It is always dangerous to make too much out of an odd bird report here and
there. But it seems to me something is definitely going on with Cassin's
Sparrows and maybe other southern species. Populations of birds, particularly
grassland species, expand and contract dramatically from year to year, heavily
influenced by habitat condition. Lark Buntings are classic in this regard, as
are Cassin's Sparrows. But the current situation seems bigger. I have
received an email from a friend (Charles Mills) of a friend (Bill Lisowsky),
who reports finding the 1st State Record Cassin's Sparrow in Arkansas about a
month ago. My friend Ken Ecton just shared a blog from Ohio about that state
finding its 1st State Record Cassin's Sparrow. I wonder if somebody with a
high-limit gas credit card could drive next week to Missouri, Wisconsin, Iowa,
Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky and find
breeding Cassin's Sparrows? How many of these would be 1st State or at least
1st-Breeding Records? COBIRDS of late seems to have reports of this bird from
"special" places almost weekly, including Joey's birds at Cherry Creek.
Black-chinned Sparrows now may be regular in Colorado for the foreseeable
future. I know of two Painted Bunting reports in the Lamar area in the last
week. A Wood Thrush was also in Lamar in the last few days. Summer Tanagers
were almost in the FC ("fairly common") category this spring. A 1st State
Record Lesser Nighthawk was found dead at the Hereford Ranch in Cheyenne, WY
over Memorial Day weekend. When will WY gets its first Black Phoebe? Lesser
Goldfinches and Black-chinned Hummingbirds are definitely expanding eastward
and northward, respectively, on the CO plains. Drought, extensive fires,
climate change? Could be all of these. And it could be a strange,
keep-your-eyes-open summer in Colorado.
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
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