Gary, The only thing I would add to what has already been said is that of the resident passerines, perhaps only crossbills are more "hidden pea trick" from year to year than corvids. I think the common denominator here is a heavy reliance on conifer seeds. Since most conifers only have a good-to-bumper cone crop every 3-5 years, these bird groups, which are both highly nomadic as a direct consequence of their diets, don't really care if they hang out in an eBird hotspot. Factors which affect the cone crop are mostly weather related and involve the amounts, timing, and extremes of things like moisture and temperature. This can make some of the target corvids hard to find in certain seasons and years, except, as noted, at modified habitats like campgrounds, picnic areas, pull-offs and other human creations where handouts/scraps can be expected. The latter has apparently and unfortunately become an important diet supplement for mountain corvids.
Dave Leatherman Fort Collins (presently in Lamar gawking at the water puddled or rushing in odd places like everybody else) PS - I vote for Rufous-backed Robin and Wheatear. Subject: Re: [cobirds] Two missing birds for CO. From: garybro...@comcast.net Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 10:58:33 -0600 To: cobirds@googlegroups.com To all who provided thoughts about the CLNU and GRJA -- thanks! The ranger speculated that the late snow-melt meant that picnickers weren't able to "draw" the birds to the picnic areas. Thanks for the eBird data. I didn't have access to that up in the mountains -- and hadn't checked it since I returned home. Gary BrowerEnglewood, CO On Jul 15, 2014, at 9:52 AM, Jim Nelson <kingfishe...@verizon.net> wrote: Prompted by Gary's and Derek's observations concerning Gray Jays and Clark's Nutcrackers, I checked eBird for the Rocky Mountain National Park area for this year and past years. At least as far as reported observations in eBird, Clark's Nutcrackers are being reported in and around RMNP this year in numbers comparable to past years, but Gray Jays aren't being reported as much this year as in some past years. With more and more data, eBird is very useful for checking things like this. Jim Nelson Bethesda, Maryland From: Derek Hill Sent: Monday, July 14, 2014 11:30 PM To: cobirds@googlegroups.com Subject: [cobirds] Re: Two missing birds for CO. To add to Gary's observation, I spent several days in the Fraser Valley, Grand Co. over the last month, and an afternoon tour through RMNP along Trail Ridge Rd., and throughout all the traveling, hiking, biking, and camping I was surprised at the lack of birds (and also no GRJA or CLNU in RMNP). Granted our drive through RMNP was pretty direct with no woodland hiking, and much of the time in Fraser Valley was spent with family and a wedding, but it was somewhat disappointing birdwise. Hardly needed to carry binocs for the lack of birds, and I wondered if it was the pine bark beetle damage. Though I have very little experience summer birding in the mountains and not sure if my perception of lack of birds is accurate for that locale/season. However with all the wildflowers, lepidoptera, other wildlife, and awesome scenery it took me a while to wonder where the birds were! Good birding, Derek Hill Fort Collins On Monday, July 14, 2014 8:03:34 PM UTC-6, Gary Brower wrote: All, A different take on this thread. I spent the weekend in RMNP, and saw no/zero/nada/zip Gray Jays or Clark's Nutcrackers. I talked a volunteer at Lake Irene; she had noticed the same thing. And I spoke with a ranger at Kawuneeche Visitor Center who had the same report. Any thoughts? (The ranger suspected it was because the snow melted so late.) Gary Brower Englewood, CO PS By the way, I did see two WTPT's (perhaps male and female, as they were in pretty close proximity to one another) at the Rock Cut on Trail Ridge Rd, and a female-on-the-nest Broad-tailed Hummer at Lily Lake.-- 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 cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/5a686e93-f95b-4463-b18e-c9df4e2ab008%40googlegroups.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 cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/0BBA0B18BC2B42D29638248C546BA92A%40jimPC. 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 cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/8A11049F-C3D4-4264-9B98-699DB8896B69%40comcast.net. 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 cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/SNT148-W62856CFE9965B948A6FCF7C1F60%40phx.gbl. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
