Last summer, soon after my move to Salt Lake City, on an early hike up the mountainside with my dog, I spotted my first lifer here: a Lazuli Bunting. In particular, a male bunting feeding a fledgling up in the scrub oak. It was my only sighting of the species in 2019.

Last summer, soon after my move to Salt Lake City, on an early hike up the mountainside with my dog, I spotted my first lifer here: a Lazuli Bunting. In particular, a male bunting feeding a fledgling up in the scrub oak. It was my only sighting of the species in 2019.

I figured I’d see more come spring—but I had no idea how many more. They’re friggin’ everywhere. (Nearly all singing males.)

Today, in a couple hours, I saw or heard at least thirteen. Their bright voices sounded warbler like at first, but now I’m getting to know their and pitch and cadence and phrasing. It’s hard not to find a photogenic one. (Although I do hope to get a female to pose eventually.)

My sighting of the day, though: a Mountain chickadee.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8 a.m., I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.

1. American robin*
2. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
3. Spotted Towhee
4. California Quail* (v)
5. Pine Siskin
6. Black-billed Magpie*
7. Lazuli Bunting
8. Broad-tailed Hummingbird
9. House Finch*
10. Virginia’s Warbler (v)
11. Mountain Chickadee
12. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
13. Black-headed Grosbeak (v)
14. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
15. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
16. Chipping Sparrow
17. Yellow-rumped Warbler
18. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
19. Black-throated Gray Warbler (v)
20. Cooper’s Hawk (v)
21. Chukar (v)
22. Orange-crowned Warbler
23. Mourning Dove (v)
24. Black-chinned Hummingbird
25. Turkey Vulture

Elsewhere

26. Song Sparrow
27. Rock Pigeon

Mammals

None

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