Daisy in the Lupine

(Photo taken on Lake Mountain at 9,000 feet, or 2750 meters)

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A Secret Nest

On our Lake Mountain ride last week, a little bird flew up out of the sage and wildflowers. Steve thought she might have a nest, so we stopped to investigate. (Boss's zebra-striped leg on the left shows the size of the vegetation.)
At first glance, we saw nothing.

Then we lifted this sage branch,

And found that Mom had been busy.

She had built a fine nest under the small sage branch for shade and the protection of invisibility.

The bird we saw flitting away was about 4-5" long, with white bars on the lateral aspects of her tail, and otherwise gray-brown in color. She was nesting in a meadow at 10,000 feet with an aspen grove nearby. Any ideas as to what she is?

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