It took a several days, but I finally got a Black-throated Gray Warbler to pose for photos.

A bird’s been singing for more than a week up little Coyote Canyon, just above where dog and I typically veer off onto the upper deer trail, so we’ve been heading up the gully in search of it. But it’s always kept far enough off trail to make the chase futile. This morning looked at first to be a repeat of this routine—but then the bird flitted down below us up into a maple right along the trail. Just had to sneak quietly down in the direction of its buzzy voice, and there it was.

Nearby was also a Warbling Vireo, a couple other wood-warblers, an accipiter, chippies, buntings, and towhees. It’s a birdy place up there this time of year.

As is just about every place, if you take a walk outside.

Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 7:33 a.m. (8:33 MDT), I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.

1. Lazuli Bunting
2. American Robin*
3. House Finch*
4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay**
5. Spotted Towhee
6. Rock Pigeon*
7. Song Sparrow** (v)
8. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
9. Black-capped Chickadee
10. Black-chinned Hummingbird
11. Virginia’s Warbler
12. Orange-crowned Warbler
13. Black-billed Magpie*
14. Chipping Sparrow
15. Black-throated Gray Warbler
16. Warbling Vireo
17. Cooper’s Hawk
18. Turkey Vulture

Elsewhere

19. American Crow (v)
20. Barn Swallow (v)
21. House Sparrow (v)
22. Mourning Dove

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