Cobirds:
Spring is here (or has been for some time if you go by the
weather). Some observations:
Robins singing now in all suburban front range neighborhoods. House
finches singing since February. Magpies are actively building nests. Male
towhees are singing. Western meadowlark numbers are increasing, and songs
have began.
In Rocky Mt. National Park yesterday:
At least 5 Three Toed Woodpeckers from Copeland Lake up to Ouzel Falls in
the Wild Basin area. This is generally a good area for 3-toes, but they
can be found throughout the park in mixed conifer \ aspen areas. The
staccato drumming usually comes to a halt by late March, making them harder
to find. I still consider this to be a common bird throughout Colorado.
Much harder to find Williamson's and Red Napped sapsuckers.
Red crossbills at the Copeland Lake parking area - dozens. Also in
Allenspark, and Myers Gulch in Boulder County - all good areas to find
them.
Pygmy nuthatches, white breasted nuthatches, red breasted
nuthatches, mountain chickadees, brown creepers (lots), American dippers,
ravens, crows, stellar's jays, lots of robins (none singing), Townsends
solitaires (singing) - all along Wild Basin Trail.
Wild Basin snow conditions above Calypso Cascades get arduous, with 3 feet
of base, and post holing as the day warms up. I did make it to Ouzel lake
without snowshoes.
I observed "snow fleas" (springtails) swarming in high snow areas above
Ouzel falls. Snow fleas are nearly microscopic - about 1/10 the size of a
grain of rice. I wondered if any birds ever take the time to feed on them
(?)
Boulder, Lafayette, Louisville:
Pine Grosbeaks put in a appearance last weekend just below Bear Peak in
Boulder Mt. Park. This is an uncommon sighting at this elevation - winter
or no winter.
Clark's Nutcracker - in Boulder Mt. Park in February and March. Again,
unusual. Although last year they put in an appearance every month of the
year, including June, July, and August.
Bushtits have been in neighborhoods in Boulder, Louisville, and Lafayette,
all winter long, including in Boulder Mt. Park
Killdeers showing up at Walden, Twin Lakes, and other ponds in Boulder
County.
Red tail hawks mating and nest building is beginning all over Boulder and
Weld counties. Seems a bit earlier than last year.
Lots of waterfowl showing up at Valmont Res, Sawhills, and Walden - good
time to get out and enjoy them, before the lakes get topped off (shorelines
are low).
Raccoons and skunks are now actively seeking mates and are getting
massacred on roads; this phenomenon will increase into early April. I
mention this as magpies, ravens and crows will swarm down to the fresh road
kills to take their share of the protein - and many nearly get killed in
the process.
Great horned owls - of the 31 nest sites I've monitored over the last 5
years, only a handful are present - a lot of the nest sites are blown out
(hawks nests) and old tree limbs snapped off. Many of the owls have moved
back on restricted parcels of open space or private land - making them
harder to see. (If anyone have good observation points, let me know
offline).
Flowers blooming (coincides with certain bird events): dandelion,
cranesbill, bastard toadflax, Oregon grape (holly grape), and spring
beauties.
Chorus frogs are singing in ditches and vernal ponds; and great blue
herons are back out to get them.
Spring has sprung. Happy birding.
John T (Tumasonis) of Louisville CO
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