COBirders, The only thing I can add to Joey's Holyoke birds are the NINE WHITE-THROATED SPARROWs in a thicket that I stopped at before meeting up with the group.
While heading south along highway 385, I noticed a bird sitting high up in a dead cottonwood that looked a little odd. So, I turned around and headed back. I was finally able to figure out that it was a WOOD DUCK, it looked odd because it had its head tucked until I drove up to it and stopped. What makes this a little more noteworthy is that there was also a PALM WARBLER in this set of trees. This was just south of Yuma county road 44.5. After a quick stop at a couple places in Wray, noting of note was found, I headed to Foster's Grove at Bonny SWA. There were many birds here including FOUR more WHITE-THROATED SPARROWs, 1 YELLOW WARBLER (showing some red streaking, getting rather late minus those that show up for CBCs on occasion) and a WHITE-EYED VIREO. I then made a quick stop at Sprague's Pipit Hill but was unsuccessful in finding anything but a single Horned Lark. Next was Wagon Wheel campground. The only real highlights here were the two EASTERN PHOEBEs and a male RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER. A quick stop in Stratton produced two more WHITE-THROATED SPARROWs. Finally, I made it to Flagler to poke around the few spots there that Bill Kaempfer reported from yesterday. At the Golf Course, the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE continues, other noteworthy things, 1 CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, 1 SWAMP SPARROW, 2 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWs, 1 WILSON'S WARBLER and yet another PALM WARBLER. This is my fourth Palm Warbler in the Flagler area this fall. Oh, there were also two BARN SWALLOWs working the pond. Although I took a quick look at the water at Flagler SWA, I did not get out and work the area as it was getting late. I did note a HARLAN'S HAWK though. I also had a possible HARLAN'S in Phillips county but did not see it well enough to be sure. I did however stop at city park and give it a quick walk. On the north edge of the park near the lilac hedge, there were a bunch of Yellow-rumped Warblers and three more WHITE-THROATED SPARROWs. So, if you were keeping track, that was a total of 20 White-throated Sparrows listed. I also heard one of the birds at the Holyoke cemetery that Joey mentioned in his post. That made for 21 White-throats today, seems like a rather high number for one day in Colorado? Almost all of the White-throated Sparrows were immature. In the flock of nine there was at least one adult. Also, I was not convinced there were not more at this location as I could only see so far in and there were definitely more birds back in the thickets. The three birds at city park in Flagler were all adults. ----- Mark Peterson 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 https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
