Folks- I had 4 quite interesting buteos near Hygiene (NW of Longmont, Boulder County) today. The first was the light-morph Harlan's Hawk back for its 4th winter (that I know of) near 75th & St. Vrain Road. Big thanks to David Waltman for reporting this bird last week- so nice to see it back again after another round trip (presumably) to Alaska, where Jerry Liguori photographed it in April 2009. It likes the power lines along 75th south of St. Vrain Road or the cottonwoods along St. Vrain Road west of that intersection.
There were also two darker adult Harlan's Hawks nearby (both dark-intermediate morphs in my opinion after consulting Brian Wheeler's Raptors of Western North America- sadly now out of print so hang on tight to your copy if you have it.) One was along St. Vrain Road just east of 75th (in sight of the light Harlan's) while another was on a branch over Hygiene Road west of the town of Hygiene, near the bridge at the St. Vrain River crossing. I ended my little tour with a show-stopping adult male dark rufous-morph Ferruginous Hawk along 75th St. just south of Nelson as I headed home. I'm judging it to be male by the gray head after again consulting Wheeler's Raptors of Western North America. I have some pics of these beauties at http://blog.aba.org/2011/01/snow-light.html. Happy New Year to all- hope 2011 is filled with great birds for you all! Enjoy- Bill Schmoker, Longmont ______________________ • Bill Schmoker • ______________________ http://schmoker.org http://brdpics.blogspot.com [email protected] 720/201-5749 ______________________ -- 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.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
