A lovely cool, sunny morning, with elk on the upper slopes and deer in the fringes and birds of several species on the wing. I live in a place where Nature meets humanity abruptly—without the easy transition between realms there was in Maine.
The transition here is essentially a series of switchbacks—yet I know more than one person who can look out their back windows and see elk herds.
Heck, last night when I took Jack out for the last time, we surprised a group of eight or ten mule deer hanging out in the dark front yard. You should’ve heard the clatter as they scattered in all directions.
Live on the edge, man.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 9:45 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up the mountain.
1. Black-billed Magpie*
2. House Finch* (v)
3. Black-capped Chickadee
4. American Robin**
5. Dark-eyed Junco
6. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay**
7. Lesser Goldfinch** (v)
8. Hawk (sp)
9. Song Sparrow** (v)
10. Pine Siskin
11. Northern Flicker
Elsewhere
12. Eurasian Collared Dove
Mammals
Mule Deer
Rocky Mountain Elk
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, dark-eyed junco, Eurasian collared dove, hawk (sp), house finch, lesser goldfinch, northern flicker, pine siskin, song sparrow, Woodhous’s scrub-jay
