Been pretty quiet up the mountainside lately. Amazingly (to me), this morning’s hike with dog revealed evidence of just one Lazuli Bunting (and that evidence was its voice). Hummingbirds were abundant, and the two young Cooper’s Hawks were out, but photos were few and not that great.
However, a couple of species cooperated in my yard this afternoon.
The first was a hungry male House Finch who spent a little time in a few sunflowers gone to seed out my front window. (Goldfinches also chow down on those seeds.) The second was a Red-tailed Hawk that soared low above the house. What tipped my off to the hawk was its large shadow sweeping across the yard. Grabbed my camera, slipped outside, and got the shot.
Captain Jack and I love our daily hikes, quiet or no. But there’s a reason my work-at-home space faces a window.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 8 a.m., I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Mourning Dove
2. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
3. Lazuli Bunting (v)
4. Black-chinned Hummingbird
5. Rock pigeon*
6. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
7. Spotted Towhee
8. House Finch*
9. American Robin
10. Cooper’s Hawk
11. Broad-tailed Hummingbird*
12. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
Elsewhere
13. Black-billed Magpie
14. Barn Swallow
15. Red-tailed Hawk
Mammals
Rock Squirrel
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, barn swallow, black-billed magpie, black-chinned hummingbird, blue-gray gnatcatcher, broad-tailed hummingbird, cooper's hawk, house finch, lazuli bunting, mourning dove, red-breasted nuthatch, red-tailed hawk, rock pigeon, rock squirrel, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
