My first look at birds in the Western Region
For the past week, I have had the pleasure of exploring the heart of the Great Rocky Mountain Flyway. On Lookout Mountain, I saw my first scrub jay as it darted into a shrub. Later on the hike, I came across a small group of pygmy nuthatches scouring a pine tree looking for food. I was surprised at how bold they were, allowing me to come within several feet of them. The still mountain air was alive with the call of birds I have never heard, and still have never seen.
The most impressive, however, were the ravens soaring over Pike’s Peak. Looking down from the summit, we watched the birds circle, thousands of feet above the earth. Rising on currents of air, they hovered and glided through the air.
It is interesting being in a different region. I have lived my entire life in the Eastern Region and while I may not be able to identify great numbers of birds even near my home, they are familiar to me. Here, everything is new. The calls from the tops of trees are different, and the glimpses I catch of the birds as they dart for cover are of birds I have never seen.
It will be interesting to get to know them a little better if I do indeed spend more time up in these beautiful mountains. Next time, I am going to bring a field guide.
birding, backyard birding, birdwatching
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