Hello again birders, Thanks very much for the many replies I got about my "mystery bird" (and the comments about the Cassin's/Purple finches, which people said were almost certainly Cassin's). The overwhelming consensus was that my mystery bird is a female Lark Bunting. :)
Good birding, Holly Reinhard Hayden, CO (formerly Corvallis, OR) On Tue, Aug 14, 2012 at 4:50 PM, Holly Reinhard <[email protected]>wrote: > Hello birders, > > I would like to extend a great thanks to those of you on the Western Slope > Birding Network email listserve who replied to my RFI for where to go > shorebirding in this part of Colorado. I just returned from a two-day trip, > in which I visited Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, Walden Reservoir, and > State Forest State Park. Here are some highlights: > > State Forest State Park, Moose Visitor Center near Gould has at least one > female PINE GROSBEAK coming to its feeders now. I had heard this was a > place to pick up P. Grosbeaks, but when I visited there in early June, the > Grosbeaks were not there. Well, looks like at least one is back, possibly > two. > > Also at the Visitor Center: > > - 1 male Black-headed Grosbeak > as well as the "usual" goodies. (DE Juncos, Pine Siskin, Red-winged > Blackbird, Cassin's/Purple Finches (I have a hard time telling those two > apart!)) > and a Hairy Woodpecker came and drank nectar from one of the hummingbird > feeders! > > > Walden Reservoir: > > - a fair amount of Wilson's Phalaropes > - Western Grebe > - Eared Grebes (probably at least 8), and 3 fluffy chicks. They were great > fun to watch. > - Am. White Pelicans > - Pied-billed Grebe > - MANY ducks (hard to ID as to species because of their eclipse plumage) > - Killdeer > - American Avocet > > Arapaho NWR Driving Tour proved very productive today, and especially > yesterday evening. Notable birds included: > > - Willet > - American Avocets > - some "peeps" > - a fair amount of Wilson's Phalaropes here as well > - some raptors, whose identities have yet to be determined. > - a very interesting passerine (at least it was to me), whose photos can > be found in the public link below. > > > > https://plus.google.com/photos/111932006950378506189/albums/5776659622922639985 > > I photographed this bird today at Arapaho NWR. As you can see in the > photos, its bill is thick, like a Lark Sparrow's, and it has similar facial > markings to a Lark Sparrow. However, its "shoulders" were white when it > flew, and it had white on its outer tail feathers. I am wondering if it > could be a young Lark Bunting? However, in Sibley, male non-breeding Lark > Bunting has a distinct lack of any "warmth". This bird I photographed had > an almost rufous-y crown. > > Any thoughts or feedback would be greatly appreciated! > > Good birding, > > Holly Reinhard > Hayden, CO (formerly Corvallis, OR) > -- 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 https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
