shenanigans. And glimpses of four Juniper Titmice. A solitary goldfinch up the deer trails—and plenty of deer up there, too. At one point they began to run in various directions, though I never saw the threat.
Encountered another song-whispering solitaire. A Golden Eagle appeared, then disappeared. I waited for a while but it did not return. Perhaps a half-hour later, I glanced up at the ridge, and there it was again, but with a partner this time.
And I heard a loud distant bird call that sounded like a gull. Couldn’t have been a gull, though—not way up toward the ridge where the eagles flew. A mystery.
And Captain Jack had a fun time, too.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 9 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
