Dog and I headed up the mountain a little early this morning, as an overcast swept in quickly following a clear dawn. Tonight we’re supposed to receive the leading edge of a snow storm—one that is forecast to last more than 24 hours. Tomorrow’s hike could prove an adventure.
Today’s was quiet, warm, gray. No elk, few deer, but plenty of birds up there—including the usual corvids, chickadees, flickers, and a large flock of starlings. Also a distant golden eagle.
Plenty of birds in the neighborhood, too, among them the resident singing song sparrow—and the first mourning dove I’ve seen in a while.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 9 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up the mountain.
1. European Starling* 2. House Finch* 3. Black-capped Chickadee 4. Black-billed Magpie* 5. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay (v) 6. Song Sparrow* (v) 7. Golden Eagle 8. Northern Flicker 9. Dark-eyed Junco
Elsewhere
10. Mourning Dove 11. Lesser Goldfinch (v) 12. American Robin (v)
Early hike this morning. Barely sub-freezing, in the shadow of mountains for the most part. But birds were about—including one of several Cooper’s Hawks I’ve seen up there. Also a trio of kinglets.
Of note: In town, I spotted a pair of California Gulls foraging for scraps in a parking lot (first I could ID as lifers); in the neighborhood, I heard the exotic song of a California Quail for the first time.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:15 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up the mountain.
1. Black-capped Chickadee** 2. Northern Flicker** (v) 3. Black-billed Magpie* 4. American Goldfinch** 5. House Finch* 6. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 7. Cooper’s Hawk 8. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay* 9. American Robin* (v)
Elsewhere
10. House Sparrow (v) 12. Eurasian Collared Dove 13. California Quail 14. California Gull‡ 15. Mourning Dove
v = Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere ‡Lifer
Not a bird, but I had to mention the big ol’ spider dog and I encountered on the mountainside this morning. It’s been decades since I’ve come across a tarantula in the wild—and I’m pretty sure this was Jack’s first sighting. (He was highly interested.)
Elsewise, it was a lovely hike. Bunch of birds (no great photos), great views, cool fall air, and a feeling of, well, just being alive.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:45 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up the mountain.
1. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay** 2. House Finch* 3. Northern Flicker (v) 4. Black-capped Chickadee (v) 5. Black-billed Magpie* 6. Spotted Towhee 7. American Goldfinch* 8. Dark-eyed Junco 9. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (v) 10. American Robin (v) 11. Red-tailed Hawk
Elsewhere
12. Eurasian Collared Dove 13. Song Sparrow 14. Mourning Dove 15. European Starling 16. Broad-tailed Hummingbird 17. Downy Woodpecker (v)
v = Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
Bird Report is an intermittent record of what's outside my window in Rockport, Maine, USA (44°08'N latitude, 69°06'W longitude), and vicinity. —Brian Willson
