I was up at Centennial Cone Park 5 or 6 weeks ago and one of the volunteer park guides passed me and my on-leash dog while we were walking in. After telling him I was birding and specifically looking for Dusky Grouse, he said there were 2 dead "grouse" in the middle of the trail about a 1/4 mile farther. They turned out to be Common Poorwills. I'm wondering if their behavior didn't get them killed as this a heavily biked area. If they were day-roosting on the trail, fast moving fat tired mountain bikes might have squashed them before they could flush. One of them just looked flattened as if it was just perching on the ground and run over. The second was splayed out like it was hit while flushing with wings extended. Sad to see. Hoping others pick a better spot to day-roost next year.
Cheers, Chip Clouse Lakewood On Thu, Oct 5, 2023, 6:20 AM [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote: > Thank you for the suggestion. It was sunny and 60 degrees at the time, and > there > was actually more than usual bird activity all around him from Flickers, a > resident Towhee, > a Robin (first in a while), and others. But perhaps the Poorwill was > exhausted from his > journey and still recovering from nighttime torpor. > > On Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 4:24:10 AM UTC-6 T. Luke George wrote: > >> The bird was probably in torpor to save energy during the cold evening >> and morning period. >> >> On Wed, Oct 4, 2023 at 11:28 AM [email protected] <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> Nightjars are known for roosting in plain sight during the day, >>> relying on their amazing camouflage. >>> I've looked right at a Potoo without seeing him until he was pointed >>> out to me. But today's Poorwill was a stunner. >>> At 10 this morning I was slowly advancing on a pair of canoe cushions >>> along the side of my tennis court, which is edged with river rock, to >>> see if >>> I could spot any hard-to-see spurge weeds amid the rocks. >>> I wasn't making any noise, except for moving the back cushion ahead >>> and sliding onto it. I noticed an odd-shaped bundle between the >>> chain-link fence and the rocks, but paid no attention to it. Even when I >>> was >>> seated right alongside of it-- less than 12" away--I noticed nothing, >>> but spent some time picking up some debris on my other side. Maybe I >>> shouldn't have been wearing my distance glasses! Anyway, my curiosity >>> finally kicked in and I put my hand on it to pick it up. It flushed >>> exactly like >>> a Grouse (like an airplane taking off), startling the heck out of me. >>> Was it asleep until I touched it? Possibly, but I think it more likely >>> it was >>> awake by then and just was relying on its camouflage. >>> David Gulbenkian >>> Crown Hill Open Space neighborhood, Jeffco >>> >>> -- >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en >>> * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. >>> Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate >>> * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ >>> --- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/5efe22cf-6d30-4294-8c92-0c25cf026766n%40googlegroups.com >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/5efe22cf-6d30-4294-8c92-0c25cf026766n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> >> >> -- >> *T. Luke George, PhD* >> *Master Instructor, **Colorado State University* >> *Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology* >> *Wagar 110* >> *970-491-3311 <(970)%20491-3311> (o)* >> Professor Emeritus, Humboldt State University >> 707-499-4053 <(707)%20499-4053> (c) >> *[email protected]* >> "what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Mary >> Oliver >> > -- > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "Colorado Birds" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en > * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include > bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate > * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Colorado Birds" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/9845c7aa-41f1-477f-bff4-37e566955128n%40googlegroups.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/9845c7aa-41f1-477f-bff4-37e566955128n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAPHVJejkAX62a%3DWsyi-4sFa3W0RNP8G0aaHtb8jWQRcdMFNmdQ%40mail.gmail.com.
