With my field trip to look for the Bobolink and Dickcissel I found last week in Canon City this morning, I was not happy to find the hay field in which they were starting to be mowed last night. When we got there this morning the hay mower was chopping down the hay. I couldn't hear the Dickcissel on the side street so we had to walk on MacKenzie Ave which was awfully busy for a Sunday morning. I did hear both the Dickcissel and Bobolink singing from MacKenzie Ave and was able to located not only the male Dickcissel and Bobolink but the female Bobolink. The female Bobolink flew out near the hay mower which indicates she was likely on her nest and waited until the last minute to flee. Yes, the likelihood is that the eggs and/or nestlings were destroyed. She flew right up about 25 feet above the group in a tree so some got fairly good views of her and most of the 11 participants were able to get a view of each species in addition to hearing each sing.
Post note: At about 1 pm the field trip was over I stopped by the hay field and the poor male Dickcissel was still singing intermittently though his field was being cut down all around him. And I drove back tonight after 7 pm to find both the male and female Bobolink walking around in the field. I supposed they could have just stayed, and stayed together, to eat some insects flushed up or killed by the mower hours earlier. However, I had the impression they were searching for the nest. I have seen this behavior before when hay fields are mowed while these birds are still in the field and presumably with eggs or nestlings. Other birds that likely nested in that field, W Meadowlarks and Red-winged Blackbirds, were also out there walking in the cut hay. I got a few photos, likely the last of the Bobolink, tonight and have uploaded them to my Birds and Nature blog<http://birdsandnature.blogspot.com/> . My field trip also was successful in viewing one of the pair of Black Phoebes nesting under the MacKenzie Ave bridge over the Arkansas River. We saw another phoebe at Holcim Wetlands that I believe is probably a hybrid Black X Eastern as it had intermediate characteristics. Also of note there were 3 White-faced Ibis, 2 Gray Catbirds and 2 Cedar Waxwing. On the way in we saw a Common Grackle flying with a small frog in it's bill and being chased by a Great-tailed Grackle that was unsuccessful in stealing this treat. It was a pleasant day with temps are little less hot and no smoke from wildfires due to winds pushing it away. SeEtta Moss Canon City Personal blog @ http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com Blogging for Birds an Blooms Magazine @ http://BirdsAndBloomsBlog.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAAUvckp3RCPpNLmxHN5M-k18q%2Bmg01zqT0uwGZFXC-dT-EtMjQ%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
