Matt Crooks’ e-mail about the golden-crowned White-crowned prompted me to report on our experience with WCSPs last Saturday. We set up 3 nets at the feeder area at the ASGD Nature Center and banded some birds as part of the training for Audubon’s new naturalists. It was a WCSP morning - we caught 11, 10 of them second year birds (that is, hatched last summer). WCSPs molt their crowns early in the spring, just before migrating to their summer grounds, and these guys were in various stages of that molt. If I had been naming the species last Saturday, I would have called it a Calico-crowned Sparrow - wildly different patterns of new black and white feathers, plus some retained tan and brown ones, with some of the tans and browns sticking up a bit and in some lights looking almost orange/golden.
Also caught 3 Juncos - 1 each of Slate-colored, Oregon and Pink-sided. The Pink-sided had been banded at the same time last year during the same training event. Also 1 very entertaining 2nd year male Red-winged Blackbird. Banding station at Chatfield opens Saturday, April 26! Meredith McBurney Biologist/Bander Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory 303-329-8091 From: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, April 8, 2014 2:34 AM To: Digest recipients Today's topic summary Group: http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds/topics Lincoln's Sparrow feeding under my nyger feeders in Canon City [1 Update] Golden-crowned sparrow??? ID help needed - near Chatfield, CO Douglas CO [3 Updates] Chatfield SP April 7 [1 Update] Fort Collins Turkey Vulture roost (Larimer) [1 Update] HSR: Dinosaur Ridge (07 Apr 2014) 7 Raptors [1 Update] Franklin's Gulls, Colo Spgs, El Paso Co. [1 Update] White-throated Swift invasion [1 Update] Emergency Digiscoping [2 Updates] Grand Valley Audubon Society Owl Prowl - Saturday April 5 [1 Update] At Walden Ponds/ Sawhill, Boulder County [1 Update] Colorado BBS routes [1 Update] Lincoln's Sparrow feeding under my nyger feeders in Canon City "SeEttaM ." <[email protected]> Apr 07 11:48PM -0600 Maybe others host Lincoln's Sparrows at their home feeders but don't post about it, but I was surprised to find one in my backyard today foraging on the ground under my nyger feeders. I often have White-crowned Sparrows that feed on the spilled nyger seed as well as perched on the hanging nyger feeders (clearly they are not always the ground feeders they are reported to be) in addition to finch species. I have always found Lincoln's Sparrows in thick vegetation near the Arkansas River which is also where others have reported this species in Fremont County. I am curious if others get these at their feeders. I did get a few good photos of this pretty bird that I have uploaded to my Birds and Nature blog<http://birdsandnature.blogspot.com/> . SeEtta Moss Canon City http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com Golden-crowned sparrow??? ID help needed - near Chatfield, CO Douglas CO Matt Crooks <[email protected]> Apr 07 09:00PM -0700 I am pretty sure it is a golden crowned that I saw. I have a picture of it on our website. I was thrown a little by the orange bill and distinct eye line. Is it a white-crowned with some yellow on it, or a golden-crowned? >From what I read, immature yellow-crowned can have orangish bills at times? I am not that good with the identification of sparrows yet! I have a picture of it on our website. http://www.cheezwhizdom.com/nonflash/content/IMG_1766_large.html Any help is appreciated! Matt Crooks, Littleton CO www.cheezwhizdom.com David Suddjian <[email protected]> Apr 07 10:10PM -0600 That is an adult White-crowned Sparrow. David Littleton, CO Matt Crooks <[email protected]> Apr 07 09:24PM -0700 Thanks Dave. That is certainly what I thought as well. Is it normal for a white-crowned to have some yellow markings on top like that? Never seen that before... On Monday, April 7, 2014 10:00:52 PM UTC-6, Matt Crooks wrote: Chatfield SP April 7 David Suddjian <[email protected]> Apr 07 09:52PM -0600 The EASTERN PHOEBE continued along Plum Creek at Chatfield this morning, singing nearly continuously, pausing only to reposition or sally after a morsel. He was mostly very close to the east side of the Plum Creek Picnic Area parking lot. A BARN SWALLOW was in that area, too. The Plum Creek Nature Area had a LINCOLN'S SPARROW, 2 BLUE-WINGED TEAL, AND 1 flyover GREATER YELLOWLEGS. A FRANKLIN'S GULL was at the marina sandspit. The Chatfield arm at the mouth of South Platte inflow had 4 AM. WHITE PELICANS, 1 CLARK'S GREBE with Westerns, 1 FRANKLIN'S GULL, 2 BALD EAGLES, 1 CINNAMON TEAL, 1 flyover SANDHILL CRANE, and 1 adult PEREGRINE FALCON. David Suddjian Littleton, CO Fort Collins Turkey Vulture roost (Larimer) David Wade <[email protected]> Apr 07 06:58PM -0700 Made a quick stop at the roost this evening (6:40) and saw 9 TV's - I'm sure there's more - in the traditional roost on Mountain Ave. Around the corner on Washington, about mid block, East side I saw a dozen vultures in the tall spruces. It's amazing how easily they meld into the limbs. David Wade Fort Collins HSR: Dinosaur Ridge (07 Apr 2014) 7 Raptors [email protected] Apr 07 09:04PM -0400 Dinosaur Ridge Colorado, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 07, 2014 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 33 36 Osprey 0 0 0 Bald Eagle 0 0 25 Northern Harrier 0 1 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 8 13 Cooper's Hawk 0 10 25 Northern Goshawk 0 1 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 5 35 165 Rough-legged Hawk 0 2 9 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 0 Ferruginous Hawk 0 0 8 Golden Eagle 0 1 8 American Kestrel 2 10 24 Merlin 0 0 0 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 2 Prairie Falcon 0 1 6 Mississippi Kite 0 0 0 Unknown Accipiter 0 5 7 Unknown Buteo 0 3 8 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 4 Total: 7 110 342 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 09:15:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 6.75 hours Official Counter: Bill Flowers Observers: Nelson Ford Visitors: A few hikers and some mountain bike riders were seen in the afternoon. Two women stayed for about 5 minutes and one of the women spotted a migrating Red-tailed Hawk. I tried to recruit them as observers, but they decided to finish their hike instead. Weather: The day had sunshine and snow. In the morning, about 10:00 AM, it started snowing and became heavy for the entire 10:00-11:00 survey hour. The snow became spotty from 11:00 AM through 1:00 PM. There were no raptors or very few other birds observed during these periods. A welcomed observer, Nelson Ford, showed up at 11:00 to help but the weather did not cooperate. Of course when he left, a few Red-tailed Hawks migrated through from 1:30 through 2:30 PM. Raptor Observations: A few raptors were observed migrating during the times when it was not snowing. These included 5 Red-tailed Hawks and 2 American Kestrels. These raptors flew low over Dinosaur Ridge or just to the East of the Ridge. Resident Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures were observed in the afternoon. Non-raptor Observations: Other birds seen or heard included Townsend’s Solitaire, Western Meadowlark, Spotted Towhee, Black-billed Magpie, Western Scrub-jay, American Crow, Common Raven, American Robin, and Mountain Bluebird. Several mule deer were seen on both sides of Dinosaur Ridge. On the East side, two bucks and a doe stayed below the Hawk Watch site for most of the day. Predictions: As the weather warms, migration should increase significantly. Tomorrow should be much better than today. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory ([email protected]) Dinosaur Ridge information may be found at: http://www.rmbo.org/ Site Description: Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawkwatch in Colorado and is the best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Dinosaur Ridge may be the best place in the country to see the rare dark morph of the Broad-winged Hawk (a few are seen each spring). Hawkwatchers who linger long enough may see resident Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks and Prairie Falcons, in addition to migrating Swainson's, Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels and Turkey Vultures. Peregrine Falcons and Ferruginous Hawks are uncommon; Northern Goshawk is rare but regular. Non-raptor species include Rock Wren, and sometimes Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane, White-throated Swift, American White Pelican or Dusky Grouse. Birders are always welcome. The hawkwatch is generally staffed by volunteers from the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory from about 9 AM to around 4 PM from the first week of March to the first week of May. Directions to site: >From exit 259 on I-70 towards Morrison, drive south under freeway and take left into first parking lot, the Stegosaurus lot. Follow small signs from the south side of lot to hawkwatch site. The hike starts heading east on an old two-track and quickly turns south onto a trail on the west side of the ridge. When the trail nears the top of the ridge, turn left, head through the gate, and walk to the clearly-visible, flat area at the crest of the ridge. Franklin's Gulls, Colo Spgs, El Paso Co. Steven Brown <[email protected]> Apr 07 05:25PM -0600 Hi COBirders, We just observed a large flock (75+) of Franklin's Gulls battling the wind and heading North at low elevation, here on the West side of Colorado Springs, at the edge of the foothills in Mountain Shadows. A yard-bird for me! Happy Migration, Steve Brown Colorado Springs White-throated Swift invasion Glenn Walbek <[email protected]> Apr 07 12:57PM -0600 Loch and I are witnessing hundreds and hundreds of WTSWs streaming in low along the Arkansas River in Florence. Glenn Walbek Castle Rock, CO Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID Emergency Digiscoping Ted Floyd <[email protected]> Apr 07 12:27PM -0700 Here's a whole article on how to do it: http://bg.aba.org/i/216642/31 Author is Sharon Stiteler. Article appears in the ABA's quarterly magazine, "Birder's Guide." Ted Floyd Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado P.s. Turkey Vultures aplenty yesterday afternoon in Gregory Canyon, Boulder County, and a few Vesper Sparrows yesterday (with an Eastern Bluebird, which I posted earlier) at the Coalton Trail, Boulder County. And this morning at Greenlee Preserve, Boulder County, a Black-crowned Night-Heron. On Monday, April 7, 2014 10:36:28 AM UTC-6, Dick Filby wrote: John Maynard <[email protected]> Apr 07 04:42PM -0600 You can also use your iPhone with your binoculars to photo birds if a scope is not available. Hold steady! John Maynard Grand Valley Audubon Society Owl Prowl - Saturday April 5 Dick Filby <[email protected]> Apr 07 10:46PM +0100 Hi all On Saturday 30 folks joined me for a fun afternoon in rural, and not so rural, Mesa and Delta Counties, in search of owls. In the evening some of us continued to the Grand Mesa, despite a poor weather forecast of wind and snow as it didn't look bad up there, looking up from Clifton. The weather forecast was incorrect - it was idyllic up there early evening! We started out in search of Burrowing Owls near the Utah border, and enjoyed at least four Golden Eagles as well as plenty of Horned Larks and White-tailed Prairie-Dogs. It took much searching before a couple of us glimpsed a Burrowing Owl, very distantly, that unfortunately promptly disappeared. We then headed into the nearby washes and searched the tamarisks for Long-eared Owls. After finding an owl pellet under a roost tree, we later had a glimpse of a flying owl, before seeing a female incubating on a nest in the depths of a tamarisk thicket. Watching from a distance with a scope, she seemed unconcerned - indeed she was facing away the whole time we were there, so although the views were less than stellar, we felt very privileged to see her at all. We left her in peace, wishing her good luck for breeding success and lack of disturbance. Please don't ask me where she was! Next stop was Highline State Park where the Great Horned Owls have taken over a heron nest, and all the herons have left the other nests in the tree! That's the way it works! It was very nice to enjoy great views in the scope. Heading back east along 6/50 we spotted some aerial action in the form of two Peregrine Falcons doing their best to catch a Franklin's Gulls. Despite having a tag team of combatants intent of a meal, it seemed the Franklin's managed to avoid become dinner. Dave then invited us to his yard where a Western Screech Owl has been in the nest box every day for recent weeks, but unfortunately it was not present today. We tried other boxes in the Redlands later, but all without success. In Clifton we tried for a Barn Owl, but it wasn't co-operating, although three Ospreys flying around provided some excellent alternative viewing. By now it was nearly dark so those of that were up-for-it decided to head up onto the Grand Mesa, as the weather looked fine up there. Well, the weather was just fine when we arrived. We stopped at dusk and search the lower aspen groves for a Northern Pygmy Owl, but not a hoot or any other sign.. With the weather still and perfect for listening, we headed up on top and stopped at many spots on both sides of the summit, hoping to hear a Boreal Owl, but tonight they just were not singing. Soon it started to snow, although there was no wind, we decided that we'd had the best of the day and so we left the 12F temps behind and went homewards. A Porcupine was at the side of the road as we headed down. For me, I had to head back to my desk to finalise details of next year's Snow Leopard tour and get it on sale. All in all a good day, filled with humor and good company. Thanks all and good birding, Dick Filby Carbondale CO At Walden Ponds/ Sawhill, Boulder County Carl Starace <[email protected]> Apr 07 02:16PM -0600 Hello all, Just south of Sawhill Preserve in the big field to the east there were two female Wild Turkey preening away .The male Cinnamon Teal continues, [pond to the rt. as you walk towards Sawhill side from Cottonwood marsh. There were 4 BW Teal at Cottonwood, a White Pelican and a lone Avocet. I also had an Eastern Phoebe and single Chipping Sparrow this morning. Best, Carl Starace, Longmont Colorado BBS routes "Leon Bright" <[email protected]> Apr 07 01:48PM -0600 COBirders, To have 128 of the State's 132 Breeding Bird Survey routes covered this year is phenomenal! Super job, Hugh-maybe you will bat 1000 this spring! Leon Bright (Pueblo) -- 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/089e0122ee44ae492d04f683db81%40google.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- 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/BLU405-EAS119AB929291C3A0C7CFAF57D26B0%40phx.gbl. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
