Lots of migrant/winter influx activity today at Grandview Cemetery in Fort
Collins (Larimer).
Highlights included:
Red Crossbill (at least 30 flying in small flocks this way and that, mostly in
spruce, sometimes in Douglas-fir, occasionally in American Elm (I think the
latter is either a site for bill cleansing of excess conifer cone pitch and/or
perhaps feeding on European Elm Scale insects). All sounded like Type 2s to me
but it would not be that surprising if a few individuals of another type are
present.
Rock Wren (1 exceptionally silent individual exploring square rocks with names
on them stayed mostly east and just northeast of Section S the entire morning).
Spotted Towhee (1 male, not a regular visitor to the understory-challenged
habitat of an urban cemetery)
Red-tailed Hawk (1st dark morph of the winter, soaring with vultures)
Pine Siskin (at least 25, big influx since mid-August, occasionally in with
crossbills)
Chipping Sparrow (few adults, several juveniles)
Clay-colored Sparrow (1 mixed in with the Chippies)
Cordilleran Flycatcher (1, working the interior crown of a large American Elm
near Section S)
Wilson's Warbler (at least 6, mostly in elms)
Western Wood-Pewee (at least 4)
Turkey Vulture (3 slowly working their way from w to e)
Hairy Woodpecker (heard, first one at this site since spring, probably an
elevational migrant)
House Finches and Fox Squirrels are biting the nipplegalls off hackberry leaves
to get at the plump psyllid nymph morsels inside (which means adult psyllid
emergence is at least 2-3 weeks away). I am guessing early October for the
peak of hackberry action at this site, which means once again it will be only
available to late migrants (warblers and such that travel with Yellow-rumps).
Thought I once heard a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and believe I saw a couple
warblers (or the same individual twice) that was not a Wilson's (perhaps a drab
Yellow-rump or possibly even a Blackpoll).
Total of 30 species, which is about 6-8 spp. over the average for this time of
year.
Birders who visit this site should be on their toes for things like mountain
jays, Pygmy Nuthatch, Mountain Chickadee, Townsend's Solitaire, kinglets, very
high-flying swifts that aren't Chimneys, and sapsuckers, as they are all
possible, maybe even likely in the next couple weeks.
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
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