Unexpected (by me) snow later yesterday left about a powdery coating of about an inch on everything this morning. On which all kinds of critters had left their tracks.
Not many birds today, but a whole mess of animal tracks. Cottontails (as usual), voles (or mice), even a deer or two—plus, what I’m pretty sure was the trail of a bobcat. First I noticed the lack of claw marks. Then (with some relief) I saw their smallish size. Then the fact that the animal had a diagonal gait (back feet land atop the front foot tracks), and its front paws were a bit larger than the back.
I could be wrong—still kind of new at this—but, as a birder, I do love a good puzzle of observation.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 9:29 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay (v)
2. Black-billed Magpie*
3. Spotted Towhee
4. Dark-eyed Junco**
5. Rock Pigeon*
6. House Finch* (v)
7. Northern Flicker*
8. Sharp-shinned Hawk
Elsewhere
12. Black-capped Chickadee
11. Song Sparrow
Mammals
Red Squirrel (v)
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: black-billd magpie, black-capped chickadee, dark-eyed junco, house finch, northern flicker, rock pigeon, sharp-shinned hawk, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
