At Grandview Cemetery, west end of Mountain Avenue, Fort Collins, Larimer County today, the White-winged Crossbill pair, present since 22 November 2009, continues their nesting attempt in the extreme southeast corner of the grounds. Activity was noted by various visitors beginning about 8am (Nick Komar) and continuing until around 3pm. The female made dozens of trips today into the crown of the spruce with nesting materials, including fibrous material recycled from an old bird nest lying under a spruce south of the nest tree. This nest is very likely that of a Pine Siskin or a House Finch. Becca Reid from Fort Collins got a racy shot of the two birds during a brief copulation (or copulation attempt) in the American Elm just west of the nest tree. I saw the male consuming American Elm buds while he waiting for the female during one of her nest-construction visits inside the spruce. The male chased, albeit weakly, Pine Siskins, House Finches, and a male Red Crossbill (brief visitor to the area about noon) today. The only species I've seen that dominates and chases him on more than one occasion is Dark-eyed Junco. Nathan Pieplow got recordings of their unique wing flutter and call notes but, of course, the male totally did not sing this afternoon when he had the chance to be signed to a contract. Nathan and I also got to see the birds during a fairly lengthy visit to the ditch fussing with fallen cones, eating bank dirt, and drinking snow/water.
Other visitors today included Judy and Kevin Niemann, Randy Conard, David Hartley, Joe Mammoser, Cade Cropper, and Jim Higgins. Dave Leatherman Fort Collins -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds". 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.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en Visit the CFO Website at: www.cfo-link.org
