Thank you to everyone who sent me directions to get to the Trading Post in Red Rocks. I made the drive up today and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Having never been there before I made sure to visit the Visitor's Center and the Amphitheater as well. Nothing like playing tourist in your own backyard (sort of).
The Trading Post was delightful and the hot chocolate from the coffee/snack bar was fabulous. The porch offered great shelter from the coolish wind. The bushes around the feeders were hopping with house finches and juncos. I was amazed at how pink/red the male house finches were. I was also pleased to see an orange phase and a yellow phase house finch. There was quite a number of scrub jays that flew in and out quite frequently as well. I am happy to report that I saw the Curved-Billed Thrasher (it suddenly appeared under the feeder - a soft gray-brown bird with an astonishing yellow eye) and the Gray Crowned Rosy Finches. The finches buzzed the trading post (about 100 of them) and settled briefly in the tree tops above the feeder. Something spooked them and they all took off again and disappeared southward. But, it was enough time to see them. I didn't see the sparrows (Gold-crowned, Harris's or White Throated) but I'm not disappointed. I saw two lifers for me today! This happened between 1 and 2 p.m. in the afternoon. There weren't many birders there today, but I had a delightful conversation with an older couple from Denver. We chatted and enjoyed the birds. Christine A Bucher Perched on the edge of Palmer Park, in Colorado Springs -- 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.
