Began today’s hike in the cool mountain shade, ended it in the warm mid-morning sun. Lots of birds in between (also three mammals)—among them a few less common species. Saw my second American Goldfinch of the year, for one thing.

I also missed a few IDs on the fly—e.g., thought sure I was watching a tanager fly far across the landscape, when it turned out (I saw from a distant photo) to be a grosbeak. And there was no chippy in with a little flock of Brewer’s Sparrows.

Fun hike.

(I missed a few sightings, though, I bet, from hiking a little early (too shady), so we might hit the trail a little later tomorrow.)

Grandeur Peak Area List
At 7:03 a.m. (8:03 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Black-chinned Hummingbird
2. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay**
3. Spotted Towhee
4. Downy Woodpecker (v)
5. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
6. Lazuli Bunting
7. American Goldfinch
8. Black-billed Magpie*
9. Bullock’s Oriole
10. Broad-tailed Hummingbird
11. Black-capped Chickadee
12. House Finch* (v)
13. Black-headed Grosbeak
14. Pine Siskin (v)
15. Brewer’s sparrow
16. Lesser Goldfinch* (v)

Elsewhere

17. Eurasian Collared-dove
18. Rock Pigeon

Mammals

Mountain Cottontail
Rock Squirrel
Red Squirrel

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