Sneaking down to the bluff this morning—the bluff overlooking the basin, a regular first stop on my daily hike with dog—I surprised a little Sharp-shinned Hawk perched in a stubby scrub oak. The hawk flew back toward the mountain but didn’t top the rise, I saw, so I crept toward it along a deer trail and spied it perched in another scrub oak not too far away.
Had I not been sneaking, the hawk would’ve flow long before I got within twelve or fifteen feet of it. Had I not followed its flight, I wouldn’t have noticed its failure to top the rise. Had I not bothered to creep toward it (despite the distance), I’d’ve never got its photo.
A birder’s instinct, I reckon.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 7:59 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
As usual, I didn’t intend to hike the Pipeline Trail Ridge this morning—it just worked out that way. Very quiet early on, but the cool shade of Coyote Canyon felt good, so Jack and I moseyed on up the valley.
Desert Side-blotched Lizard.
Even in deep summer, an early hike doesn’t feel real hot around here. Stretches of sun, stretches of tree (or mountain) shade, hints of birds flitting around in the greenery. Spied a solitary vireo (a Warbling Vireo, not to be confused with the old name for a Blue-headed Vireo), a young Cooper’s, a nuthatch—even a random Black-throated Gray Warbler zipping up and over the ridge.
This hike reaches about 6,500 feet, covers about three-and-a-half miles, and takes about two-and-a-half hours. Still, Jack and I were little the worse for wear at the end of it.
Gonna sleep well tonight, though.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
Among the commonest—and certainly the loudest—bird species hereabouts is the Black-billed Magpie. Which makes it rather astonishing that I haven’t seen or heard any the past two days on my hike up the mountain with dog.
However, I’ve seen plenty down in the neighborhood. And it’s pretty clear what’s going on.
Early nesters, magpies are, and after the youngsters fledge, they seem to move downhill. E.g., across from the trailhead over the past couple weeks, I’ve spied several ganging up on a neighbor’s cat. Plus, just about everywhere you can hear the whine of the big, goofy fledglings.
Today, after a couple thundershowers, a family showed up in the yard. Been working at the front window, so I took a little break to watch these smart, sometimes annoying, highly entertaining local corvids.
Grandeur Peak Area List Beginning at 8:30 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
