A bright morning, temps about 45 (F) or so. Slight breeze. Looked like the overnight wind directly was more or less southerly, so I thought it possible a new migrant or two might pop up somewhere.
Welp, two did.
The first was a Chipping Sparrow that popped up in a juniper along the deer trail as I was looking to spot a junco. Was a lovely surprise.
The second was a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher that popped up on our return hike (by which time the temperature was much warmer). Actually heard the bird first, then spied it—also in a juniper.
I’d forgotten how much joy first-of year spring migrants bring.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:58 a.m., sun time, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
On the chilly morning of a warm day, dog and I had a lovely hike up in the foothills. Some nice sightings of bird species doing interesting things. (E.g., a Chukar calling from high on a ridge.) A few decent photos, too. A lot of spring things for Jack to smell.
Interesting to me was watching a pair of chickadees excavating a nest about halfway up the gully trail. We we got to their nest cavity, I didn’t see or hear the birds at all—which I attributed was due to a Cooper’s Hawk nearby—and sure enough a Cooper’s took wing, calling, and then the chickadees showed up, taking turns entering the hole and exiting with mouthfuls of chipped wood. (While in there, I could hear their excavations.)
Lots of birds at home, too. For possibly the first day this season, there was no trace of deep-seated doubt that spring is here.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:58 a.m., sun time, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Eurasian Collared-dove 2. Pine Siskin** 3. American Robin* 4. Spotted Towhee 5. Black-capped Chickadee 6. House Finch* 7. Song Sparrow* (v) 8. Northern Flicker* 9. Cooper’s Hawk 10. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 11. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 12. Chukar 13. California Quail* (v) 14. Hairy Woodpecker 15. Turkey Vulture
Elsewhere
16. Lesser Goldfinch 17. House Sparrow 18. European Starling
Mammals
Mule Deer Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
Overcast and hazy sun this morning. Birds about—plenty of ’em, vocalizing and moving around—although no crazy migrants yet. Breeze was from the southwest, though, so favorable for mogration.
Wren again, nesting chickadees, five kinglets, a Cooper’s. Lots of birds in the neighborhood, too—and in town (including a domestic mallard in Sugar House that I did not list here).
Deer, too, and the voice of a quail.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:47 a.m., sun time, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Pine Siskin** 2. American Robin* 2. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 3. Spotted Towhee 5. Rock Pigeon* 6. Black-capped Chickadee 7. Rock Wren 8. House Finch* (v) 9. California Quail* (v) 10. Northern Flicker* 11. Black-billed Magpie* (v) 12. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 13. Cooper’s Hawk (v) 14. Red-tailed Hawk 15. Song Sparrow* (v)
Elsewhere
18. Lesser Goldfinch 16. House Sparrow 17. Eurasian Collared-dove 18. European Starling 20. Mourning Dove 21. California Gull
Mammals
Red Squirrel Mule Deer
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
