Hey, folks. I know this isn't bird-related, but I sure do appreciate folks'
consideration in the matter. The species in question is the black witch,
*Ascalapha
odorata*, and I long to see one in Colorado more than anything else.
Especially a female. And David Gulbenkian just now showed me a photo of an
impeccable, impossibly ginormous female at his residence near Denver. Alas,
Kei has the car right now . . .
This convo happened a little earlier:
"Mom, I hate Dad."
"Um? Why?"
"There's a black witch in Denver, and he won't take me to see it."
"Um?"
"I'll never forgive him."
So, yeah, things are getting a bit hairy hereabouts.
Okay, birds. I should mention birds. Yesterday's "Lafayette Birds!" outing
at Greenlee Preserve, Boulder County, was wonderful. We had a lot of
people, so I'm grateful to forcibly conscripted co-leaders Mikaela Caldera,
Hannah Floyd ("Mom, I hate Dad"), and Martin Ogle for breaking off with the
sub-groups, necessary for preventing the spread of COVID-19. I think most
birders got to see the two black-chinned hummingbird males duking it out
near Hecla Pond; that was a highlight. But the real show-stopper was a
snow-white Swainson hawk nestling poking out from its treetop abode near
Waneka Lake. We actually had 45 species of birds, not shabby for a hot
summer afternoon.
No black witches yesterday, but it seems like, after a few summers of not
getting the hang of it, the four-spotted moths, *Tyta luctuosa*, have
finally figured out why they got a free ticket to Colorado. Those
day-flying moths, handsome and distinctive, were absolutely infesting the
bindweed which, in turn, infests all of Lafayette and probably most of
Colorado. Not that they seem to be having any effect whatsoever on the
bindweed, but, then again, when's the last time biological control ever
accomplished what it was actually supposed to?
Ted Floyd
Lafayette, Boulder County
On Monday, July 6, 2020 at 4:50:17 PM UTC-6, David Gulbenkian wrote:
>
> I’ve bee emailing Ted Floyd about a rare moth he says he’s dying to see.
> Told him it had left, but now am trying to contact him to tell him it’s
> still here!!
> Have emailed him and left a message on his home phone, but don’t have his
> cell.
>
> He claims this moth is his #1 object to see in nature, so I’m sure he’ll
> be grateful!
>
> David Gulbenkian
>
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