Ravens are arguably my favorite birds. They’re not gaudy or beautiful, and they don’t sing a melodic song. They’re black, they croak, they steal eggs from the nest of other birds. They’re wondrous and mystical, that’s all.
They’re obviously intelligent. They’re playful—watching fledglings testing their wings is like watching children at their first amusement park—and curious. And if you’re lucky (as my dog and I have been) they’ll fly silently above you when you’re hiking a lonely trail, just to check you out.
I think the local nesting pair of ravens is getting to know Jack and me (as the resident pair at Beech Hill did). Not sure yet, but they’ll let me know.
(This morning we did the same 1,000-foot hike as yesterday. It’s a good one.)
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 9:15 a.m., I hiked a couple hundred feet up the mountain.
1. Song Sparrow** (v)
2. American Robin*
3. House Finch* (v)
4. Black-capped Chickadee**
5. Black-billed Magpie*
6. Northern Flicker (v)
7. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay*
8. Spotted Towhee
9. Pine Siskin (v)
10. Common Raven
Elsewhere
11. Eurasian Collared Dove (v)
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, common raven, Eurasian collared dove, house finch, mule deer, northern flicker, pine siskin, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
