[cobirds] Pueblo update 1/30
Several rarities continue at Lake Pueblo State Park, Pueblo County today January 30th. Two Yellow-billed, a Pacific, a Red-throated Loon, five Common Loons, two Red-necked Grebes, also Horned, Eared, and Western Grebes, adult Short-billed, adult Great Black-backed, Lesser Black-backed, and Iceland (Thayer's) Gulls, Long-tailed Duck, four Barrow's Goldeneyes, two American White Pelicans, and a Double-crested Cormorant. A scope is always needed to see the rare birds on Pueblo Reservoir and nearby ponds. Good birding, Brandon K. Percival Pueblo West, CO -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com 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 cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CA%2BXeEuW%3DXmt19dUu2v6sruL_79Tq7g0TyrNnJ_sOMjVVRon6dg%40mail.gmail.com.
[cobirds] DIA Hawk Loop - Adams
We drove the DIA Hawk loop yesterday and enjoyed numberous raptors: 11 Bald Eagles10 Ferruginous Hawks4 Red-tails3 Rough-legs3 Harriers Hugh -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com 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 cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/737030637.2143007.1643579028128%40mail.yahoo.com.
Re: [cobirds] A report from Cottonwood Canyon (Baca and Las Animas) Jan 28
Thank you David for your excellent report. As you noted this remote area draws considerable interest when the opportunity to see rare migrants are present there is a dearth of birder visits otherwise even though the resident birds need documenting. As I have gotten older I am leary of traveling to remote locations so I thoroughly enjoyed getting to visit there via your report. SeEtta Moss Canon City On Sun, Jan 30, 2022, 10:34 AM David Suddjian wrote: > Hi CoBirders, > > Friday January 28 I made the long journey from home to spend the morning > at Cottonwood Canyon along the border of Baca and Las Animas Counties. This > iconic Colorado birding spot is pretty far out there and far off paved > roads. It took me about 5 hours to get there from home, arriving at the > canyon just before 8 am. Yes, a five hour drive. It's good to travel it in > the dark, though, or you'd never get there for all the birding on the way. > The area is mostly visited in the spring and summer, when birds are more > diverse and some fun migrants and nesting species live there. There > are three eBird hotspots for the Cottonwood Canyon area, and these offer a > perspective on sparse winter birding coverage. Collectively these three > hotspots had only 10 prior complete checklists ever submitted from the area > for January, and none of the three hotspots had any complete lists reported > since last September. The CFO County Birding page has an account for > Cottonwood Canyon on its Baca County page. The description begins > encouragingly, "*This remote and beautiful canyon is one of the most > unique in the state. It is home to plants, butterflies, and even birds that > regularly occur nowhere else in Colorado*." Directions and some more > info are here: > https://coloradocountybirding.org/County/BySite.aspx?SiteID=36=5 > > I had been to Cottonwood Canyon once before, in early October. Although > January is "off-season" I wanted to go see what was there and to be in that > lovely country. In winter, with the cold temps and late sunrise, it is not > worth getting there too early. When I arrived about an hour after sunrise, > much of the canyon was still in morning shadow. Cottonwood Canyon is > similar to the other canyons of southeastern Colorado. It is > relatively shallow, with rimrock above canyon slopes with varied and often > sparse juniper cover, and a riparian corridor. Las Animas County Road 24.4 > drops you quickly into the upper canyon area, where the surrounding slopes > come down near to the drainage. Here the canyon has a unique character with > large full-on tree-size Gamble oaks, fat cottonwoods and junipers growing > densely in the canyon bottom, with oak scrub and junipers fairly dense > along the side slopes. The oaks add a different character. The stream flows > all year, and had many open water areas on my visit. A Baca County road > follows the canyon downstream to south-southeast, as it broadens out and > the riparian corridor is isolated amid grassland, and the side slopes > become more sparsely vegetated with juniper and less scrub oak. > > I sampled the canyon's birds along about five miles over three and a half > hours. I noted 35 species, which I've listed below with my counts from the > checklists I made. The biriest areas were along the canyon slopes where > there was scrub oak, and locally in some weedy patches along the road. The > large trees had relatively little now, except for woodpeckers. Rare birds > were a Black-throated Sparrow with a large White-crowned flock in Baca > County, and a Green-tailed Towhee in Las Animas County. I had the three > towhees together there, and towhees were one of the delights of my canyon > tour. Spotted Towhees were ridiculously common, with small parties > everywhere there were scrub oaks. I tallied 102 Spotteds! Sometimes there > were flocks of 8-12 birds. I'd pish and they just kept coming up. No doubt > a thorough count of all the Spotteds in the whole canyon find several 100s. > Species characteristic of the southeastern canyons were represented with 2 > Greater Roadrunners, 16 Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, 2 Juniper Titmouse, 2 > Canyon Wrens, 24 Canyon Towhees, and 5 Rufous-crowned Sparrows. A total of > 26 woodpeckers was a satisfying result. The local junipers did not have > many berries, so Mountain Bluebirds and American Robins were not > especially plentiful, but there were a moderate number of Tonsend's > Solitaires. I enjoyed finding 2 Mallards in a large open pool along the > stream; knowing how limited open water is out in that area, I imagined that > maybe they were the only two ducks for many miles around. > > The most striking and memorable thing at Cottonwood Canyon was the > silence. But for the occasional breeze, the mewing calls of Spotted > Towhees, the carrying croaks of ravens, and the shallow new snow under my > boots, it was... silent. I didn't see another person until after 11:30 am., > although I was on county roads all along. It was
[cobirds] Also 1-2 Snow Geese on Canon City Valco Ponds
Forgot to mention there have have 1-2 Snow Geese associating with the Canada Geese on Canon City Valco Ponds. Snow Geese are uncommon here. SeEtta Moss Canon City -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com 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 cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAAUvckqG1yQkEg3NRHqFbkOCAXMaR1h7uCK6Pnb7qrRyraaa6g%40mail.gmail.com.
[cobirds] Early Sandhill Crane at Canon City Valco Ponds
A single Sandhill Crane has loafed with the hundreds of Canada Geese at the Canon City Valco Ponds on MacKenzie Ave yesterday and today. This is early for a crane stopping over on its migration north. SeEtta Moss Canon City -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com 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 cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAAUvckqCHM0skPgUDLfD9o%3DkWf-6zVY9wcx4G%3D12qB%2Bsd8HosQ%40mail.gmail.com.
[cobirds] Foothills Audubon invitation - Sage Grouse Conservation - Tuesday, February 1
US Bureau of Land Management is revising their habitat management plan for Greater Sage Grouse. Again! This time, BLM is taking comments from the public until February 6. If you'd like to make comment to BLM - or like to learn more about the iconic Greater Sage Grouse - then Tuesday is your chance to learn the history and latest developments from Daly Edmunds, Director of Policy and Outreach for Audubon Rockies. Greater Sage-grouse are found across 11 western states in North America’s largest but often overlooked ecosystem. This inconspicuous lekking species was once so prevalent that they fed many pioneers during their grueling westward journeys. Today, with a majority of the birds found on public lands, they’ve become a political football. In this presentation, Daly will discuss the political intrigue that has plagued its management, review the threats to its habitat, and share the latest science (spoiler alert: they aren’t doing well!). Here is the link to join in. Program will start promptly at 7 pm. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81203130169?pwd=dXR5UGp4TWZyRTZhWXZCZ0hEMFRmUT09 Passcode: 674596 -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com 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 cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CY4PR14MB1192D8C19302759D810E41149E249%40CY4PR14MB1192.namprd14.prod.outlook.com.
[cobirds] A report from Cottonwood Canyon (Baca and Las Animas) Jan 28
Hi CoBirders, Friday January 28 I made the long journey from home to spend the morning at Cottonwood Canyon along the border of Baca and Las Animas Counties. This iconic Colorado birding spot is pretty far out there and far off paved roads. It took me about 5 hours to get there from home, arriving at the canyon just before 8 am. Yes, a five hour drive. It's good to travel it in the dark, though, or you'd never get there for all the birding on the way. The area is mostly visited in the spring and summer, when birds are more diverse and some fun migrants and nesting species live there. There are three eBird hotspots for the Cottonwood Canyon area, and these offer a perspective on sparse winter birding coverage. Collectively these three hotspots had only 10 prior complete checklists ever submitted from the area for January, and none of the three hotspots had any complete lists reported since last September. The CFO County Birding page has an account for Cottonwood Canyon on its Baca County page. The description begins encouragingly, "*This remote and beautiful canyon is one of the most unique in the state. It is home to plants, butterflies, and even birds that regularly occur nowhere else in Colorado*." Directions and some more info are here: https://coloradocountybirding.org/County/BySite.aspx?SiteID=36=5 I had been to Cottonwood Canyon once before, in early October. Although January is "off-season" I wanted to go see what was there and to be in that lovely country. In winter, with the cold temps and late sunrise, it is not worth getting there too early. When I arrived about an hour after sunrise, much of the canyon was still in morning shadow. Cottonwood Canyon is similar to the other canyons of southeastern Colorado. It is relatively shallow, with rimrock above canyon slopes with varied and often sparse juniper cover, and a riparian corridor. Las Animas County Road 24.4 drops you quickly into the upper canyon area, where the surrounding slopes come down near to the drainage. Here the canyon has a unique character with large full-on tree-size Gamble oaks, fat cottonwoods and junipers growing densely in the canyon bottom, with oak scrub and junipers fairly dense along the side slopes. The oaks add a different character. The stream flows all year, and had many open water areas on my visit. A Baca County road follows the canyon downstream to south-southeast, as it broadens out and the riparian corridor is isolated amid grassland, and the side slopes become more sparsely vegetated with juniper and less scrub oak. I sampled the canyon's birds along about five miles over three and a half hours. I noted 35 species, which I've listed below with my counts from the checklists I made. The biriest areas were along the canyon slopes where there was scrub oak, and locally in some weedy patches along the road. The large trees had relatively little now, except for woodpeckers. Rare birds were a Black-throated Sparrow with a large White-crowned flock in Baca County, and a Green-tailed Towhee in Las Animas County. I had the three towhees together there, and towhees were one of the delights of my canyon tour. Spotted Towhees were ridiculously common, with small parties everywhere there were scrub oaks. I tallied 102 Spotteds! Sometimes there were flocks of 8-12 birds. I'd pish and they just kept coming up. No doubt a thorough count of all the Spotteds in the whole canyon find several 100s. Species characteristic of the southeastern canyons were represented with 2 Greater Roadrunners, 16 Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, 2 Juniper Titmouse, 2 Canyon Wrens, 24 Canyon Towhees, and 5 Rufous-crowned Sparrows. A total of 26 woodpeckers was a satisfying result. The local junipers did not have many berries, so Mountain Bluebirds and American Robins were not especially plentiful, but there were a moderate number of Tonsend's Solitaires. I enjoyed finding 2 Mallards in a large open pool along the stream; knowing how limited open water is out in that area, I imagined that maybe they were the only two ducks for many miles around. The most striking and memorable thing at Cottonwood Canyon was the silence. But for the occasional breeze, the mewing calls of Spotted Towhees, the carrying croaks of ravens, and the shallow new snow under my boots, it was... silent. I didn't see another person until after 11:30 am., although I was on county roads all along. It was a bit of paradise. David Suddjian Ken Caryl Valley Littleton, CO Mallard, 2 Wild Turkey, 41 Greater Roadrunner, 2 Golden Eagle, 2 Red-tailed Hawk, 1 Great Horned Owl, 1 Downy Woodpecker, 1 Ladder-backed Woodpecker, 16 Hairy Woodpecker, 6 Northern Flicker, 3 Woodhouse-s Scrub-Jay, 7 American Crow, 9 Common Raven, 38 Juniper Titmouse, 3 White-breasted Nuthatch, 2 Rock Wren, 2 Canyon Wren, 2 Bewick's Wren, 2 Curve-billed Thrasher, 1 Sage Thrasher, 3 Mountain Bluebird, 17 Townsend's Solitaire, 21 American Robin, 19 House Finch, 14 American Goldfinch, 2 Black-throated Sparrow,1 American
