Besides the usual Siskins, goldfinch and house finches, chickadees, robins,
Red-winged blackbirds and Brown-headed Cowbirds (not to mention those Eurasian
Collared Doves), my yard is still full of Grosbeaks. But in addition, today
was a day with three firsts!
A single, male Western Tanager stopped by…First of Season. Nice!
Also I saw my first ever Indigo Bunting, right here in my own yard; awesome.
While I’ve had the Lazuli Buntings for a weeks now, I’ve never seen this
stunning blue (when the light is right) bird. Yippieeeeeee.
Before I finished writing this, I also found a black-headed Bullock’s Oriole;
but, of course, there is no such bird. This pretty boy was drinking from the
nectar feeders at my kitchen window. I watched the bird for quite some
time…about 2’ from my nose. However, upon some research, I discovered what I
saw was a Baltimore Oriole! Another first!
Doing the research, I tried to figure out how the heck to tell a Baltimore from
an Orchard Oriole…assuming one is not familiar with “distinctive dark chestnut”
color. Well, most of it is in the tail; the bird I saw had an undertail the
same brilliant yellow-orange as his belly; so it was surely a Baltimore
Oriole! Sweet!!!
A Cooper’s Hawk just did a fly-through at about 4’…right through the length of
the yard. Cool… Sadly it missed all the Eurasian doves… [sigh]
Right now, while I’ve not yet seen the Rose-breasted variety today (they
sometimes come in the evenings), I’m listening to the regular and somewhat
ruckus peeping of the Evening Grosbeaks. These guys and the Black-headed
variety continue to visit here regularly, each in groups of a dozen or so.
My yard is by the river on West Francisco, off Oak Street in La Veta. It is
visible from the street in front and the wide, grassy alley that leads to the
river, out back. I’m quite sure the birds do not stay only in my yard; but
should you want to bird in the yard…just give me a call: 719-989-1398.
I hope this is enough information to make the daily bird list…I miss seeing
Huerfano County listed.
Beverly Jensen
www.RuralChatter.blogspot.com
719-989-1398
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