Mike in the Wild

Strapped to 170cm-long skis racing down packed snow seven-feet deep at an elevation over 10,000 feet in the Colorado Rockies is usually not the safest time to observe birds.  But before hitting the slopes, on languorous rides up the chair lift when it's not too cold, there are moments when birdwatching is all there is to do.  Hawks may soar overhead and ravens might gather in pairs while mountain chickadees flit between pine tree branches.  I've also watched Canada jays foraging on the trails below in two southwest Colorado ski resorts, the only places I've ever witnessed the birds. Most recently was the first weekend of March while I skied Purgatory Resort north of Durango.  Also known as the gray jay, a Canada jay was at the resort's mountaintop restaurant, Dante's, taking food from a skier.  The skier told me that the jays used to wait for handouts from passengers on the lifts but ever since high-speed chairs were installed, the birds started beggin...