Got some good sleep last night, so didn’t rush to the trailhead first thing. As a result, much of my hike with dog happened in the sunshine this morning. Mild temperatures, plenty of interesting birds, just an all-around nice time.
Plus, a kinglet actually posed for a photo.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 8:30 a.m. (9:30 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. American Robin 2. Black-capped Chickadee 3. House Finch** 4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay* 5. Yellow-rumped Warbler** 6. Rock Pigeon* 7. Mourning Dove 8. Lesser Goldfinch** 9. Northern Flicker 10. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 11. Dark-eyed Junco 12. European Starling 13. Black-billed Magpie** 14. Red-tailed Hawk
Snowed a tiny bit overnight, and the temperature still hovered right about freezing when dog and I headed up the trail. Nearly cloudless sky, though, so—once the sun topped the ridge—melting commenced.
Meanwhile, we encountered a bunch more migrants, no doubt spurred on by the extra chill.
Many yellow-rumps, quite a few kinglets, a little gang of sparrows, surprisingly few juncos, and a solitary Cooper’s Hawk. (Also a solitaire Townsend’s Solitaire, which was fun to see.)
Sky, chill, migrants—ah, the clarity of a season’s change.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 8:58 a.m. (9:58 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Plentiful birds this nippy-yet-sunny morning. Not too many species—but scads of individual birds. E.g., at least sixty (60!) robins flying south (in two large flocks), and half that many yellow-rumps. Also many juncos, along with a few kinglets and such.
Plus, it felt and smelled and tasted of October, rich and sweet and pungent. And looked as a fall day should—a colorful landscape under a blue-and-white morning sky.
Grandeur Peak Area List At 7:51 a.m. (8:51 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-capped Chickadee 2. House Finch** 3. American Robin 4. Yellow-rumped Warbler 5. Northern Flicker 6. Rock Pigeon* 7. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay 8. Dark-eyed Junco 9. Spotted Towhee* 10. Black-billed Magpie 11. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 12. Pine Siskin (v) 13. Lesser Goldfinch** (v) 14. Song Sparrow** (v)
Mammals
Red Squirrel
(v) Voice only *Also elsewhere **Voice only elsewhere
