All, I had a nice day birding on the plains today (ok, ok, it was rainy and cold, but the birding was great). I started the morning in Wray (Yuma County). There I refound a male BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER* *I first found last Friday (5/13), in the thick riparian area along the N. Republican River (creek?) on the east side of town. Migrant numbers were otherwise fairly low, but I did have a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH here, as well a 3 or 4 Black-headed Grosbeaks, a few Orchard Orioles, and 1 male Blue Grosbeak. Dickcissels are in around Wray in large numbers.
At Stalker Lake in Wray, I had a few more warblers, including another NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and 2 AMERICAN REDSTARTS. There was a Northern Cardinal calling, a Warbling Vireo singing, a handful of Swainson's Thrushes, with 1 VEERY, and a pair of BALTIMORE ORIOLES. About 15 Dowitchers, apparently all Long-billed, were feeding on the far side of the lake. It was more of the same at Wray City Park, until I stumbled upon the real gem, an adult male MOURNING WARBLER in the underbrush along the river, just behind the bathrooms. There was another BLACK-THROATED BLUE (F) here as well. I then headed to Flagler SWA (Kit Carson County), where I was surprised to find many of the same birds I'd seen there a week and a half ago. Highlights included a continuing 1st year F HOODED WARBLER, two more REDSTARTS, another WATERTHRUSH, MacGillivray's Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, and another VEERY. There were tons of Empids around, including a tail-dipping GRAY FLYCATCHER, and a "pipping" ALDER FLYCATCHER. Flagler Lake is extremely full right now; on the reduced shoreline, all I could manage shorebird-wise were Least, Spotted, and Solitary Sandpipers. My last stop was the Thompson Ranch in Lincoln County. The wind was picking up and the storms were rolling in (again), and birds were skittish and skulky. Even so, I rounded out my warbler day list at 14 with yet another BLACK-THROATED BLUE, this one a first year female, a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, 2 OVENBIRDS, a female BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, and my only Wilson's Warbler of the day. LOTS of thrushes around, mostly Swainson's, with at least one Hermit, and the bird of the day, a super skulky WOOD THRUSH. I may have missed something, too, as the wind/rain/sleet/snow/tornadoes/earthquakes/end-of-days (ok, maybe not the last two) hit before I reached the end of the grove. Good birding! -- Daniel Maynard Currently in Limon, CO -- 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.
