Hi COBirders, This week I'm seeing all 4 hummers at my house as well, although in low numbers. Last night was "Ladies Night" with all four species females present, and only one male Broad-tail.
After reading Ted Floyd's post about migrating Chipping Sparrows, I saw my first one of the season in my window box, Saturday, then am hour later, 25 more at the USAFA, along with Vesper Sparrows, and Lark Sparrows, none of which I'd seen all summer in the grassy areas around the high school. Also, at the Academy, many of you know that I have 85 bluebird houses on a loop that I check weekly. With all of the rain I predicted a banner year for nesting and fledglings. Not so much. (1) several nestlings have been found abandoned and dead, in wet nests (I guess driving rain finds its way inside closed boxes); (2) Several dead adults have been found - maybe starved from cold and wet as well. (3) PREDATORS have been having a banner year. (a) I pulled a 6' bull snake out of one 6x6x8" box (do the math!). (b) a young bear I saw is also a suspect in yanking boxes off the tree - breaking stout wire to do so, then ripping boxes open to get inside after rolling them around. I'm missing 7-8 boxes that disappeared downslope somewhere. Probably 10-15 bird houses were destroyed and or opened this way to get at eggs and nestlings inside. The worst is finding the boxes he couldn't get open laying hole-side down with dead adults and young inside! (c) raccoons have been having a great season. I can't count how many boxes have been either cleaned out without opening them, or knocked down and opened to get at the young inside. Most attacks I attribute to them. It has been incredibly depressing. Of the 85 houses (and many were cleaned up and remounted, and new attempts were made, so more than 85 nest attempts), about 60-70 have been depredated, and only about 30 have had successful nesting attempts. I want to help the nesting birds - but I feel like I've opened a raccoon smorgasbord. As of Saturday, I still had a few active nest boxes, with House Wrens, Violet-green Swallows, and a couple Western Bluebirds still trying to fledge young. Good birding, Steve Brown Colorado Springs --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Colorado County Birding: http://www.coloradocountybirding.com/ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.as/group/cobirds?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
