Rodney Ridge Area

I noticed the sun rose over the eastern mountains at just about about 6am today. So, I made a second cup of coffee and got out the door with the Lab. We headed for the Old Rifle Range Trailhead. I wanted to find a flower that my BWF (Best Wildflowering Friend) told me about somewhere along the Rodney Ridge. We headed up the first three switchbacks and then veered north towards the ridge trail.

As the trail transitioned from meadow to forest, I saw a commotion on the trunk of a Ponderosa. Three Pygmy Nuthatches were flitting and flapping about. As I watched them, I started hearing lots of other birds- Pewees, Crossbills, red- and white-breasted nuthatches, and several more.  

We pressed on and came to the point where the flower should have been. I was unable to locate it, but I did hear a Cassin’s Vireo singing up a storm. Suddenly my wildflower walk became a bird walk.  The Lab and I started creeping around listening and looking in trees- but seeing the Cassin’s eluded me as well.  

We walked back to the trailhead slowly- listening- looking- listening- looking. We hit 16 species on that walk. So, a quick trip to Cox Lake and Arastra Gulch was in order. Yield = another 10 species.  

I figured that I might as well make a quick trip to the Fairgrounds- another 8.  

By the end of the day, I had 37 at least. Not a bad day at all.  

As for the flower I didn’t find- it was a Green Milkweed and I hope to go back soon and get it.  

Today’s List:
Black-capped Chickadee
House Wren
House Sparrow,
Song sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Cedar Waxwing
Eastern Kingbird
Northern Flicker
House Finch
Warbling Vireo
Western Wood Pewee
Black-billed magpie
Brown-headed cowbird
Ring-billed gull
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
American Robin
Pine Siskin
Yellow-rumped warbler
Yellow warbler
Cordilleran Flycatcher
Evening Grosbeak
Western tanager
Townsend’s solitaire
Mountain Chickadee
Cassin‘s vireo
Red Crossbill
Dark eyed junco
Red-breasted nuthatch
White breasted nuthatch
Pygmy nuthatch
Raven
Crow
Pigeon
Canada Goose
Mallard
Wood Duck