For the past week I have enjoyed dozens of Yellow-rumped Warblers in Canon City and nearby Florence. In Florence I saw them in the many oak trees that line many of residential streets north of Main Street. As I drove through that part of Florence earlier in the week I could hear the distinctive chip notes of these warblers as I drove through town. I stopped in several of these areas and observed a around a dozen Yellow-rumps in each location. In Canon City I saw at least another dozen in Veteran's Park but there they were in the hackberry trees. I also found a Red-naped Sapsucker in those hackberries trees today, the first of the wintering sapsuckers I have seen this season. However, I have found small numbers of fresh sapsucker drilled holes in Rouse Park, Centennial Park and the Abbey--all primary locations where Williamson's, Yellow-bellied and Red-naped Sapsuckers have wintered at least since I found the first sapsucker in 2003. (I counted at least 23 sapsuckers here last winter including 20 on one amazing day<http://birdsandnature.blogspot.com/2010/11/raining-sapsuckers.html>).
I walked part of the Canon City Riverwalk this morning and was surprised that I didn't see any Yellow-rumps there. I did spot two Swainson's Thrush skulking along the bluff in the undergrowth that appeared to be traveling together. I also pulled two Grey Catbirds out to mew at me for awhile. I do enjoy the riverwalk during the fall as not only are all the mosquitoes gone but now we can enjoy the Brown Creepers that seemingly reappear as though suddenly uncloaked like a Klingon warship once breeding season is past. As usual they were traveling with Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches plus a Mountain Chickadee. Earlier in the week I was surprised to find a juvenile Prairie Falcon just east of Canon City, an area that was long ago converted from grassland to agriculture. I got a few nice photos of this young falcon including one that shows their distinctive dark axillaries that I uploaded to my Birds and Nature <http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com> blog (as well as a neat video of White-lined sphinx moths). SeEtta Moss Canon City Personal blog @ http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com<http://birdsandnature.blogspot.com/> Blogging for Birds and Blooms magazine @ Birds and Blooms blog southcentral/<http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/category/southcentral/> -- 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.
