Been a lot of Pine Siskins around lately. For the past weeks, they’ve been showing up in twos and fours and sixes—sometimes dozens—but it seems late winter is when they really begin to make their presence known. And they do it in an endearing way: with their upbeat chattering and crazy wind-up calls and generally happy little voices.
This morning one sat singing very near as I angled for a photo. Thanks, siskin.
Otherwise, a nice bright, warmish morning hike with dog, with the usual deer and a dozen bird species total—including a random calling California Quail.
Grandeur Peak Area List
At 08:55 MST, I hiked a few hundred feet up a mountain.
1. Black-capped Chickadee
2. Pine Siskin**
3. Dark-eyed Junco
4. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay**
5. Rock Pigeon*
6. House Finch** (v)
7. Black-billed Magpie* (v)
8. American Robin (v)
9. Song Sparrow** (v)
10. California Quail (v)
11. Spotted Towhee (v)
12. Northern Flicker (v)
Elsewhere
13. American Kestrel
14. Lesser Goldfinch (v)
Mammals
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only
* Also Elsewhere
**Voice only Elsewhere
Tags: American kestrel, American robin, black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, California quail, dark-eyed junco, house finch, lesser goldfinch, mule deer, northern flicker, pine siskin, rock pigeon, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
