A dusting of snow on the ground this morning. Chilly temps, mostly cloudy skies. Planned a modest hike compared to yesterday’s. Right away, dog and I encountered a novelty—two or three Mountain Cottontails hopping away from us into a pile of big rocks.
I got photos of one of the rabbits as it sniffed the nippy air, then we commenced to moving up the hill a ways. Got close to a mule deer and tallied a dozen species—one of which was a soaring golden eagle.
Only later did it occur to me that relatives of the big bird likely dined on relatives of the furry long eared bun.
Ah, the bittersweet Rules of Nature.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 9 a.m., I hiked a couple hundred feet up the mountain.
1. Black-capped Chickadee
2. House Finch*
3. American Robin*
4. Northern Flicker**
5. Eastern Towhee
6. Black-billed Magpie*
7. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
8. Pine Siskin (v)
9. Golden Eagle
10. Red-tailed Hawk (v)
11. Dark-eyed Junco
12. Song Sparrow*
Elsewhere
13. Rock Pigeon
14. Eurasian Collared Dove
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail
Mule Deer
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
