Had a great visit to Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins at the west terminus of
Mountain Avenue this morning. Lots of human visitors and lots of birds. Total
of 32 species, about 14 higher than expected.
Highlights
*Found two Broad-tailed Hummingbird nests, both in Austrian Pines that are
adjacent to each other, just out on the City Park Nine Golf Course along the
cemetery south boundary. One is re-use of an old nest, the other brand new.
It is always a thrill to find one of these nests. Suspect at least three
others but could not pin down the location. Saw one female with a bill full of
fluff, which she proceeded to drop. I collected this and it appears to be
willow seeds (maybe cottonwood). Do not know why she decided to drop it after
collecting it.
*Parent bird feeding a fledged Red-breasted Nuthatch.
*Parent bird feeding fledged American Robins.
*Cedar Waxwings eating European Elm Scales.
*Brown-headed Cowbirds (FOY at Grandview)
*Swainson's Thrush singing whisper song within the crown of a spruce (still on
the move)
*Western Meadowlark (FOY at Grandview) heard in field off to the north
*Broad-winged Hawk (heard characteristic whistle in a backyard east of the
cemetery, lots of jay and starling commotion associated with this, somewhat
late date).
*Bushtit parents feeding young in a nest in Mugo Pine!
*Pod of Turkey Vultures from the current urban roost east of the cemetery
catching a thermal before heading west to their important work of carrion
cleanup.
*Bullock's Oriole (not a normal breeder at Grandview, probably a migrant still
on the move)
*Western Wood-Pewee (an occasional breeder within Grandview, probably a
migrant, heard out on the golf course)
*Western Tanager (heard one, maybe two, still on the move)
*Lesser Goldfinches have obviously arrived, at least three pairs, and will
probably nest as they have in recent summers.
Perhaps the most bizarre find of the day involved sound. Just southeast of the
old office was grosbeak/tanager song coming from near the ground by a
headstone. Upon inspection this proved to be a new high-tech decoration
featuring a singing plastic male Scarlet Tanager! I recorded this on my cell
phone. Ted is smiling. But, sorry Ted, I do not have a way of converting it
to a sonogram/spectrogram for analysis. (Speaking of dinosaurs, I saw a great
shirt yesterday at Albertson's. Pictured was a T-Rex accompanied by the words
"Licensed To Carry Small Arms"). Getting back to the tanager, I do not think
it was a hybrid. Does anyone know if the plastic version is to be split from
additional versions on the market made of other substances? Is battery length
a good character for separation?
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
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