Today I planned to get up at 4:30 AM to head for Sunrise and beat the crowds and catch the early birds. I forgot to set my alarm, and didn’t wake up until 5;30 so it was a bit before 8 AM when I got to the Sunrise parking lot. Still I was optimistic as I headed out. After oversleeping my second mistake, I think, was listening to the volunteer in the lot who after I asked him about ice on the Burrow’s Mountain trail (none) suggested I do my usual hike backwards, going first past Shadow Lake to the campground, then taking the trail to First Burrows. It was a beautiful hike, the mountain was visible to near the top where a lenticular cloud surrounded at times the top, and at other times a layer just below the top.

That said the day was incredibly devoid of finding birds. I had zero raptors, not even an AMKE, zero sparrows, only YRWA and TOWA for warblers, no HOLA, no CAFI, and no grouse. No rosy-finch, and no ptarmigan. Overall a great walk if you were not a birder. 11 species total, maybe the most unexpected was a calling Eurasian Collared Dove. Checklist here