Had more urgent work matters to attend to this morning. Did not get up the mountain until afternoon. Turned out to be just the antidote to the morning (as I knew it would be).
Not a lot of birds, but they (and the mule deer) were inspiring, going about their business with no stress or frustration that I could see.
Probably the highlight was hearing the cry of a Red-tailed Hawk (a sound I rarely hear except on TV and in movies, usually to give voice to a vulture or eagle). Looked up, saw two birds circling and someone ended up focusing on the eagle.
No regrets at all.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 1:30 p.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up the mountain.
1. Black-billed Magpie**
2. Red-tailed Hawk (v)
3. Golden Eagle
4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
5. Black-capped Chickadee
6. Northern Flicker*
Elsewhere
7. Lesser Goldfinch
8. House Finch
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, golden eagle, house finch, lesser goldfinch, northern flicker, red-tailed hawk, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
