Birders,
I love this thread. But, I'd refine the parameters to unexpected combos
of birds seen at the same locality on the same day. Better yet,
unexpected birds seen together at the same time. Extra points for those
that aren't chasing a mega-rarity, and combining it with a localized
Colorado rarity on the same day. By those standards, any rare bird I
would see, say at Tempel Grove or Lamar Community College on one of my
work days would combine (in my opinion) with the two best birds on my
Colorado list, Piping Plovers and Least Terns. This would give me
countless spectacular combo days, and it doesn't seem fair. By my
completely arbitrary scoring system, where points don't count,
self-found combos get the highest score.
My first bizarre combo came in Colorado in 1990. I backpacked a short
distance above the Silver Pick Mine in San Miguel County, staging for a
climb of Wilson Peak the next day. At my timberline campsite, I had a
mixed flock composed of White-tailed Ptarmigans and Northern Flickers.
It blew my mind.
My Bent County yard presents more unexpected combos than any place I've
ever been, since there are occasional mountain birds mixing with desert
and canyon country birds, alongside eastern migrants and just plain out
of place birds. For instance, today I had three species that have
probably never been seen together within a 5 food diameter imaginary
circle: Red-bellied Woodpecker, Canyon Towhee and Curve-billed Thrasher.
None are super-rare in Colorado but all are species that would make the
average person's birding day.
Probably the best combo I've ever had took place between last January
and April. I had a female plumage Cassin's Finch and a female plumage
Purple Finch winter in my yard, and I nailed a photograph of both birds
standing on a tray feeder outside my family room window, facing each
other. I don't think this has ever been documented photographically
before, and certainly not in Colorado.
Other combos in my yard have included Steller's Jay with Red-bellied
Woodpecker (photographed), and "red" Fox Sparrow with Eastern Towhee.
I'd be interested in your stories.
Duane Nelson
Las Animas, Bent County, CO
On 10/21/2015 10:07 AM, DAVID A LEATHERMAN wrote:
I meant to say Andy Bankert and friends saw the combo of ptarmigan and
tricolored heron in the same day in CO. Sorry.
Dave
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