Welp, I did it again. Dog and I started our hike early, to beat the “crowds”—and I figured, when we came to the upper trail, “Why not?” So we headed up to the ridge again. Then, on the ridge, gazing up the eastern slope, I thought, “Why not?”
Long story short, we hiked to 7,535 feet—highest yet (by not very much). Thought about continuing along precarious trail to Grandeur Peak, but thought better of it.
Then, descending, I heard a crazy-sounding chickadee. Slow and wheezy, like an elderly bird. Then the light bulb went off, and I reliazed what it had to be. As luck would have it, I got a good enough look to grab some photos.
Sweet hike today.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8:15 a.m., I hiked about 2,400 feet up a mountain.
1. American Robin*
2. Spotted Towhee
3. Black-billed Magpie*
4. Northern Flicker
5. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay**
6. Black-capped Chickadee
7. Pine Siskin (v)
8. House Finch* (v)
9. Townsend’s Solitaire (v)
10. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
11. Mountain Chickadee
12. Chukar
13. Northern Harrier
Elsewhere
14. Song Sparrow (v)
15. Eurasian Collared Dove
16. California Quail
Mammals
Mule Deer
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-blled magpie, black-capped chickadee, California quail, chukar, Eurasian collared dove, house finch, lesser goldfinch, mountain chicadee, northern flicker, northern harrier, pine siskin, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Townsend’s solitaire, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
