[cobirds] Weld County wanderings on 9/27

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

The wetlands north of CR74 at Woods Lake had two Great Egrets, a Snowy Egret, 
and two Greater Yellowlegs.

Eaton Cemetery had a good assortment of birds feasting on emerging hackberry 
psyllids including:
2 latish Townsend's Warblers
3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
Several Yellow-rumped Warblers
3 Wilson's Warblers
1 Brewer's Sparrow
Several Chipping Sparrows
Several Dark-eyed Juncos
1 Orange-crowned Warbler
1 White-crowned Sparrow
1 latish Hammond's Flycatcher
[Birds that should have been present but were NOT include: Brown Creeper, 
Red-breasted Nuthatch, Townsend's Solitaire and Nashville Warbler]

Also, at Eaton Cem, lots of Common Grackles, a few flyover Barn Swallows, and a 
flyover American Pipit.

I found a roadkilled Common Poorwill on CR49 just north of the old place name 
Purcell (jct Rd90/Rd49)

Still plenty of Sage Thrashers, Rock Wrens, Vesper Sparrows, Chestnut-collared 
Longspurs, Brewer's Sparrows on county roads between Purcell and Norma's Grove 
(e of jct 57/100).

Norma's Grovee (east of jct 57/100) was pretty quiet but had 3 Hermit Thrushes, 
several juncos (all pink-sided), a Wilson's Warbler, 2 Orange-crowned Warblers, 
a House Wren, several White-crowned Sparrows (all Gambel's), a Clay-colored 
Sparrow, and I heard the tapping of, but could never see, what I suspect was a 
sapsucker (very likely Red-naped).

Crom Lake is still pretty high.  A few Redheads, Ring-necked Ducks, Ruddy 
Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Mallards, and a Ferruginous Hawk overhead.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Hackberry Psyllid Emergence Underway

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Just a heads-up that yesterday at Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins I noticed 
the beginning of adult psyllid emergence from galls on the leaves of hackberry. 
 There are two types, blistergall psyllids and nipplegall psyllids.  The ones I 
saw flying about (look like tiny gnats when backlit) yesterday were the 
blistergall psyllid.  Emergence of the slightly bigger nipplegall psyllids 
usually follows in a matter of days.  At most of the places I've looked all up 
and down the Front Range and eastern plains this summer, the crop of psyllid 
galls on hackberry leaves is very heavy.  Fox Squirrels, House Finches, 
chickadees (both Mountain and Black-capped), and even Downy Woodpeckers have 
been feasting on the nymphs within galls for the last few weeks.  The ground 
under many hackberry trees is littered with leaves that show the caps on the 
nipplegalls bitten off or with beak holes in the purple, flat blistergalls.

We have not had a lot of eastern migrant warblers or vireos yet this fall, but 
if weather systems ever shove any our way, maybe hackberry would be a good tree 
to check out for the next couple weeks.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Closure of Crow Valley Campground by the USFS?

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Rumors abound about the possible permanent closure following this season of 
Crow Valley Campground on the Pawnee National Grasslands near Briggsdale.  Any 
one with concrete knowledge about this subject is encouraged to comment 
(preferably on this forum, not Facebook) regarding the rumor.  If the rumor is 
true, is the property being retained by the USDA and simply closed to camping 
but open to other public access, transferred to another governmental agency or 
private entity, or what?  Is it too late to comment on the changes, whatever 
they might be?  Who do we write to if access for the purpose of birding is to 
be ended?

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Crow Valley (Weld) on 9Sept2015

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I got to the campground around 11am and stayed until 2:30pm.  90 degrees and 
felt hotter.  Probably some things present early had flown on by the time I 
arrived.  Water in Crow Creek pretty much dried up along the south side, with 
stagnant stretches and pools recently pounded by cows along the west and 
northwest corner.  Things were birdy with the following highlights:

Townsend's Warbler (at least 5) - mostly in Siberian Elms presumably taking 
advantage of adult Elm Leaf Beetles
Plumbeous Vireo (4) - also mostly in elms, the items I could figure out were 
Rough Stinkbugs.  One had extensive white in the outer tail feathers, making it 
strongly resemble a White-winged Junco when viewed from behind in flight.

Cassin's Vireo (only 1)
EASTERN PHOEBE (1) - in southwest corner over pool of water left in the creek

EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE (1) - responded to eastern imitation, pale, extensive yellow 
in lower mandible, bright white throat and wingbars, in the tree crowns along 
the west side apart from other pewees.  I think Steve M. or somebody reported 
this bird previously.

Cassin's Kingbird (at least 2) - northwest corner over the cattle pond by the 
big Russian-olive (flycatching repeatedly over the pond for something honey bee 
sized but I could never confirm the prey)

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1) - my FOS at low elevation on the plains
Dark-eyed Junco (1 pink-sided) - my FOS at low elevation 
Townsend's Solitaire (3, including one in spotted juvenile plumage) - FOS at 
low elevation
Western Tanager (2) - in Russian-olives
Green-tailed Towhee (2)
Hammond's Flycatcher (at least 1, maybe 2) - FOS at low elevation
Hermit Thrush (5) - in Russian-olives
Swainson's Thrush (3) - one was eating Russian-olives
Wilson's Warbler (many)
MacGillivray's Warbler (1m, 2f)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (2) - only the third and fourth I've seen on plains this 
fall so far
no sapsuckers
no eastern warblers
very few empids

Total of 41 species (including the town of Briggsdale)

*Still a fair number of common shorebirds on A  #1 on Weld CR124 about 2 
miles w of CR77 (the main mission today was to get leeches (observed being 
eaten the other day by yellowlegs) but nobody was home to ask for permission to 
sample -drat).

*Crom Lake on Weld CR31 w of 90 is full to the brim and only had Canada Geese

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Grandview Cemetery, FtCollins (Larimer) on 9/8

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

While today's visit to Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins at the west terminus 
of Mountain Avenue was very slow and produced one of the lowest species counts 
ever (13), it did include three noteworthy events:

A flock of an estimated 25 Bushtits marauding through the area, checking out 
everything from honeysuckle to American elm to bur oak to lilac to Colorado 
blue spruce.  Now you see and hear them, now you don't.

A pair of Barn Swallows feeding 4 nestlings under the Laporte Street pedestrian 
bridge over the ditch midway along the north edge of the cemetery.  Colorado's 
Breeding Bird Atlas I book lists the range of "nest with young" as 
12May-12Sept.  I think these young will still be in the nest past this coming 
Saturday (12Sept) but we shall see.  In any event they are at the extreme end 
of things for this species.

The pair of Great Horned Owls are showing signs of interest in each other 
again.  Per custom, one bird (the male?) takes up a daytime roost in the 
champion honeylocust in the middle of Section 8 every late summer.  Also per 
custom most years, it is joined by another owl, presumably the female.  Today 
was the first day I've seen two owls in the monster honeylocust.  They start 
out the way they were today, perching several feet away, and by mid-fall are 
usually sitting virtually shoulder-to-shoulder.  If it proceeds as in the past, 
as the weather cools they roost in various spruces that are progressively 
closer to the American Elm in Section H that has been their home for almost two 
decades.  Since last spring's nest failed, apparently due to flooding of the 
nest crotch when it contained hatched young, it will be interesting to see if 
they are still so enamored of their old home.  Site fidelity is strong among 
GHOs when a particular location has been successful, but, likewise, failure is 
also a strong influence.

Also, I should mention on 9/5 at Grandview Cemetery I heard that odd warbler or 
Brewer's/Clay-colored Sparrowlike call given only by recently-fledged 
Broad-tailed Hummingbirds for a few days after they leave the nest.  An adult 
female was in attendance, visiting this calling youngster at fairly frequent 
intervals.  I believe this is quite suggestive of not only late nesting but 
also supports the notion certain individual females are, indeed, 
double-brooded.  First evidence of nesting this year at Grandview Cemetery was 
recorded on 30April when a female was observed building a nest.  That's 
4mo9days ago (131 days).  A nesting cycle for BtHummingbirds is 37-45 days.  
The BNA account for Broad-tailed Hummingbird says double-brooding, while known 
for some hummingbirds, is unproven for Broad-tails.  For the early-arriving 
females, it appears there is certainly enough time for double-brooding.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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RE: [cobirds] Re: Sparrow ID El Paso county (pictures)

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Nice photos, Bill, of a nice bird.  Just to make it clear and save the sterling 
Denver Audubon Master Birder Class of 2015 going to the trouble of a mass 
response, Lark Buntings ARE, indeed, sparrows.  At least I think so, unless the 
AOU just last night lumped them with Thick-billed Murre.  Colorado is the only 
state to honor a sparrow with the status of "Official State Bird".  My guess 
would be this is not because our legislature is particularly ornithologically 
enlightened but rather enamored of the printing cost-savings that might accrue 
from having a black and white mascot. 

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins



Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2015 08:56:33 -0600
Subject: Re: [cobirds] Re: Sparrow ID El Paso county (pictures)
From: jroll...@gmail.com
To: bill_ko...@msn.com
CC: cobirds@googlegroups.com

This sparrow "look-alike" looks like a Lark Bunting.The big white wing patch is 
a strong clue, and the bill is larger than most other sparrows.Sibley has a 
cool list of birds that look like sparrows,but are not. (page 492 of the first 
edition).
I have recently mis-identified 9 of the last 7 bird photos I looked at, so 
let's wait for another opinion.
Joe Roller, Denver
On Tue, Sep 8, 2015 at 8:02 AM, kickback  wrote:
Thanks to all for the comments explaining that this bird is a female lark 
bunting!
Bill

On Monday, September 7, 2015 at 11:53:37 PM UTC-6, kickback wrote:I think this 
is a Savannah sparrow but I am not very sure. Seen near Drennan road by the 
airport
http://www.avoapples.com/birds/_MG_7041_cr.jpg
http://www.avoapples.com/birds/_MG_7053_cr.jpg

Please send me your comments.
Thanks
Bill
El Paso county, Colorado Springs
bill_ko...@msn.com




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[cobirds] Adams & Bunker #1 (Weld) on 9/6

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Yesterday Nina Routh, Mike Serruto and I stopped at the reservoir 2 miles west 
of Weld CR77 on CR124 (Adams and Bunker #1 or "Archie Bunker Res" as I think it 
should be called, due to the less than happy/friendly folks who live in the 
house near the portion that extends on the north side of the road).

We had a nice set of shorebirds on this fast-drying-up body of water, 
especially north of CR124 (Porter Creek which extends into Little Crow Creek?). 
 Among them were many Stilt Sandpipers of mixed age and a juvenile, very spiffy 
Red-necked Phalarope, zillions of yellowlegs (apparently getting some 
good-sized leeches (look like dorso-ventrally flattened worms) from the mud in 
shallow water), a dowitcher we called Long-billed, and various other expected 
species like Least, Solitary, Baird's, and Semipalmated Sandpipers and Wilson's 
Snipe.  We also had an early, fly-by "taiga" Merlin.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Addition to the Lamar visit summary

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

In my recent summary of the 23August-3September visit to Lamar, I forgot to 
mention a few things.

Lamar is in Prowers County, Tempel's Grove is in Bent, and the Great Plains 
Reservoirs are in Kiowa.

Janeal and I saw and photographed an amazing hungry bird episode at Riverside 
Cemetery in Lamar: a Great-crested Flycatcher catching and eating a green 
mantis, probably a European Mantis (Mantis religiosa).

Also, we saw and photographed a Great-crested Flycatcher catching and eating a 
fairly large "tarantula hawk" wasp (genus Pepsis) along the Fort Lyon Ditch 
southeast of Tempel's Grove.

I have been advised by Steve Mlodinow (and indirectly by Marshall Iliff) that 
an ibis we thought might be Glossy at Upper Queens is probably best left as 
Plegadis sp.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Lamar visit (23Aug-3Sept) summary

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

This is not so much intel for fast-twitchers with a full gas tank as a progress 
report on this autumn's migration in the Lamar area.  As others have stated 
overtly or implied, things seem slow getting started.  Of course, autumn 
migration in Lamar is always behind migration in northern CO.  In going down 
there frequently over the last 20 years, I have always figured things are a 
week to 10 days delayed or advanced, depending which migration season we're 
talking about.  I still think there are three seasons, although I could almost 
concur with a certain renegade among us who talks about four.  I love late 
August-early September in southeastern CO, if only for its elements of 
difficulty (juveniles everywhere you look, changing status (some species 
leaving, some arriving), the sense of excitement one senses in the 
staging/beginning-to-move birds (reminds me of my Dad, Grandfather L, and Uncle 
Hill pulling out impossible to refold maps and discussing long auto vacation 
routes), odd vocalizations (individuals from out of town, young birds with 
imperfect skills and anatomy), and, yes, even the 
heat/chiggers/mosquitoes/dust.  Birding "down there" in late summer, in short, 
is messy and not the kind of stuff you could, or would want to, put in a 
guidebook or brochure.  Even in a weather pattern "stuck" on high pressure, as 
the period of this visit was, the daily change is evident, especially when you 
bird the same places day after day.  To me those changes are as exciting as 
those between two locations 100 miles apart, and you will never hear me 
apologizing for staying in one stop for 2 hours.  Come on, it takes me 15 
minutes to get out of the car.

Random comments about the recent visit, which concentrated on (1) what I call 
the Lamar "CBC" circle centered on the north end of downtown (the historic 
movie theater) and (2) Tempel's Grove in Bent County on CR35 north of SS where 
the road crosses Fort Lyon Canal, and (3) a few forays up to the "back again" 
Great Plains Reservoirs with their zillions of confusing official and local 
names/accesses/rules/changing daily water levels.  

.The most conspicuous groups of neotropical migrants were big flycatchers 
(Olive-sided, Western Wood-Pewee, Great-crested, kingbirds, one Ash-throated) 
and vireos (Red-eyed, Warbling, one Cassin's.
.Hard to know how many Great Crested Flycatchers I saw during the week+, but at 
least 7-8, all totally silent (seemed like every in-town or rural riparian site 
with 10+ big trees had one).
.Flycatchers and vireos eat a lot of wasps and berries (esp. those of Virginia 
Creeper) during migration.
.Early Swainson's Thrush in Lamar private yard eating Virginia Creeper berries.
.Two Marbled Godwits at private gravel operation in Lamar.
.Warblers present were locals like Yellow, chat (really local or from the 
places north/west?), and C. Yellowthroat, plus a few early movers from the 
mountains (Wilson's mostly, Orange-crowns and Yellow-rumps right at the 
beginning of their big push)
.Orioles still lingering but not a lot of orange among them, mostly yellows, 
greens, and whites.
.Spizella sparrows on the move, mostly Chipping, but a few Brewers and 
Clay-colors arriving.
.Upland Sandpipers obviously flowing down across the eastern plains (never 
heard at night, but small groups flushed from roads and field margins on three 
occasions)
.Birds that can take advantage of dragonflies and damselflies in their diet are 
doing well this year.  The Great Plains Reservoirs, including Nee Noshe, Upper 
and Lower Queens, and the complex called "Sweetwater", are all full of water 
and cranking out the common odonates (Variegated Meadowhawks, Blue-eyed 
Darners, and bluet damselflies in abundance).  At Thurston Reservoir Janeal got 
a great photo of a juvenile Eared Grebe, free-swimming but with parent nearby, 
with a bluet in its beak.
.Despite all the water in impoundments, playas and ditches, not a lot of 
shoreline for shorebirds and waders.  Kochia, pigweed, etc., some approaching 
sapling size, crowd the water edges.  King Res is an exception but that place, 
except as a reststop for cranes, seems to be a biological desert.
.Swainson's Hawks grouping up.  Given the grasshopper populations and on-going 
haying operations, huge kettles are probably in the offing.
.Some female/young Dickcissels took me to school.  Combine general 
yellowishness with early morning light and you get, "What the heck is that?"  
Not well illustrated in the guides.
.Speaking of "not well covered in books", neither are juvenile sparrows.  How 
would you separate a juvenile Cassin's from Grasshopper?  What do juvenile 
Savannah, Vesper, and Lark look like?  If a Rufous-winged showed up, especially 
a young one, would we know it?  Was that skulky "reddish" sparrow that hopped 
up for 2 seconds out of the stringer of kochia, never to be seen again, a Song, 
Swamp, or Henslow's?
.Not a lot of hummingbirds so far this summer/early "autumn" on the far 

[cobirds] further clerification

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

The heat of Lamar must have messed me up, despite wearing the goofy hat the 
doctor prescribes and sunscreen.

Frankie Valli forgive me.  Of course, I know here in the Northern Hemisphere 
the norm is four seasons.  Frankie, it's Ted who said there's an extra one, the 
fifth (as in, now, post-breeding, prior to full-on migration).  And when I'm 
out in the sun of the southeastern plains watching oddly-feathered birds fly 
odd directions, do and utter odd things, OMG I'm gonna say it, I tend to agree 
with him.  

Dave
  

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[cobirds] Riverside Cemetery, etc., Lamar (Prowers) on 8/24

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

It was hot and quiet today migrantwise in Lamar but at the two Lamar 
cemeteries, we did have the following:

Riverside Cemetery (Maple Street, north end of town east of Main):
*Great Crested Flycatcher (photographed with a green praying mantis in its 
beak!)
Least Flycatcher (1)
Yellow Warbler (1)
Red-headed Woodpecker (2 imm)

Fairmount Cemetery (southeast part of town):
Olive-sided Flycatcher (1)
Western Wood-Pewee (at least 4)
Yellow Warbler (1)

The many Mississippi Kites over town appear mostly to be scoring darner 
dragonflies, both high and low.

On the rural roads, still plenty of Lark Buntings, Loggerhead Shrikes, Brewer's 
Sparrows, and have seen a few families of Orchard Orioles.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins (here in Lamar for the next week or so)
  

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[cobirds] Baird's Sparrow, Larimer CR5, 11Aug2015

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Miracles never cease.  After 40+ years, and five tries up to CR5 in the last 8 
days, I saw Baird's Sparrows in Colorado this morning (8/11) on Larimer CR5.  
Following the recipe provided by Nick, David, and Georgia from their most 
recent sightings yesterday, I arrived at the spot 1.7 miles north of Buckeye 
Road (CR82) at 6:20am.  Checking every single thing with feathers on the road 
and fencelines, at 6:25am two Baird's Sparrows were in the road with Lark 
Buntings, Grasshopper Sparrows and Vesper Sparrows picking things (couldn't 
tell if insect or plant) and chasing each other.  They flew to the fence west 
of the road briefly where I got a few photos.  A Colorado Parks and Wildlife 
truck on its way to the prairie-dog town further north along CR5 stirred things 
up and the two birds were not seen again.  At 1.8 miles north of CR82 at 
6:30-6:35 I got photos of what I think was a third bird on the fence west of 
the road.  

As everybody who has been there has noticed and remarked, the situation is 
difficult because everything has stripes, most have white outer tail feathers, 
most have some fashion of a central crown stripe, few birds are singing (or can 
be heard because of one thing or another: idling coal trains, moving coal 
trains, wind, that concert in 1968, and even vehicle noise on I-25 to the 
east).  Today one of the photographed Baird's Sparrows has a distinctly forked 
tail (very Savannah Sparrowish).  Baird's is supposed to have the squarest tail 
of the Ammodramus group, and yet the head and back of this fork-tailed 
individual are matches for Baird's.  Throw in the fact some Savannah Sparrows 
have white outer tail feathers, lots of yellow tones on the head, quite similar 
markings, it becomes pretty easy to forget about your gut and over-think the 
situation.  Most of the time when I overthink, rare species morph into the most 
likely species.  I suspect with some birders under the influence of desire (can 
DPW issue a citation for BUI?), it is the other way around.  Both are wrong.  

Thanks again to Nick and associates for getting onto, and persisting, with this 
situation.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Larimer CR5 east of Rawhide Power Plant of late

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

For what it's worth, I have been up at Larimer CR5 between Roads 82 and 92 at 
the Baird's Sparrows stretch from 6:15 to 10am both yesterday and today.  Among 
yesterday's group of 6, and today's of 5, none of us saw or heard Baird's 
Sparrows, except maybe one person whose name I didn't catch.   There was a 
proclamation on COBIRDS by Randy Siebert about the birds still being there.  
Maybe he is the person I didn't know, and maybe the Baird's Sparrows are truly 
still present.  Not sure how communications occur, or don't occur, in such 
situations when people are all spread out.  One thing I do know is that most of 
us up there the last few days have considerable experience surveying prairie 
birds, including in the wind, and that we still have the better part of the 
hearing faculties we were given.  I also know there's a reason why many 
experienced birders in CO need Baird's for their list and/or state lists - they 
are cryptic, don't occur here all that often, and their song isn't the most 
distinctive or far-reaching in the Class Aves.

Kudos to Nick and others for finding, documenting, and effectively 
communicating about these great birds.  Kudos to the prairie once again for 
demonstrating its remarkable ability to respond to rain, if and when it gets 
it.  I think I have tallied about 25 species or so during my three trips up 
there of late, including Blue Grosbeaks, Common Raven, multiple Burrowing Owls, 
both Cc and McCown's Longspurs, nesting Loggerhead Shrikes (if one wonders why 
they are called Loggerhead, take a good look at a blockheaded fledgling 
LOSH), zillions of Grasshopper Sparrows of all ages, Brewer's Sparrows, all 
shades and ages of Lark Buntings, ratty-looking Vesper Sparrows, Sage Thrashers 
of all ages, young and old Swainson's Hawks, nighthawks in the sky and on 
posts, Say's Phoebes, both common kingbirds, dispersing Chipping Sparrows, and, 
of course, boatloads of Horned Larks and Western Meadowlarks of all ages.  And 
I heard others encountered an Upland Sandpiper.  

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Dipper nesting site knowledge wanted

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Hello All,
Distinguished wildlife photographer Michael Forsberg and his technical genius 
Jeff Dale are in the middle of shooting a documentary on the North Platte River 
Basin.  The products of their efforts will likely air on PBS, appear in 
classrooms, and possibly illustrate a book.  One of the creatures they have 
targeting for never-before-seen footage is the American Dipper.  Go-Pro camera 
technology opens many possibilities.

But Mike and Jeff need our help.  They need knowledge of accessible dipper 
nesting and feeding sites, preferably in Larimer, Boulder, or Clear Creek 
Counties.  They are basing much of their work at The Nature Conservancy's 
Phantom Canyon Preserve and are looking for second nestings this summer and 
first nestings next spring/early summer.  High water levels hampered their 
efforts this summer.  I met with them about a month ago and promised that I 
would solicit information from COBIRDS subscribers.

If you have knowledge of a nest, or even a historical nest site, they would 
very much appreciate hearing from you.  I would be glad to relay any 
information you have or put you in touch with them directly.

Thank you for considering this request.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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RE: [cobirds] Why did the pine grosbeak eat in the road? Larimer County

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Candice et al,
I believe they are getting soil high in minerals missing from their seed-heavy 
diets, perhaps including road-treatment salt (in the form of calcium chloride, 
sodium chloride, and/or magnesium chloride) that accumulates in dried puddle 
areas along roadways.  Mag chloride is also applied to dirt roads in summer as 
a dust suppressant and may well be the source of attraction in the case you 
mention.  All high elevation finches (crossbills, Cassin's Finch, siskins, Pine 
Grosbeaks, etc.) can commonly be seen going to road surfaces (paved or dirt) to 
acquire salts and grit (for grinding seeds in their gizzard).

Dave Leatherman

From: candice.john...@childrenscolorado.org
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com
Subject: [cobirds] Why did the pine grosbeak eat in the road? Larimer County
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2015 22:03:19 +







Yesterday we drove up Fall River Rd. in RMNP, and near the top where the road 
levels out we saw 2 male and 1 female pine grosbeak eating something in the 
dirt roadbed. (We also saw
 a male  female at Lake Irene, in a tree). Then returning to our cabin in  
Allenspark at 8700 ft. elevation we saw 2 females who were also eating in the 
middle of a dirt road. This location is where we have seen a bird in the road 
in July of the last 2 years,
 so possibly breeding nearby. Can anyone suggest what they find to eat? We 
considered crushed pinecones, but there are none on the tundra.
 
Candice Johnson, Denver, CO




















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[cobirds] Larimer CR5 and western PNG (Weld) on 7/29

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

After getting back from a 9-day new Confederate flag survey of Tennessee and 
North Carolina (actually my friend Boris and I were hunting aquatic insects), I 
was finally able to try for the Larimer CR5 Baird's Sparrows yesterday.  I got 
there at 7:30 and was told by a couple folks who had gotten there earlier that 
they heard a Baird's singing briefly far off to the west of the road at around 
6am.  Several of us who got there too late did NOT detect the birds at all 
between 7 and 11am, nor during a later check around 4pm.

We did see on CR5 between 82 and 92: many, many Grasshopper Sparrows of all 
ages, Blue Grosbeaks, Loggerhead Shrikes, Burrowing Owls, Swainson's Hawks, a 
few wandering Chipping Sparrows of all ages, Brewer's Sparrows, a few McCown's 
Longspurs of all ages, Sage Thrashers, Vesper Sparrows, one Northern Harrier, 
and then gobs of Horned Larks of all ages, Western Meadowlarks of all ages, of 
Lark Buntings of all ages.  The Grasshopper Sparrow adults often had their 
beaks loaded with nestling fare, usually grasshoppers with all the legs removed 
(look like green cigars).

I met up with Norm Lewis and Nina Routh and we went out east to the Western 
Unit of the Pawnee Grasslands in search of longspurs.  We saw many, many 
McCown's Longspurs and along Weld CR49 north of 114 found a nest of 
Chestnut-collared Longspurs.  During our very brief peek into the nest, we 
think we saw two young (3-5 young is typical).  I was thinking this was 
probably a second brood but in checking the BNA account, they are known to 
attempt as many as 4 (!) broods in Alberta (with 3-4 attempts usually being 
associated with earlier failures), so not sure which number we were seeing.  I 
still bet second but who knows?  As everybody is probably aware, longspur 
observation can be great at playas with water or any low spot with water from 
overnight storms.  They seem to come in steadily and patience is usually 
rewarded with fairly close looks.  Juveniles are tough and such spots give 
great opportunities to study bills and other ID characters not all that well 
covered in most field guides.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins


  

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[cobirds] CcLongspur and Upland Sandpiper, PawneeNG (Weld) 7/7/15

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Today the 7th of July on Weld CR49 about half way between CR122 and CR114, I 
had a few pairs of territorial Chestnut-collared Longspurs and an Upland 
Sandpiper.  Both species were in a pasture on the east side of CR49.  I also 
had at least one more pair of territorial Chestnut-collared Longspurs on the 
east side of CR49 about 0.8 miles south of CR114.  I also heard a 
Chestnut-collared Longspur on the south side of CR122 about 2 miles w of CR49.  
As Amber Carver reported yesterday, a very few Chestnut-collared Longspurs were 
in the middle of the road (CR114 just e of CR45).  A Sage Thrasher was also in 
this area.

Of late I have seen at least 3 families of Sage Thrashers along CR37 between 
CR128 and CR114.

CR49 between 122 and 114 also had a number of McCown's Longspurs, a Ferruginous 
Hawk, Grasshopper and Brewer's Sparrows.

I am of the impression this is the beginning of the CcLongspurs' second 
breeding cycle, assuming they were able to pull off a first one in all the 
moisture.  The prairie is as lush as it has been in over a decade.  Great to 
see blue grama grass over a foot tall!

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Grandview Cemetery (FC, Larimer) happenings on 7/5

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

The major happening these days at Grandview Cemetery is the nesting of 
Broad-tailed Hummingbirds.  As I have proposed before, I think Grandview 
constitutes what the literature refers to as this species of hummer nesting in 
colonies.  Two nests are completely done, with one producing the customary 
two young, the other just one.  Today I heard the baby that lost its sibling 
giving the distinctive warblerlike note they give for about a week after 
leaving the nest.  I think this note, which to my knowledge has never been 
recorded, functions as a locator beacon for the female that still has the task 
of providing some supplemental food.  Today I witnessed the female find the 
youngster via its warbler note, at which time the youngster flew off its 
perch and received a face-to-face feeding while both hovered in mid-air (sort 
of like aircraft refueling while still aloft).

There are three active Broad-tailed Hummer nests active at present, all along 
the south side of the cemetery.  Two of the females have eggs (one in CO Blue 
Spruce, one in Austrian Pine) and one (also in CO Blue Spruce) has two nearly 
grown young.

Northern Flickers are using two nest boxes put up by the cemetery as part of 
its Audubon Sanctuary plan.  One of the boxes has three ready-to-rock-and-roll 
young.  It must be chaotic in that box.  This morning the dominant nestling 
(let's call it Domino) peered out of the hole while standing atop its 
siblings.  Every time one of the others tried to share a glimpsing the real 
world, Domino would peck it back into its role as a step ladder.  Guess who got 
fed every time the parent came in with food?  I am sure the others will rejoice 
at Domino's departure. 

I found my first-ever Lesser Goldfinch nest high on the north side of a Bur Oak 
crown.  The nest seemed to be made of grass, very fine twigs, and 
cottonwood/willow fluff.

And, for the first time I know of, Cedar Waxwings are nesting at Grandview in 
the southeast corner.  Their nest is in the same spruce as once held the 
4-consecutive-years-of-use Broad-tailed Hummingbird nest.  The waxwing nest, 
built as both parents flew back and forth together with gathered material, is 
about 40 feet up on the outside of the northfacing crown about 2 feet in from 
the branch tip.  North of the nest is a big open area of Section 9 where the 
birds could do aerial foraging and along the north edge of the open area is a 
big berry-laden juniper tree.  The water-filled ditch is a short ways off to 
the east.

The Cooley Spruce Galls* are opening at this time.  The winged adelgids they 
produce are eaten by many birds including hummingbirds, kinglets, chickadees, 
and nuthatches.

An American Robin delivered a large caterpillar to its fledgling that appeared 
to be that of the Interrupted Dagger Moth (Acronicta interrupta)*.  I observed 
this same combination a few summers ago.  At Grandview the most likely host 
tree for this caterpillar is American Elm.

A White-breasted Nuthatch was exploring the curled leaves of American Elm, most 
likely getting Woolly Elm Aphids (Eriosoma americanum)*.

Birds that have nested at Grandview in recent years but that are NOT doing so 
in 2015 are:  Western Wood-Pewee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Great Horned Owl 
(apparent failure due to filling up with water of the nesting cavity by a 
2.5-inch rain event), crossbills, and Chipping Sparrow.  I think a very few 
Pine Siskins nested in late spring but apparently they are not ttempting a 
second brood.  I would interpret the dearth of mountain species as indicating 
good conditions in their more traditional nesting areas in the foothills and 
lower mountains.

*If anyone is interested in reading more about the insects mentioned, I would 
recommend the 322-page, profusely illustrated, Extension Bulletin 506A titled 
Insects and Diseases of Woody Plants in Colorado, primary author Dr. Whitney 
Cranshaw, available for the very reasonable price of about $50 from the CSU 
Resource Center (www.csuextstore.com/store/pc/home.asp) or any local CSU 
Cooperative Extension Office. 

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins



  

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[cobirds] Painted Bunting at Picture Canyon (Baca)

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Highlights of a trip today, 29June, to Picture Canyon (9 miles south of Baca M 
Rd on 18Rd) were:

PAINTED BUNTING (probably the same one reported earlier this spring by Kaempfer 
et al, at least one male calling at several locations both south and north of 
the main Picnic Area).  I did not hear any Painted Buntings for the first two 
hours of my visit while insect collecting, but then heard one singing for at 
least 15 minutes during each of several subsequent hours).  It is quite 
possible more than one male was involved.  I did not see any females.

Greater Roadrunner (1 along the east rimrock)
Curve-billed Thrasher (pair in cholla at the north end of the area, east of the 
Forest Service road that goes from the county road to the Picnic Area)
Ash-throated Flycatcher (few pairs)
Canyon Towhee (few)
Rock Wren (several)
Canyon Wren (few)
Orchard Oriole (pair at the south end near the old homestead)

Awesome insects including lots of Soapberry Hairstreaks on the catkins of the 
one coyote willow blooming 2 months late, at least three species of cicadas, 
giant wheel bugs, a gaudy clerid beetle I've never seen in CO before, 
grasshoppers of all flavors (including Green Fool and Painted), a mydas fly 
that got away, robber flies of a few types, Hackberry Butterflies (including 
one on what I think was bear scat), etc., etc.  

As an aside, keying in on a comment from the Prathers about seeing a Black 
Witch moth at recently opened Crow Valley Campground, I have seen two of these 
in Lamar since two days ago and have heard of 5 others!  We get invasions every 
summer from the South out on the Plains, but this seems like a particularly 
robust incursion.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Recent Miscellany (Weld and Larimer)

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I think I posted about the Loggerhead Shrike larder on the Pawnee (Weld CR37 
north of CR114).  This will be the subject of the next The Hungry Bird in 
Colorado Birds (October 2015) so I'll not detail this event too much here.  
Suffice it to say a lot of items of great diversity can be impaled in the 
vicinity of just one shrike nest, probably by just one male.  What impressed me 
the most about this particular situation near the Central Plains Experiment 
Station was the heavy use of birds, including naked babies obviously pulled 
out of nests.  With the lush green growth and certain pastures solid yellow 
with blooming Greenthread (thanks, Amber Carver for the ID) it is easy to 
mistake this year's prairie as a tranquil place.  Predators on vertebrates are 
having a bumper year right along side, and often because of, the herbivores and 
insectivores. 

At Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins (Larimer) I am aware of 4 active 
Broad-tailed Hummingbird nests.  I thought I heard the gibberish of a 
Black-chinned male the other day but am not certain.  The broadtail nests are 
in various stages of development, from still under construction to eggs to 
almost fledged young.  As reported earlier, one nest (the 5th 2015 nest at GC 
and there are probably at least a few more, making this a true colony like 
the literature reports them as having) is totally done and I think I heard the 
fledged youngsters giving that distinctive warbler-like chip they make that I 
don't think anyone has recorded.  I have enjoyed seeing the diversity of 
materials the female hummers use to craft their work-of-art nests, both the cup 
itself and the outside decoration/camo.

In Lower Rist Canyon (Larimer) yesterday I heard an Ovenbird sing briefly one 
time at around CR52E mp 15.  This is a historic location for them and despite 
the 2012 High Park Fire they have persisted in a mostly unburned north-facing 
glade.  Most of the usual suspects that indicate this a nice lower montane 
habitat were there including Plumbeous Vireo, Hammond's Flycatcher, Pygmy 
Nuthatch and Red Crossbill.  American Three-toed Woodpeckers nested here one 
spring/summer but all I saw yesterday while insect-collecting was a flicker and 
Hairy Woodpecker.

Further down Rist Canyon (east of the famous Whale Rock) I watched a parent 
pair of American Robins capture and take to a nest several 2/3s-grown 
caterpillars of the White-lined Sphinx.  These hornworm (big spine on the 
rear of the abdomen) caterpillars, which are highly variable in color from 
mostly green to mostly blackish may be locally abundant in coming weeks.  Lots 
of vegetation for this eater of a broad range of plants to consume this year 
with all the rain.  They might even be conspicuous as they cross roads in large 
numbers looking for additional food or pupation sites.  I would love to hear 
from COBIRDS readers about what birds they see eating these, including the date 
and location.  Refer to The Hungry Bird article about them for more details 
(CB Vol48(4), October 2014).

We have started an informal group in Fort Collins to monitor Chimney Swifts.  
Our initial goals are to just figure out most of the active chimneys (or other 
places) and get a handle on early summer numbers.  Hopefully we can then get 
some numbers from later in the summer that might reflect nest production, and 
then additional use of roost chimneys in fall by migrants.  Untimately, we 
would like to determine trends and maybe do some enhancement with artificial 
nest structures to keep a sustainable population of these fascinating urban 
providers of free control of West Nile mosquitoes and maybe other pesky 
insects.  I would encourage other cities and towns to maybe do the same.  We 
sucked them into the idea of chimneys being better than hollow trees.  If 
they are in trouble, seems like we owe it to them to be part of the solution, 
too.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Overview of three BBS routes

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Last Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (9-11June) I did the three Breeding Bird 
Survey routes assigned to me.  Doing them on consecutive days probably comes 
perilously close to turning one's passion into work, but due to the CFO 
Convention and obligations this week, plus the weather forecast, there wasn't 
much choice but to do it this way.  As anyone who has done these routes can 
attest, finishing one always feels like you cheated the Devil and lived to tell 
about it.  Here's what I have to tell.

The Lamar Route runs from Prowers MM/13 junction north to near Chivington Res 
in Kiowa County.  Highlights of the 6/9 run with Janeal's help included 
Mountain Plovers on 2 stops, relearning the song of Burrowing Owls (which had 
me fooled into thinking they might be Scaled Quail for a time), Northern 
Bobwhite (one stop), Virginia Rail, 2 for-sure Chihuahuan Raven nests, and lots 
of Dickcissels and Lark Buntings.  Total of 35 species.

The Villegreen Route starts west of Kim in ne Las Animas County and runs 
basically due north thru the all-but-ghost-town of Villegreen all the way to 
Officer Hill then east and north for the last few stops.  Highlights of the 
6/10 run were many including amazing numbers of Lark Buntings (20-30 on several 
stops), lots of Dickcissels, Long-billed Curlews (at least 5 stops), both 
ravens (which I get the impression are a major predator on curlew eggs and/or 
young), a heard-only roadrunner, Juniper Titmouse (5 at 2 stops), lots of 
Black-headed Grosbeaks sounding like Hepatic Tanagers (which this route has 
had), a Mountain Bluebird, and best of all a singing male SCOTT'S ORIOLE (my 
first one in CO east of the Divide).  Total of 42 species.  After running my 
Ninaview Route the next day, I went back to Officer Hill.  The Scott's Oriole 
was still there (but silent) plus four species I did not record on the day of 
the official census: White-throated Swift, Canyon Wren, Canyon Towhee, and 
Common Poorwill (singing in the middle of the day).  Best non-bird encounter 
was a major hatch of a tiny green cicada, Cicadetta kansa, which was abundant 
in the grass (a series of 21 are going to the Gillette Collection at CSU). 

The Ninaview Route starts at a very difficult to find point (at least in the 
dark) 20 miles or so east of Highway 109, runs west to the highway, then north 
along the highway to a point not very many miles south of the turnoff to Higbee 
Canyon.  This route has had Scott's Oriole and Gray Vireo in the past but not 
this year on 6/11.  Highlights did include Long-billed Curlew at several stops, 
a male Black-chinned Hummingbird, Dickcissel (1 stop), Curve-billed Thrasher (1 
stop), Ash-throated Flycatcher (1 stop) and Chipping Sparrow (2 stops along 
Highway 109).  Total of 38 species.

Big rains and hail occurred all over eastern CO on 6/12 and I am sure none of 
these three routes would have been doable on 6/13.  Like I said, not 
oversleeping, not hitting a deer or cow, finding the starting point, having the 
road be entirely negotiable, avoiding excessive wind which negates hearing 
birds, not encountering a close-minded landowner, not having car trouble, etc. 
- if all the stars align and the route can be completed, well, it feels really 
good.  The US Fish  Wildlife Service gets a ton of data from BBS volunteers I 
sure hope they appreciate and put to something other than bureaucratic use.  
And I gotta say, the CO Coordinator of BBS, Hugh Kingery, deserves a 
commendation from somebody in Washington.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] A quiz

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Mr. Floyd points out an interesting ABA blog article about names and checklist 
order.  First off, despite the impression my quiz might give, let me say I do 
not regard misspelling a felony.  I confess to having messed up 
MacGillivray's (and Steller's and wigeon) more than once in my journals.  
That said, I read another entertaining blog entry lately, this one about Big 
Day's at night authored by Mr. Floyd.  It talked about rules and how sometimes 
they make sense, sometimes they are to be thrown aside like dirty laundry.  I 
basically agree.  It just seems to me a person's legal name should not be 
subjected to innocent or blatant dissing out of pure laziness or whim.  We all 
have field guides and just because spellcheck doesn't understand MacGillivray 
doesn't mean we can't open our books for something other than relearning the 
50th time what makes a subadult gull a Mew vs. Ring-billed.  When the article 
pointed out by Mr. Floyd, written by Ted Hartley, informs us the official 
committee might well change this man's name to the most common way it is 
misspelled by birders seems a total cave-in to the butchering of the English 
language we are already subjected to in myriad ways.  Will the AOU Board soon 
be replaced by the cast of Duck Dynasty?  Which reminds me, several weeks 
back I was atop Cameron Pass, near a thawing wetland, and heard a bird in the 
darkness.  Was it a Richardson's (or however you spell his name) Owl or a 
Hookum Pate?  

Lettermann
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] a quiz

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Which of the following is the correct spelling of a CO bird named after a 
professor of English at Edinburgh University in Scotland, who was also a 
naturalist, and who helped none other than John James Audubon with his writing?

a) MaGillvray's

b) McGillivray's

c) MacGillivary's

d) MacGillivray's

e) McGillvrey's

f) MacGillavrey's

g) MacGillvray's

Hint: the bird was named (by Audubon) after William MacGillivray.  Maybe Bob 
Righter will be kind enough to tell us more about this interesting man, who 
certainly deserves us getting his name right, in a future piece for Colorado 
Birds.  I hope so.



Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Prospect Ponds Natural Area and NCELC, FtCollins (Larimer) on 5/26

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

From 9am to 4:30pm I walked on the west side of the Poudre River from the 
north end of Sharp Point Drive (jct with Prospect) past the feedlot thru 
Prospect Ponds Natural Area (PPNA) to an area perhaps 100 yards southeast of 
the Northern CO Environmental Learning Center (NCELC) parking lot (that is, a 
wooded area along the west side of the river southeast of the vacant Raptor 
Center rehab facilities). 

Total of 54 species of birds.  

However, the main goal was to document insects inhabiting boxelder trees in 
this area.  The other day I posted how I was noticing considerable migrant use 
of this tree and how I thought the primary attraction was probably the Boxelder 
Leafroller caterpillar.  I am still thinking this insect is a good food item 
when found, but that other things are just as attractive and probably more 
abundant.  Those insects are: an unidentified caterpillar which folds the 
leaflet over like the Boxelder Leafroller but which has a pale head capsule and 
is smaller (Boxelder Leafroller head capsule is dark).  I saw zillions of these 
by keying in on what birds key in on - that is, holes in leaves nearby and/or 
folded leaf margins tied down with silk.  Also present were psyllid nymphs, a 
few inquilines (things like small spiders or predators inside the folds made 
by the caterpillars - in other words, an inquiline is a squatter living in a 
house made by some other creature), aphids, assassin bug nymphs in the genus 
Zelus, some type of fly which causes the leaflets to pucker up tight and get 
thick (species unknown), a mite which caused oval bumps to form on the upper 
surface of the leaf and a white erineum (maybe look this term up?) to form on 
the bottom surface), and Boxelder Bugs (which I do not think are eaten by birds 
with their wits about them - taste nasty according to a chicken I offered one 
to years ago).

Bird highlights:
American Redstart (1 gorgeous male) working low coyote willows along the 
northeast corner of the PPNA southernmost pond 

Chipping Sparrows (several) getting abundant leafhopper nymphs from among the 
leaves, small branch stems, and flowers of coyote willow

Olive-sided Flycatcher (1) e of where redstart was, good side by side 
comparison with pewee

Summer Tanager (1 molting male, mostly reddish about the head, mostly lime 
green on back and belly) just north of the northwest corner of the NCELC 
parking lot, mostly east of the river (another way to describe this would be 
just south of the east end of the Suspension Bridge).  This bird was mostly 
staying low flycatching for March Flies and Honey Bees, the latter mostly 
visiting the flowers of Leafy Spurge.  A guy was walking around spraying the 
spurge, one of our worst noxious weeds, but even bad plants provide some 
environmental services.

Indigo X Lazuli Bunting (1 male) this bird was denim blue with a white belly, 
no wing-bars, scattered rusty feathers across the chest.  It sang to my ear 
like an Indigo.

Willow Flycatcher (1, my FOY) seen on the return trip, near where the redstart 
was, foraging out from, what else?  Willows.

Also seen were a few Dusky Flycatchers, one Least Flycatcher, a few Swainson's 
Thrushes (one of which seemed a bit redder backed than a typical Olive-backed 
Thrush), two Lazuli Buntings, one female Common Merganser flying around in the 
trees as if looking for a cavity big enough to nest in, a few Yellow-rumped 
Warblers (all Audubon's), and one female Black-headed Grosbeak.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] boxelder is a hot tree at present

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Just a heads-up to everybody, a common denominator I am seeing in person and in 
looking at photographs taken by others: a lot of insectivorous neotropical 
migrants, as this spring migration peaks, are finding Boxelder (Acer negundo) 
to be a good restaurant.  The reason is a small caterpillar lurking in leaflets 
tied together with silk called the Boxelder Leafroller (Caloptilia negundella). 
 This lime green with a black head caterpillar is small and hides inside 
leaflets that it pulls around itself like a sleeping bag and then ties together 
with silk.  Its mission is to eat itself out of its home and transform into a 
small, unimpressive moth.

Boxelder is an atypical type of maple in that it has compound leaves, usually 3 
leaflets (sometimes 5) comprising one leaf.  The branches display leaves that 
are opposite in arrangement (like other maples).  They are usually found in 
riparian habitats.  Do a search for images of boxelder and become familiar with 
it.  The birds find the caterpillars by looking for deformed leaflets, knowing 
that the makers of the deformities are also food.  They probe inside the leaf 
roll and extract the caterpillar.

Birds I have seen doing this of late (and in the wonderful photographs of 
others like Tom and Mary France, Mark Chavez, etc.) are: Mourning Warbler, 
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Black-headed Grosbeak, Blackpoll Warblers, Rose-breasted 
Grosbeak, Golden-winged Warbler, Bullock's Oriole.  Probably many other birds 
are discovering this entree this wet spring.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Prospect Ponds Natural Area, Fort Collins (Larimer) on 5/21

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I took a long walk along the river south of Prospect today, starting at the 
Business Park lot at the north end of Sharp Point Drive, thru Prospect Ponds 
NA, to the Environmental Learning Center parking lot.  

First interesting thing was seeing Nick Komar and a pass-by biker extracting a 
fish hook from the wing of a young male Red-winged Blackbird.  Nick rescued the 
bird from being caught on a branch.  My mom always said what matters most is 
what you do when you think nobody's looking.  Nice act of benevolence by birder 
Nick to a bird.

Highlights of the rest of the walk:
Lots of Swainson's Thrushes
Lots of Eastern Kingbirds (4 in one view near the feed lot)
Lots of Yellow Warblers (25 at least)
Hermit Thrush (1)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1 adult m)
Black-headed Grosbeak (1 adult m eating boxelder leafroller caterpillars)
*Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1, being severely harrassed by robins.  Why?) 
Plumbeous Vireo (1)
Least Flycatcher (2)
Bunting sp. (buzz heard only)
White-crowned Sparrow (1, possibly 2, mountain form) near house by ELC parking 
lot

Total of 58 species

What happened to the Orange-crowned Warblers this year?  Maybe all at Flagler 
the day David Dowell reported 190.

Nick told me he had heard a singing American Redstart.  I ran into Kevin Keirn 
who said he and Joe Mammoser had seen a female Blackpoll Warbler in the area.  
I saw neither of these birds.  Besides Yellows, which were seemingly 
everywhere, I saw very few warblers (few Yellow-rumps, one Common Yellowthroat, 
that's it).

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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RE: [cobirds] Worm-eating Warbler - Ft Collins (Larimer)

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

David Wade was nice enough to let me know about his Worm-eating Warbler at 
McMurry NA in Fort Collins this morning.  I got over there and spent most of 
the afternoon multi-tasking: coincidentally trying for birds and hypothermia.  
I failed to see the Worm-eating, but stuck around after other birders left 
trying a little bit more for this great bird.  About 100 yards west of the 
McMurry parking lot in a thicket on the north side of the trail I heard a chip. 
 The bird popped up briefly and was a male MOURNING WARBLER.  I also heard a 
Yellow-breasted Chat well north of the trail, perhaps off McMurry property.

I went home, took a hot bath, changed to a new set of dry clothes and tried 
again for the Worm-eating about 6pm.  Nick Komar, Austin Hess, David Wade, and 
Rob Sparks all showed up.  Most of the good birds from earlier in the day were 
refound, including the Mourning and the Worm-eating (Nick).  Also seen were an 
Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, multiple Gray Catbirds, Blackpoll Warbler 
(Nick), a number of Swainson's Thrushes, empids, Western Wood-Pewees, Yellow 
Warblers, Veery, Brown Creepers (one seen feeding another in an apparent 
display of courtship behavior and both David, Josh Bruening, and Rob have 
reported seeing these birds at this location during recent visits - further 
evidence of breeding at an unusually low elevation), Broad-winged Hawk, and one 
thrush which I will leave to Nick to describe (I never saw it).  David Wade got 
an ID photo of the Worm-eating.  I thought I had done the same for the Mourning 
until the camera message said No Card In Camera.  Not sure if any of the 
others got an identifiable photo of the Mourning, although all in the late 
group got identifiable binocular looks.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins



Date: Tue, 19 May 2015 15:38:55 -0700
From: davespeedb...@gmail.com
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com
Subject: [cobirds] Worm-eating Warbler - Ft Collins

Greetings birders,

There was/is a Worm-eating Warbler at McMurry Ponds Natural Area today. When I 
arrived at the parking lot, the rain was heavy and steady, I sat in the car for 
30 minutes waiting for it to let up, it never did. I almost left but thought I 
made the effort to get here I may as well get out and see if anything is 
around. How happy I am that I did. The woods were full of birds almost too many 
to keep track of. It was the kind of day one dreams about. I saw White-throated 
Sparrow, Gray, Dusky and Hammonds Flycatchers, I Thought I saw an Eastern 
Phoebe but now think it was a wet Western Wood Pewee, Swainson's Thrush, Veery  
(may be 2), Blackpoll Warbler, MacGilivrey's Warbler, 2 Ovenbird, Northern 
Waterthrush and the Worm-eating Warbler along with the usual Yellow, 
Yellow-rumped and Wilson's. Look low to the ground near the downed wood and 
flood debris for the Worm-eater or listen for its buzzy metallic call which it 
gave a few times while I was there.

All the birds were in the flooded stand of trees just west and south of 
theMcMurry Ponds parking lot. McMurry Ponds is at the end of Hemlock St. off of 
N College Ave.

David Wade
Ft Collins CO





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[cobirds] Prospect Ponds/ELC, Fort Collins (Larimer) on 5/17

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I birded the Poudre River today from the Sharp Point business park parking lot 
south thru Prospect Ponds Natural Area to the parking lot at the Northern 
Colorado Environmental Center (ELC) late this afternoon.

Not a lot of birds, but some nice individuals.

Chestnut-sided Warbler (apparently an adult female) - along the northeast 
corner of the southernmost pond along Sharp Point in low willows

American Redstart (1 adult male) - thicket just north of the northwest corner 
of the ELC parking lot (i.e., just north of the big ELC sign or due east of the 
outhouse building)

Wilson's Warbler (FOY for me) - male, same location as the American Redstart

Swainson's Warbler - same location as the redstart and Wilson's

Blue Grosbeak (2 males) - due north of the Fisherman's Parking Lot nw of the 
Water Treatment Plant where the n-s trail meets the river  (north of the 
swinging bench)

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins 
  

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[cobirds] Reservoir Ridge NA, Fort Collins (Larimer) on 5/17

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

In agreement with David Wade's report of Bobolinks in the fields west of the 
Reservoir Ridge Natural Area parking lot on Overland Trail in western Fort 
Collins today, four of us saw at least two males, maybe three.  At least two 
males were seen in the alfalfa fields north of the fenceline that runs along 
the north side of the long e-w stretch of trail.  Upon our return to the 
parking lot, one Bobolink was heard south of the trail, so it is possible a 
third individual was out there or perhaps one of the others crossed over the 
trail.  Hopefully when the females arrive, nesting will take place in the 
rougher, weedy area south of the trail on City property and not in the lush 
private hay field to the north where nesting always seems to be compromised by 
the 1st mowing. 

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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RE: [cobirds] Any Lucy's warbler sightings in Eaton?

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Brian et al,
I just came from the Eaton Cemetery and did NOT see the Lucy's Warbler.  I am 
hesitant to say it is absolutely gone, because it is very easy to miss, but I 
think based on checking everywhere people had seen it, and the amount of 
turnover in individual birds, it's highly likely the Lucy's has moved on.  Fun 
while it lasted.  One person I ran into today out there said he thought he 
heard from a good source that it was seen during the first half of yesterday, 
but not in the PM.

Other birds today at Eaton Cemetery that seemed new were a female Yellow 
Warbler, a male Orchard Oriole, and a possible Yellow-breasted Chat that would 
never show itself in the interior of a big juniper.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

 Date: Fri, 15 May 2015 08:02:28 -0700
 From: mod...@hotmail.com
 To: cobirds@googlegroups.com
 Subject: [cobirds] Any Lucy's warbler sightings in Eaton?
 
 My wife and I may go up Sunday - please post if you see it!  Thank you!
 
 Bryan and Kristin Arnold
 Littleton, Jeffco, 5,500'
 
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[cobirds] Crow Valley update

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

After spending from about 9am to 2:30pm refinding, losing, refinding, losing 
the Lucy's Warbler at Eaton Cemetery today, I went east on CR74 thru Galeton 
and Cornish Ponds to 392 and then north to Briggsdale.  Nothing notable at 
Cornish Ponds except for Black-necked Stilts and Wilson's Phalaropes.  It looks 
in good condition, however.

At the intersection of SR392/CR77 and SR14 is a sign saying CR77 is closed, 
presumably because Crow Creek is across the road a mile or so north.  Not sure 
if a person could park in Briggsdale and walk to Crow Valley.  Based on what I 
saw two days ago, I would presume about half of the normal area is still not 
under water and walkable.   Perhaps the USFS has the area completely closed for 
safety reasons.  Be advised.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

  

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[cobirds] Eaton Cemetery on Mother's Day

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

The LUCY'S WARBLER, first seen this cold, windy, sideways-snow-for-a-time 
morning about 10:00am was seen by four other people (Cole Wild, Rachel Hopper, 
Joe Mammoser, and Josh Bruening) in mid-afternoon.  

There are four entrances into Eaton Cemetery off of CR39 (about 1/2 mile south 
of CR74 se of Eaton).

The bird seemed to stay in the trees that fall between the middle two 
entrances, from the west edge of the cemetery to about the cemetery center.  If 
you take the third entrance from the north into the cemetery, near the center 
of the cemetery is a big trash barrel tied to a reddish post.  Just ne of the 
trash can intersection is a big Northern Hackberry sparsely leafed out.  That 
seems to be the tree the bird comes back to from time to time.  When not in 
that tree, it works all the way west to the edge, always seemingly staying 
pretty high in deciduous trees just beginning to leaf out (mostly hackberries, 
but also linden and honeylocust, maybe some Siberian elms).  There are good 
hackberries all around the above-mentioned main haunt.  I would not ignore 
those, including hackberries to the east and southeast.  The thing is very 
tiny, short-tailed, all whitish underneath, gray above.  I never did see its 
rusty rump but did see the small rusty patch on the crown a couple times.  It 
has a noticeable eyering.  

Other birds that could be confused with the Lucy's also at the cemetery today 
were at least two Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, at least three Orange-crowned 
Warblers, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and a zillion Chipping Sparrows.

Other birds seen today (total of 37 species) were:
Nashville Warbler (seen in the hackberry mentioned as being the Lucy's 
favorite)
Yellow Warbler
Red-eyed Vireo  (at various places, both in deciduous trees and junipers)
Swainson's Thrush
Chimney Swifts (at least 10)
Peregrine Falcon
Clay-colored Sparrows (several)
Brewer's Sparrows (few)
Common Poorwill (flushed by Rachel from near a headstone and later photographed 
on the southernmost e-w cemetery road)
Empid (never could get a good handle on this bird but it appeared crested, very 
green above, and might well have been an Alder (had a noticeable eyering but 
not wide or overly tear-dropped, wash of yellow below, extension what I would 
call moderate - just don't know on this one) 

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

  

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[cobirds] Crow Valley heads-up

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

After Eaton Cemetery, I was too cold and wet to find my way to Fort Collins and 
ended up at Crow Valley.  That place is even colder and wetter.  In fact, it is 
flooded.  Water comes up to the Main Picnic Shelter on the south.  Some picnic 
tables with water beneath them.  The south road that goes to the campsites in 
the sw corner is completely under water.  The main walking path along the west 
side is sort of dry in between the two corners (sw and nw).  The Education 
Center in the nw corner has water all around it and the road into it is closed. 
 I did not walk out into the hinterland of the Mourning Dove Trail to the 
north.  The hosts put crime tape across the main road into the area at about 
the bathroom house near the Main Picnic Shelter.  I would suppose it is still 
OK to park near the easternmost outhouse and walk wherever your boots allow.  
If and when the birds ever get this far north, they should like what they see, 
although the main understory is now creek bottom.

Before you head out there in the next week or so, you may want to see if you 
can contact the USFS by phone in Greeley or check on-line for the latest update.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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RE: [cobirds] Chestnut-sided ??

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Mark et al,
I guess I would agree with the suggestion by Glenn and maybe others that this 
bird appears to have some Bay-breasted in it.  Definitely has Chestnut-sided in 
it, too.  Very interesting bird.  Thanks for sharing.

Dave

Date: Sat, 9 May 2015 00:12:15 +
From: markcha...@comcast.net
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com
Subject: [cobirds] Chestnut-sided ??


I guess you might need the link.
 
http://jaeger29.smugmug.com/BIRDS/RARE-AND-UNCOMMON-2015/i-f86GrG9

Mark Chavez
Lakewood-Green Mtn
http://jaeger29.smugmug.com/




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[cobirds] Grandview Cemetery (FtCollins-Larimer) last few days

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I haven't been going to Grandview Cemetery much this year but when I do, the 
list has been entered into eBird.  Don't fall over.  Highlights of the last few 
days are:

Broad-winged Hawk (at least two different individuals, one seen two days ago 
was definitely an adult, the one today looked younger or at least lighter on 
the head)

Broad-tailed Hummingbird (one female on a new nest in the southwest corner.  
Interestingly this freshly-constructed nest is within 10 and 15 feet, 
respectively, of two nests used in previous years that maintained much of their 
form and looked to be good candidates for re-use).
[FYI, you may recall I have been following a nest in the southeast corner that 
has had some degree of occupancy for each of the last 4 years, which makes  it 
a champion in terms of equaling the longest published period of consecutive 
use by this species (according to the BNA account).  So far this year, no 
activity and the rather bulky nest (for a hummingbird) is leaning precariously 
to the south with all the soggy rain we've had of late.  It looks like there is 
room for another layer in terms of head clearance for the female but the lean 
and grass-seeding activity immediately underneath the nest may be too many 
complications to expect its re-use regardless of track record and any site 
fidelity that might be operating in this situation.  I will continue to monitor 
it, of course.]

Olive-sided Flycatcher (1 today, first seen on City Park Nine golf course, and 
later in the interior of the cemetery just e of Section S, FOY for me)

Chipping Sparrow (perhaps a dozen have been on the grounds lately, a few of 
them singing, and perhaps a few will nest again this year).

American Goldfinch (the dominant sound at Grandview right now, at least when 
the mowers aren't in operation.  Tough to estimate how many are working the 
seeds of various deciduous trees but I put 82 on eBird, so it must be true.)

Black-capped Chickadee (on April 30th I observed a chickadee on the ground 
attending the carcass of a dead baby fox squirrel.  All the various head 
openings of the squirrel, dead about 2-3 days I would estimate, were packed 
with blow flies laying eggs.  At first I thought the chickadee might be going 
after the flies and/or eating the fly eggs, but as I watched, it loaded its 
mouth to the limit with fur and headed up into a nearby spruce, presumably to 
line the cavity intended for Brood #2 this year.  Since squirrels eat so many 
baby birds, this seemed like karma to me.  Today I looked at the squirrel, a 
mere 5-6 days from when observed, and hardly recognized it.  It was like a 
deflated blimp, with just a blanket of patchy fur, a few bones protruding, and 
apparently no muscle or other tissue left.  The face was totally 
unrecognizable.  Natural recycling takes many forms and is ultra-rapid.)

Chimney Swifts, Turkey Vultures, both Cliff and Barn Swallows are back and have 
been seen overhead most of the recent visits.  I would estimate 5 pairs of 
Red-breasted Nuthatches are nesting.  Heard 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets during a 
visit in late April but not since, and doubt there will be a pair nest this 
year.  The Great Horned Owl 2015 nest failed, perhaps due to the nest crotch 
flooding in a deluge shortly after the calculated hatch date for the chicks.  
Both adult owls have been seen in various places, usually south of the nest 
site.   All the owl people will have to get their fix somewhere else this 
year.

No warblers, thrushes, vireos, buntings, grosbeaks, orioles or small 
flycatchers, yet.  Once again, I am reminded we in northern Colorado who read 
all the various postings from the south must be patient.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins





  

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[cobirds] Crow Valley (Weld) on 5/5

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

As others have posted, the story so far at Crow Valley is minimal landbird 
migration and lots of water in the creek.

I managed to muster 36 species today with the highlights being:

Sora (heard in the wetland off to the north of the Group Area in the nw corner)

Eastern Screech-Owl (one gray-phase being pestered by a robin and jay south of 
the embarrassing sign depicting a red-phase individual)

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (at least 4)

Clay-colored Sparrow (3)

Orange-crowned Warbler (1)

Common Yellowthroat (1 in creek willows south of Main Picnic Shelter)

White-crowned Sparrow (at least 5, all Gambel's race)

Brown Thrasher (1)

Blue-winged Teal (1 pair in the Crow River)

NO Northern Caridinal



Lots of Lark Buntings back on the grasslands between Ault and Briggsdale.  Few 
Western Kingbirds, several Lark Sparrows, several Brewer's Sparrows, few 
Vesper, few Chipping, no Grasshopper Sparrows that I saw but they are reported 
as being back.

Crom Lake  w of Pierce on CR31 had one Wilson's Phalarope, about 6 American 
Avocets, 4 Least Sandpipers, assorted common ducks, and a couple Western 
Kingbirds (one of which went to the ground and came up with a piece of 
earthworm jerky (hits the spot on a cold, rainy day)).

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins


  

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[cobirds] Mr. Steller would be proud

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

While Georg Wilhelm Steller is still on our minds after reading the excellent 
tribute to him by Bob Righter in the current issue of Colorado Birds, I 
thought this note from the Denver Zoo might be of interest to Colorado birders.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins























STELLER’S SEA EAGLE CHICK NOW VIEWABLE
Visitors
 may now be able to catch glimpse of Denver Zoo’s second-ever, 
successfully-reared Steller’s sea eagle chick. The unnamed chick, with a
 still-unknown gender, hatched March 10. It is currently in its nest 
just outside of Bird World, Presented by Frontier Airlines, where it is 
being cared by both of its parents, Ursula and Vlad. Zookeepers and 
veterinarians only first handled the chick last week for a quick exam 
and to provide a West Nile Virus vaccination. The chick has not fledged 
and relies on its parents to bring it food. Come say hello. See video of
 the chick here.  

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RE: [cobirds] A Murder of Crows (or by...) - Denver County

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Lynn, Chris, et al,
The incident described to Chris by Lynn does not sound like simple predation to 
me.  The crow did not make off with the grackle and didn't even kill it, at 
least not immediately.  My guess would be that this crow has some experience or 
instinct about grackles being egg predators that during the crow's nesting 
season triggered the observed agonistic behavior.  Maybe the grackle just had 
the misfortune of unknowingly flying within the crow's nesting territory.  
Maybe it was a more targeted act on the part of the crow against a species in 
the grackle commonly known by most birds to be a cold-blooded carnivore.  I 
just think the fact the crow didn't do anything after the assault identifies 
this action as something OTHER THAN simple predation on weaker birds (but which 
is certainly also worthy of notation).  

We will never know for sure what happened here, but I appreciate Lynn bringing 
this interesting behavior to our attention.   There is a great column by Pete 
Dunne in the current issue of Cornell Lab's Living Bird about listing, which 
includes the listing of moments such as the one Lynn describes.  

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

From: cobirds@googlegroups.com
Subject: [cobirds] A Murder of Crows (or by...) - Denver County
Date: Sat, 2 May 2015 11:21:20 -0600
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com

Dear COBIRDS,   Yesterday afternoon Lynn Willcockson e-mailed me the following:
About 20 minutes ago I witnessed a Crow attack a Grackle and kill it.  
The Grackle was hopping around on the ground and the Crow flew down on top of 
it.  There was a struggle but the Crow won.  After the Crow flew off I checked 
and the Grackle was still breathing but not able to move. “I have 
never seen this sort of behavior before or even heard of it - have you??”   Lynn
Has anyone had any similar experiences?
Thanks, Chris
Chris A. BlakesleeCentennial, coloradocorvidc...@aol.com

P.S.  Lynn added, some people have said to me — Can I borrow your Crow to take 
care of the Grackles in my yard? :-)




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[cobirds] Lamar area on 4/27

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

FINALLY, after at least 8 hours of searching over 3 days time, I laid eyes on 
the White-eyed Vireo at Lamar Community College Woods this morning.  I saw it a 
total of maybe two minutes around noon, then lost it in the blowing leaves and 
never saw it again.  The location was due east of the middle of the tennis 
courts in a Russian-olive overtopped by a fairly tall cottonwood.  The grass 
east of the road and the Russian-olive thicket is mowed.  At the point where 
the bird was seen is a green metal post at the east edge of the mowed grass 
with a dead branch leaning against it that I am assuming one of the early 
finders of this bird (Brandon, Mark, Glenn or David Chartier) may have placed 
there.  If so, that means the bird has frequented this exact locale for three 
days.  Other birders searched and searched for this bird in vain all afternoon. 
 That is one tough bird to detect.  While I watched it, it moved steadily, 
siliently in short little jumps but the windblown leaves made it very difficult 
to notice unless one just luckily laid eyes directly on it.  The height range 
during my short observations was maybe 10-20 feet, and it interchanged between 
olive and cottonwood.

Also seen nearby at LCC was a Nashville Warbler, in tamarisk at the south end.  
The Broad-winged Hawk, Northern Cardinals, Wood Ducks, Brown Thrashers, and 
nesting Red-bellied Woodpecker are still present.  All in all, however, I would 
describe the woods as eerily quiet for this time of year.

A Red-bellied Woodpecker is nesting on the east side of Willow Creek Park in 
Lamar near the stone house used as a shop by the City crews.

At Tempel Grove north of Lamar (Bent County) today was a continuing Northern 
Parula, several Orange-crowned Warblers, lots of Spotted Towhees, a Blue-gray 
Gnatcatcher, and a young male Rose-breasted Grosbeak (mostly eating Black 
Locust flowers).  The Harris's Sparrows and maybe the White-throated Sparrows 
reported by Cole Wild's tour are probably there, too, but I did not check.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Lamar area (Prowers mostly) since 4/18

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I have been down here since 4/18.  The weather has been odd, to say the least, 
as is the tree leafing-out/insect situation.  It was been fairly cool this 
whole visit, with the highest temps being just barely over 80.  That's frigid 
for Lamar.  It has been blustery at times but not too bad.  The wind has been 
out of the east mostly, sometimes out of the south.  Then the current front 
hit, the temps dropped even more and the winds have been out of the north or 
northeast.

Most of the good birds have been posted on COBIRDS (although not necessarily on 
the RBA for some reason).

Best bird was probably the Kentucky Warbler found by Jeannie Mitchell and Aaron 
Shipe on 4/23 at the north end of LCC.  It was a one-day wonder and seen by 
only a few people.  Other birds at LCC have been White-eyed Vireo reported by 
Brandon Percival, although I am not sure if he was the finder or whether it was 
Mark P. or Glenn W.  This was first found yesterday and refound this morning by 
Brandon, although I have not been able to find it in hours of searching on both 
days.  Oh well.  It was in Russian-olives between the pump house and a little 
further south on the east side of the road opposite the tennis courts/shop 
building.  

Other birds at LCC have been adult Broad-winged Hawk for the last three days, 
immature Cooper's Hawk for the last several days, Wilson's Warbler male, 
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Northern Cardinal (at least 2 pairs), nesting Red-bellied 
Woodpeckers, Wood Ducks, Lincoln's Sparrow, Nashville Warbler (Cole Wild with 
Quetzal Tour), and not a lot else.  In other words, the LCC woods has been 
super quiet with a very few marquis birds, changing a bit each day.  The woods 
DOES have a few ticks, so check yourself after sundown in places where the sun 
did not shine before it set.  Woodhouse Toads and Leopard Frogs (Northern, I 
think?) are wailing and croaking, respectively, along the shore of Willow Creek 
(and at Thurston Res).

Thurston Reservoir north of town has been good for waterfowl with lots of 
expected ducks (including a leucistic Redhead, probably the same one reported 
by Mark P. weeks (months?) ago), Sora, Peregrine Falcon, Black-necked Stilts, 
Snowy Egret (4/20 only), a few ibis, Willet (4/19), and Swamp Sparrow (4/20 at 
the end of the south side boat ramp).  Today I had several FOY Bank Swallows 
over the water getting midges in the cold rain.

Fairmount Cemetery has a large number of Pine Siskins and I suspect they will 
nest for one cycle and then head to the mountains for cycle #2.  Currently they 
are feasting on dandelion seed heads (along with a lot of other birds like 
Chipping Sparrows, American Goldfinches, Lesser Goldfinches, House Finches, 
White-crowned Sparrows, and House Sparrows).  One Clay-colored Sparrow on 4/24 
was pretty early.  So far no Summer Tanagers, grosbeaks or buntings, although a 
Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Indigo Bunting have shown up south of town in a 
private farmyard.

The Great Plains Reservoirs north of town west of US287 that have water are 
good for waterfowl and shorebirds but most are private.  Lots of eBird reports 
from these lakes, some without permission.  Not cool here, or anywhere else.   
At Sweetwater today I had at least 10 Snowy Plovers, a few Semipalmated 
Plovers, and a FOY Stilt Sandpiper.  This lake has also had two hybrid ducks, 
which I guess in an of themselves makes this location of interest.  Not sure 
what the parentage of these two birds is for sure, but it looks like shoveler 
might be part of both.  Along the lane leading from the county road to the west 
(39.5?) east to the res, we had a Field Sparrow and Brewer's Sparrow the other 
day, and there were a couple Savannah Sparrows today.

At Tempel Grove, as others have inputted to eBird, there are Harris's Sparrows, 
White-throated Sparrows (not seen today by me), Northern Parula (male), 
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Wild Turkey, Orange-crowned Warblers, lots of 
Yellow-rumped Warblers, a Spotted Towhee singing a lot like an Eastern today, 
Cooper's Hawk, not a lot else (for ex., no thrushes).  West of the road seems 
to be better.  Mr. Tempel and his help have done an amazing job of digging out 
from the tumbleweed blizzard of last winter but still tons of them piled up in 
tough to clean up places.  The seeds of tumbleweed (Russian Thistle), seem to 
be a major attraction for sparrows at present.  

At North Gateway Park east of the Cow Palace in north Lamar, and off-limits 
gravel ponds to the east, today were FOY Forster's Terns (at least 4), and a 
fly-over adult, breeding Laughing Gull.  Bank Swallows here, too, along with a 
few Eared Grebes.

Per the introductory mention of the leafing out situation, last autumn's sudden 
temperature drop killed a lot of plants up and down the eastern plains, 
including here, especially shrubs.  The leafing out of trees and shrubs that 
survived has been odd.  Some things looks great, like hackberry, some 
cottonwoods, some elms.  Other 

[cobirds] Weld County on Thursday 4/16

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Continuing the thread started by Doug, and continued by David and Joey, I went 
out east of Fort Collins hoping to see how birds were coping with this weather. 
 Not enough sticking snow to really force small birds already here out onto 
roads or odd situations like parking lots, as has been the case during late 
storms in April and early May each of the previous two springs.  I did not see 
any longspurs, which, of course, are already in this part of the state.  Not 
enough migrant sparrows this far north, either.  Had this storm hit one week 
later, I suspect the drama this far north in CO would have been more 
pronounced.  What I did see that was somewhat interesting:

Crom Lake (CR31 s of CR90)
American Avocet (2) in chest-deep water, grubbing something small and black 
from the muddy bottom (small snails?)
All three teal species (just a few of each)
Baird's Sandpiper (1 adult in bright breeding plumage)
Great-tailed Grackle (few males)
American Pipit (FOY for me, two on the south shore of the part west of the road)

Woods Lake (CR74 between CR27 and CR29)
Saw not a lot except the very interesting Weed Ceremony of Western Grebes.  
Check out the BNA account of Western Grebe for more details.  This is only 
legal in certain states, and even in those, only in the privacy of your own 
home.

Windsor Lake (town of Windsor best accessed off SR257 on Birch Street)
Flock of perhaps 100 swallows made up of Barn (50%), American Tree (25%) and 
Cliff (25%).  These are the first Cliff Swallows I have seen in 2015.  All 
swallows appeared to be getting adult midges from the water surface when they 
weren't sitting bedraggled on weeds and farm equipment along the ditch north of 
the nw corner of the lake.
Bonaparte's Gull (flock of perhaps 25, at times resting on the swim beach at 
the sw corner of the lake, many giving their interesting calls that differ 
considerably from the other bigger, white-headed gulls nearby)
Franklin's Gull (few, including some nice pink ones)
California Gull (few)

Timnath Reservoir (briefly checked the east part which comes up close to the 
Weld/Larimer Countyline Road (I guess this is actually Larimer)
Western Grebe (several)
Clark's Grebe (1 FOY for me)

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

  

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[cobirds] Weld County on 4/8

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

First stop was the pasture/pdog town e of Weld CR57 just s of SR14 - NO 
Mountain Plover, the target of the day.

I got to Crow Valley Campground by mid-morning  and checked Briggsdale after 
that.  Highlights were:
Water in Crow Creek
Merlin (female,  which actually vocalized at one point while interacting with a 
kestrel)
Common Grackles (several)
Brown-headed Cowbird (1m)
Black-billed Magpie (2) - I have always taken issue with the sign erected by 
the Forest Service just west of the main picnic shelter which has 5 different 
kinds of birds on it, two of which either don't occur at CVCG or are very rare. 
 The two are red-phase Eastern Screech-Owl and Black-billed Magpie.  The other 
three are somewhat unexciting choices (Western Meadowlark, Mourning Dove and 
Bullock's Oriole) but at least they are characteristic of the site.  The person 
who chose the subject matter for the sign many years ago is obviously psychic 
because a couple magpies finally showed up.  Sitting in an office in Greeley 
made the job of guessing what birds might be out there even more impressive.
Say's Phoebe (1)
RING-NECKED DUCK (1m, 2f)  Does anyone have that on their Crow Valley list?  
Blot out the red owl and put a female Ring-necked Duck in its place.
Mourning Dove (1) 
Mountain Plover (1 - in a fallow field south of the high school football field 
in Briggsdale)
Chorus Frogs chorusing loudly
Variegated Meadowhawk (FOY odonate for me)
Painted Lady (FOY for me)
Sand Lilies in bloom
Ann and John Reichert (thanks for the PBJ sandwich on awesome bread!)
[no Canyon Wren]
Total of 24 bird species

Weld CR86 s of CR105
Chestnut-collared Longspur (dozens hidden in wheat stubble overtopped by blown 
Russian thistles (tumbleweed))
McCown's Longspur (several)
Dan Stringer
Ann and John Reichert

I went south on 105 to WeldCR74(=Morgan CR KK) w to 93 and back north to SR14
Mountain Plover (1 in a dry playa on 105 that often covers both sides of the 
road s of 86)
several Swainson's Hawks (FOY for me, obviously a huge influx of late)
Vesper Sparrow (FOY) along 93 w of 84 in a stand of Atriplex (fourwing saltbush)

Crom Lake (Weld CR31 s of 90 = west of Pierce)
American Avocet (4- FOY)
Greater Yellowlegs (1)
Yellow-headed Blackbird (heard in the cattails)
Ring-necked Pheasant (2i)

Populations of grasshopper species that overwinter as adults are impressive in 
many areas of the grasslands at present, especially the Redshanked Grasshopper 
(Xanthippus corallipes).  The Loggerhead Shrikes will work themselves into a 
tizzy trying to figure out which one to impale.  It will be like the time my 
youngest son Grant many moons ago as a toddler encountered his first escalator 
and kept waiting for the perfect, best step to jump on.  

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] western Larimer and eastern Jackson on 3/31

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I went up to North Park yesterday to see if I could find (an old birding term, 
see glossary of any birding book published before eBird start-up)  a Greater 
Sage-Grouse without aid of intel, gps coordinates, map flags, knowledge of 
leks, or setting my alarm for 3am.

At about 1pm I was very lucky and finally flushed 3 after a couple hours of 
walking around in suitable habitat just southeast of Lake John (i.e. wnw of 
Walden).  As precise as I'm going to get is east of milepost 5 on 7 Road north 
of where it splits off from 12W Road.   I saw 300 piles of both normal and 
clocker droppings, but only the 3 birds.  They flushed about 50 yards in 
front of me, flew over the road, and that was that.  Briefly exhilarating, not 
satisfying.  

Re the droppings, normal ones are pale yellow, usually found in little piles 
of 5-20, and resemble cheese puffs.  Don't eat them, however hungry you might 
be.  A clocker dropping resembles a little pancake made of black tar.  They 
are shiny, even when dry.  I first heard the term decades ago from somebody in 
DOW (aka DPW) and it was explained as the aftermath of eating wet food vs 
normal droppings from eating drier food.  But in searching on-line, as best I 
can determine, a better explanation for this substance, which looks like 
something you'd expect from a fracking tanker and not a bird, is that it comes 
from incubating females during the brief periods of time each day they are off 
the nest.  Apparently they are somewhat constipated, which produces strange 
(but consistent) results.  The presence of normal droppings near the clocker 
droppings is explained by the fact that after eliminating the byproduct of her 
daily big sit, the female then feeds on sage foliage and produces a normal 
dropping about every 10 minutes or so.  If anyone reading this has more to add 
to the subject of clocker droppings, I'd appreciate hearing it.  I have a photo 
of both kinds of droppings, if anyone is interested.  

About the only other birds found amid the sage were Horned Larks.  I'm not 
saying Sage Thrashers haven't arrived in North Park, I just didn't see any.  
Also of interest, my walking thru the densest clumps of sage flushed three 
White-tailed Jackrabbits and produced a FOY dog tick (don't tell Rush but the 
Endtimes are near when we have hummingbirds, ticks and Black Rails in CO in 
March!).

Lake John is still 90% frozen but in a small pond just east of the northeast 
corner I saw an elevational migrant getting close to their breeding habitat, a 
male and three female Barrow's Goldeneyes.

I did not check Walden Reservoir except briefly in driving by.  California 
Gulls were back in numbers, as were things like Cinnamon Teal.

At the Moose Visitor Center feeders in Gould I had only 2-3 Brown-capped 
Rosy-Finches, the local breeding species.  Gray-crowns (and Blacks) nowhere to 
be seen.  The great majority of juncos were Gray-headed, indicating yet another 
elevational migrant already having made it to the High Country.  A Common 
Grackle, probably the one that overwintered there, was near the feeders out 
back.  A small throng of Red-winged Blackbirds discussed the upcoming breeding 
season among the willows.  I saw neither Pine Grosbeaks nor Gray Jays.  

On the way home in late afternoon, I checked a few spots along the Laramie 
River Road (103Road) for American Three-toed Woodpecker but detected none.  
This was not particularly surprising since even though this area has thousands 
of dead lodgepole pine and Engelmann spruce, none of the infestations appeared 
active.  That is, it seemed like the areas I could access were aftermath 
rather than ongoing action areas.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Cottonwood Hollow/Running Deer NAs, Ft. Collins (Larimer) 3/18

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Highlights of a big loop around these two contiguous Natural Areas east of the 
Poudre River south of Prospect in Fort Collins (Larimer) today (3/18/15):
Merlin (1 prairie race female)
Cinnamon Teal (3m, 2f)
Green-winged Teal (13)
Virginia Rail (heard at least 5)
Marsh Wren (heard at least 2)
Sandhill Crane (flyover by flock of 42)
Killdeer (at least 4)
Total of 33 species

Coolest thing was seeing a male kestrel eating a vole atop the Cottonwood 
Hollow Natural Area sign along Prospect (of course, my camera was in the car)

Misses
Sagebrush Sparrow (wishful thinking)
Sage Thrasher
Swamp Sparrow (wishful thinking)
Osprey (should be here any day or week)
diving duck sp. or two
shrike

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

  

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[cobirds] from Paul Opler re Boyd Lake e of Loveland (Weld)

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Hi,
Paul Opler sent me the following message and asked me to share it with COBIRDS:

[For the last four days at least there has been an increasingly 
large number of gulls roosting for the night on the south end of Boyd 
Lake, then spending the day feeding in weedy alfalfa fields just south 
of Mountain View High School, just south of intersection of US 34 and 
Larimer Co. Rd. 9 [=Boyd Lake Avenue]. I observed these beginning on the
 afternoon of the 13th at about a thousand birds until this morning the 
16th there must be at least several thousand individuals, possibly many 
more. These are mainly ring-billed gulls, but there I included are some 
California gulls and 3-4 Lesser Black-backed gulls. I scanned as many of
 the birds as I could and there were none of the larger pink-footed 
Herring or Thayer's Gulls included. The birds are very active and vocal 
and can be heard calling at night from Boyd Lake -- we live just across 
the street. I have heard this frenzy around this time of year in the 
past but didn't know where they hung out during the day.
 
Paul Opler]

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

  

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[cobirds] Boreal Owl (Jackson) on 3/15

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

David Pettee of Newton, MASS, David Wade of Fort Collins, and I (yet another 
David) heard one Boreal Owl at about milepost 64 on SR14 about a half mile on 
the Jackson County side of Cameron Pass on the night of 3/15 at about 9:30pm.  
The bird was south of the highway, sort of at the nw flank of the Nohku Crags.  
The listening conditions were nearly perfect (very little wind, very little 
traffic, very few audible jets) and we all, frankly, expected to hear more than 
one.  The only factor less than ideal was the moon phase.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins


  

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[cobirds] Windsor Lake (Weld) on 3/13/15

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Seen today during Front Range Community College field trips to Windsor Lake (in 
the town of Windsor, accessed off 7th on Cedar):

Glaucous Gull (1 subadult, not sure which cycle but probably 2nd or 3rd, the 
champion kleptoparasite, mostly victimizing goldeneye))
Thayer's Gull (at least 2 juveniles)
Franklin's Gull (1 black-headed adult)
Long-tailed Duck (1 female, can be really tough to find when diving, look amid 
groups of other ducks, mostly seen at the north end)
Barrow's Goldeneye (1 female)

majority of waterfowl on the lake are Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Common 
Goldeneyes, Common Mergansers, and Lesser Scaup.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] RE: Mountain Bluebirds - Eating

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Hi,
I have spent considerable time solving this issue of, What are the early 
bluebirds that hover over the prairie getting?.  The specific site I observed 
most was the Pawnee Grasslands just west of Crow Valley.  My conclusion is that 
these are some type of tiger moth (Family Noctuidae, Subfamily Arctiinae 
(which used to be considered the Family Arctiinae), Tribe Artiini , Genus 
Grammia. We have more than one species in this genus on the eastern plains of 
CO.  The larvae eat various lower plants, including some grasses, and 
overwinter in this stage.  On warm days they become active and certain ones of 
these are considered the fastest moving larvae of any North American macromoth 
(large moth).  When I was watching the Mountain Bluebirds on the Pawnee back in 
the 1980's, they would hover kestrel-style and, in so doing, eventually 
discover and obtain a  prey item.  The caterpillars zoom from one tuft of 
bunchgrass to another.  It took me a long time to figure this out.  I felt 
quite foolish, running to an area where a bluebird had been hovering, only to 
see nothing.  When I finally saw a sudden movement, it was a caterpillar 
streaking across an open area between grass clumps.  Once I had the search 
image, I started seeing this pretty frequently and the mystery was solved.  
Once a bluebird had a caterpillar, on every occasion it was taken to a fence 
post (usually) or to an open area of prairie.  There, it was unceremoniously 
thropped until flaccid and nearly hairless.  I think the majority of what looks 
like excessive force during this whole process is that which removed the hairs. 
 The hairs have to be formidable impediments to easy ingestion and must be 
removed to a considerable degree before the caterpillar body can be consumed.  
But since insect food is tough to come by during the weeks when northward 
movements in February and March take place, I guess an armed caterpillar is 
worth the effort it takes to de-arm it.

So, that's what I think is going on.  It is interesting that Mark said 
something about a pine tree, as there is a tiger moth that occasionally 
infests various foothills conifers, makes conspicuous tents in the very tops of 
infested trees, and the caterpillars ARE present in the winter months.  But the 
ones in Mark's photos do NOT look like that species (Lophocampa ingens).  Thus, 
I think my pretty sure ID of Grammia sp. is correct.

You could do a search for Grammia tiger moth images and see examples of the 
adults.  They all sort of look similar in general color scheme and pattern 
arrangement, and I am sure most astute birders have seen similar creatures in 
the field during the warm months.

I enjoyed your observations here.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

From: mamers...@msn.com
To: daleather...@msn.com
CC: zar...@comcast.net; lindab_...@hotmail.com; tkwidj...@gmail.com
Subject: Mountain Bluebirds - Eating
Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2015 10:10:15 -0600





Dave -
 
Attached please find a couple of photos of Mountain 
Bluebirds taken last Saturday – north of DIA – 03/07/15.  Is there any way 
that you could assist in identifying the caterpillars (grubs)  that the 
birds are eating.  I believe that they were getting them from a pine tree – 
but not sure of that fact.
 
Your assistance in this inquiry is greatly 
appreciated.  Inquiring minds would like to know...
 
Have a great week – and enjoy the improved 
weather.
Mark Amershek
Denver
303.329.8646
  

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[cobirds] Windsor Lake (Weld) on 3/9/15

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

On this day of melt and appearing gizzard shad (both live and dead, in open 
areas and in the ice), I visited Windsor Lake on the east side of downtown 
Windsor (Weld) and had the following highlights:

Bald Eagle (2 adults)
Red-breasted Merganser (several)
Thayer's Gull (1 juv.)
California Gull (1 a)
Herring Gull (dozens)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (1a, 1 3rd-cycle)
Long-tailed Duck (1 (f?))  prominent lower face oval, short tail  (can't 
remember the gender of the bird Austin Hess found here, may be the same one)
Common Goldeneye (hundreds)

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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FW: [cobirds] Boulder surprising hawk kill

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Neglected sending this to the whole group, as intended.
Dave

From: daleather...@msn.com
To: quetza...@comcast.net
Subject: RE: [cobirds] Boulder surprising hawk kill
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2015 10:28:38 -0700




David, Nick, Gary, et al,
Interesting observations, all.  I would throw in seeing a Northern Pygmy-Owl 
fly past with a Steller's Jay in its talons one time in Rist Canyon west of 
Fort Collins.  The owl is 2.5 oz (70g), the jay 3.7 (105g).  The literature 
talks about a pygmy-owl that was threatening a Dusky Grouse (1050g) , but that 
report was unclear as to whether it was a predator-prey thing or territorial 
harassment thing.  For sure, hunger and brood protection are both strong 
motivators.

As for Sharp-shin numbers, I was always under the impression the majority 
migrate south.  Maybe how many stick around is somehow driven by autumn weather 
and the sudden cold snap we had in early November made up the minds of  birds 
sitting on the fence, so to speak.  Sort of like kestrels, Great Blue Herons, 
meadowlarks and other semi-hardy species that we have a few of in winter, but 
not in bulk.  Just a thought.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

Subject: Re: [cobirds] Boulder surprising hawk kill
From: quetza...@comcast.net
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2015 10:04:41 -0700
CC: cobirds@googlegroups.com
To: djwalt...@comcast.net

Sharpies take Eurasian Collared-Doves on a regular basis. The dove is almost 
50% larger than the hawk by mass. This brings up a question: why are there not 
more Sharp-shinned Hawks around? There must be more influential constraints on 
the hawks population than winter food supply. Any thoughts on what those 
constraints might be?
Nick Komar Fort Collins CO

Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 27, 2015, at 9:29 AM, David Waltman djwalt...@comcast.net wrote:

I just witnessed a Sharp-shinned Hawk successfully kill a Steller's Jay.  It's 
sitting on the ground eating the jay right now.  The Steller's Jay is about the 
same size as the hawk, although the Sharp-shinned would outweigh the jay at 
about 5 oz. vs.3.7 oz.  I'm amazed that a Sharp-shinned Hawk would go for a 
bird that large.
David Waltman
Boulder County foothills, 1/2 between Boulder and Lyons




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[cobirds] Larimer Short-eared Owl Update on 2/25

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Three Short-eared Owls were first seen on Sunday (2/22) along Buckeye Road 
(Larimer CR82) near the Rawhide Power Plant.  These owls were first seen about 
4:30pm perched on roadside poles about 3.9 miles west of I-25 (Exit 288).  
After 5pm they began to hunt south of the road in tall, tan grass and one was 
seen eating a vole just beyond the fenceline on the south side of Buckeye Road. 
 This area south of the road is marked by three, low, square, camo-pattern 
goose blinds.  Once, one of the owls actually landed on the middle blind.

On Monday (2/23) the owls were spotted by Ken Pals at 2:30 roosting amid a 
cluster of tall rabbitbrush shrubs near the 1599 Buckeye Road mailbox.  This 
point is about 4.2 miles west of I-25.  The owls flushed up on a pole and wire 
above this mailbox, where they apparently remained until almost 6pm.

Last night (2/24) several people had both ends of the activity zone staked out. 
 No owls were seen until well after sundown (6:10 or so).  Barely visible, at 
least one owl was confirmed flying amid human structures (houses, outbuildings, 
white tank, and a blue barn with gray roof) on a private road marked No 
Trespassing on the south side of Buckeye Road west of Buddy Rooster Lane (this 
area is about 3.7 miles west of I-25).  At one point I saw three big birds on 
fence posts along that No Trespassing road but cannot say for certain they 
were owls or harriers, but owls would seem more likely.  Needless to say, 
nobody was satisfied with the looks they got, or almost got, last night.

Three days, three very different activity schedules, all within an area south 
of Buckeye road from 3.5 to 4.2 miles west of I-25.  My guess would be the 
weather this evening will suppress owl activity altogether and searching would 
not be worth it.

My guess is also that the snow we are supposed to get tonight MIGHT put them 
back along Buckeye Road in search of rodents on Thursday (2/26) evening, if 
it's not too windy.  Just a guess.

I would also point out the few folks who live south of Buckeye Road in a 
scattered development of sorts probably live there in part to avoid people.  
Birder cars seemed to get them curious last night as they passed by and 
returned to their homes after work, and I would not be surprised if owl seekers 
get asked what they are doing at some point.   Obviously, birders should stay 
on Buckeye Road, not jump fences, not go down any of the private roads.  The 
Rawhide Power Plant property north of the road has not had any owl activity 
that I know of and is populated by bison and under constant video surveillance. 
 

Also, I should mention the Visitor Overlook on the south side of Hamilton 
Reservoir (south of the power plant, proper) has NOT been open any of the last 
three nights and it will probably remain closed if they get any more snow 
tonight.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Larimer Short-eared Owls on 2/22

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

As reported by Ken Pals, the owls were present along Buckeye Road (CR82) this 
evening in the same general area as yesterday, although not all that visible 
until it was nearly dark.  The poles they flew up to at around 5:50pm are on 
the south side of the road near the 1599 mailbox (which is 4.2 miles west of 
I-25).  Myself, Kevin Keirn, Mary  Tom France were all positioned about 0.3 
miles east of that location starting at 4pm.  Only when we were leaving did 
Mary and Tom spot the birds near the 1599 box on the wires.  

With a whole two nights experience to go on, I would say the entire stretch 
from the turn-off to the Rawhide Power Plant/dam/visitor overlook west to 
mailbox 1599 (a span of 1.1 miles) is within the owls activity circle.  Other 
than perching on the metal fence posts on the north side of the road, the 
entirety of their other activity has been south of the road.  Intestingly, 
north of the road is grazed (by bison), south of the road is tall, unidentified 
grass (some kind of wheatgrass?).  I guess we know which habitat is favored by 
voles.  

On calm, sunny days, it appears there isn't much sense looking for the owls 
prior to 5:15-5:30pm.  On calm, overcast days, maybe the owls get active a bit 
earlier.  On windy days, regardless of cloud cover, based on my experience with 
the Wellington SWA site, the owls don't appear to hunt much.  

CR82 is pretty busy in the evening (especially with e to w traffic) and wise 
owl hunters are advised to pull off the pavement onto the berm lane (snow not 
all that deep).

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Short-eared Owls (Larimer) on 2/22

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I took a drive up to Rockport (Weld) along US85, went a short ways east on 
CR128 to check for rosy-finches along some of the rocky outcrops, then went 
west thru Carr over to the overlook at Hamilton Reservoir (which was closed).  
As I drove west on Buckeye Road (= 82Rd), at about 4:30pm I encounted 3 
Short-eared Owls on fence posts.  The location was 0.8 miles west of the 
turn-in to the power plant/dam/observation area (which would be about 3 miles 
west of I-25).  At a point 0.6 miles west of the turn-in to the plant is a 
private road going off to the south named Buddy Rooster Lane.  The owls were 
0.2 miles west of that, on fence posts on both sides of Buckeye Road and south 
of the road in the vicinity of some square hunting blinds painted in camo 
patterns.  After it started getting darker and they began hunting in earnest 
(about 5pm), I actually saw one owl sit on a hunting blind, and saw another 
catch and eat a vole right beside the road.

On another subject, at Grandview Cemetery today it was pretty quiet but the 
female Great Horned Owl is now on the nest (was not on the nest last Friday) 
and I had a flock of about 25 Mountain Bluebirds fly over heading southeast 
toward City Park.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Moose Visitor Center (Jackson) at Gould on 2/16/15

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

At the Department of Parks and Wildlife Moose Visitor Center on the west side 
of Cameron Pass along SR14 at Gould (Jackson), the following appeared at the 
feeders behind the VC yesterday during fairly cold temps and light falling snow:

Pine Grosbeak (9)
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (about 75)
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (5 or so)
Black Rosy-Finch (0)
COMMON GRACKLE (1)
Gray Jay (2)
Steller's Jay (20)
Mountain Chickadee (25)
Black-capped Chickadee (5)
Dark-eyed Junco (5)

Red Squirrel (2)

Rumor has it the State Land Board is considering privatizing at least some of 
their holdings on Cameron Pass.  It would be a shame if the Moose Visitor 
Center facility passes from public to private hands, in my opinion.  

Of note, I saw no dippers or pygmy-owls along the drive up Poudre Canyon, but 
my method was casual and only generated one ibuprofen-worth of neck craning.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

  

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[cobirds] Lamar, etc. in SE CO since 2/5 (Prowers, Kiowa, Baca)

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Still very dry in southeastern CO since I arrived last Wednesday, 2/4.  
Tumbleweeds fill many of the irrigation ditches, are piled up against tree 
rows, and columns of smoke rise on calm days as farmers/ranchers try to dig out 
and burn piles of this exotic vegetation curse (Russian thistle and kochia 
weed).

In the Lamar area (Prowers), Northern Cardinals and Red-bellied Woodpeckers 
persist at traditional places like the Lamar Community College Woods, Willow 
Valley subdivision, and Fairmount Cemetery.  There has been a recent influx of 
Pine Siskins, something noted during recent years where even if they do not 
occur in big numbers during winter, they show up in very late winter/early 
spring apparently to breed one time in urban spruce trees before dispersing 
elsewhere (to the cooler mountains?) prior to the onset of hot summer on the 
plains and brood #2.  At LCC are small numbers of other birds like eastern 
White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, and Spotted Towhee.  I think I caught a 
glimpse of a Brown Thrasher at the south end.  Two birders have reported a 
Golden-crowned Kinglet, a very good bird for Lamar in winter.  Yellow-rumped 
Warblers are in good numbers near the combination of female juniper trees and 
water at various sites and times around town.  The female Purple Finch which 
showed up earlier in the year at a private feeder in Willow Valley subdivision 
has NOT been seen during the recent warm/hot weather (high of 84 degrees two 
days ago!).  Both shrikes can be found in rural areas.  A few roadrunners (at 
least 4) have wintered at private farmyards north of Lamar and over near 
Granada.  I saw one Great-tailed Grackle near Walmart and am told a Common 
Grackle is coming to a feeder in Woodland Park subdivision.  A juvenile 
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker persists in pines in the northwest corner of Willow 
Creek Park due east of space between houses numbered 1305/1306A Parkview 
Street.  An adult male may also be in this same corner of the park in pines 
further north near the little stone storage building.

The Harris's Sparrows and White-throated Sparrow (s?) present in early winter 
in wild areas (like LCC and the eastern edge of Riverside Cemetery) have 
apparently either left or found private feeders.

Water which filled some of the normally dry reservoirs (the so-called Great 
Plains Reservoirs with formal Native American names and informal local names) 
(Kiowa) persists west of US287.  The eastern reservoirs like NeeNoshe and the 
Queens Reservoirs are dry.  King Res has a little bit of water.  Over the last 
two days Janeal Thompson and I found a couple nice birds at one of the private 
reservoirs west of US287: two early Greater Yellowlegs, about a dozen Herring 
Gulls, and a juvenile Thayer's Gull.  These birds, along with several types of 
both dabbling and diving ducks, along with several Ring-billed Gulls, indicates 
food in quantity is present, but it is baffling where this came from as there 
are no apparent inlets or outlets.  Nonetheless, we saw the Thayer's Gull most 
assuredly gobbling a pan-sized, pale something (perch? young carp? tiger 
salamander nymph?).  Unless this water was intentionally stocked (unlikely), 
unintentionally seededsomehow by waterfowl contaminated with fish eggs or 
there has been a response from dormant/locally migratory salamanders (makes the 
most sense), I am stumped.  Would love to get out there with boots and net and 
figure this situation out.  The yellowlegs apparently have moved on, and with 
no proof whatsoever, my sense is they were northward migrants and not 
overwintering birds (nearby water, what little there is of it) has been frozen 
sold much of the last few months.

Cranes are starting to show up.  White and white-cheeked geese are around 
in local concentrations but are not conspicuous.  County roads with high 
tension poles are the best for raptors, including more Golden Eagles than I 
remember seeing in years past.  A good number of prairie race Merlins are in 
the area.  Rough-legged Hawks are around but in low numbers.  I have only heard 
one Lapland Longspur among sparse Horned Lark flocks along local rural roads.  
Scaled Quail are present in the usual brushy, semi-residential areas on the 
fringe of town (they turn into Desert Cottontails during the middle of the day, 
transform back to quail in the late afternoon).  Eastern Bluebirds, seen in 
early January in Russian-olives near the Hospital complex, have so far eluded 
me this visit.  Cedar Waxwings are around, solitaires seem very scarce this 
winter.

Thurston Res (Prowers) north of town has a fair amount of water and waterfowl 
including a few Redheads, a zillion Northern Pintails, and on 2/8 hosted 5 
White-fronted Geese and a heard Marsh Wren.

Best birds below the dam at Two Buttes Res (still a walk-in area) (Baca) were 
two Western Scrub-Jays, a Brown Thrasher, and a heard Canyon Wren (once again I 
whiffed on the female Northern Cardinal that has been 

[cobirds] RE: honeybees on cracked corn

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Leon Bright et al,
Here is a response I got from CSU entomologist extraordinaire, Dr. Whitney 
Cranshaw, re your question about why honey bees seem to be attracted to cracked 
corn at your Pueblo bird feeding station:

[Honey bees 
visiting bird feeders in late winter or very early spring, before 
anything is blossoming, is something I have heard on several occasions. 
 
I
 am pretty sure that on warm days that allow them to fly, they are 
looking for food - pollen.  (After they have defecated, which is the 
most important thing to get out of the way when a day arrives that let's
 them finally leave the hive.)  And in the absence of any pollen they 
collect pollen-like materials.  The small particles from 
broken seed/corn at bird feeders is one thing they collect, but I have 
also heard of honey bees collecting sawdust and even coffee ground from 
compost piles. 
I
 doubt they are getting much, if any, nutrition from these non-pollen 
materials.  But they are hardwired to seek food and go to a Plan B when 
pollen is not present, even if the result is without benefit.
Whitney ]

I think this answers the question definitively.

Cheers,
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

  

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[cobirds] Barrow's Goldeneyes, Larimer

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

The pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes first reported earlier this year by Josh 
Bruening at Watson Lake, between Laporte and Bellvue (Larimer) was still 
present this morning at 11am.  Dave Steingraeber and I also saw one Golden 
Eagle fly across the lake (scaring all the geese) and over the escarpment to 
the east.  No eagles were seen on the two nests, at least that we could see 
using only binoculars.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins


  

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RE: [cobirds] White-winged Red Crossbill , Park County, and one more thing

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

David, John, Glenn, and All,
This is a nice thread about a subject I don't recall ever coming up on COBIRDS. 
 I was with Janeal and Jane today at Denver West trying for the Pine Warbler 
(which we did NOT find, despite finding the bushtits, the juncos, the 
nuthatches, the chickadees, and many other birds).  What a neat place.  One of 
the major attractions for birds in the Scots Pines, which are the predominate 
species of pine that I saw, is Pine Tortoise Scale.  Some of the pines are 
heavily infested (the scales are reddish purple lumps on the small twigs within 
4-5 inches of the branch ends).  This is a chronic pest of pines that I suspect 
has been part of the attraction for winter warblers and other small gleaners to 
that business park's landscaping for decades.  Whomever has the contract to 
care for the grounds is getting some free assistance from several species of 
birds including the ones mentioned above, plus Cedar Waxwings.  

But back to the subject, we also found a small flock of Red Crossbills.  This 
appeared to be a mixed flock that I think included a 2, mostly 5s, and I am 
pretty sure a few 4s.  Janeal got a pic of a big-billed male (probably a 5) 
with thin, white wingbars.

David mentions the relative prominence of the wing-bars as being a helpful 
separation between aberrant Red and White-winged.  I am pretty sure the shade 
of red should be helpful, also, with Reds being darker and more brick hues, 
with the White-winged being distinctly pink.

And I must concur with Brandon and Duane who have indicated recently they sure 
hope people are not forgetting about posting to COBIRDS because of eBird.  Both 
have their strengths, with discussions like the White-winged Red Crossbills 
being one of the advantages of a discussion, sharing group like COBIRDS.

One more thing:
Ragarding my post about bad behavior at the Larimer Woodcock situation, the 
feedback I got was all positive.  Based on the number of questionable birder 
behaviors being quite low, I was maybe a bit over the top, who knows?  But 
there are right ways to do our passion and wrong ways.  If whatever we choose 
to do passes the did it hurt the bird, the habitat, the neighbors, or other 
birders? test, it's probably OK.  That's all I meant to say.  Fawn Simonds the 
finder of the bird did everything right and nothing wrong.  Austin Hess, one of 
Fawn's friends whom she called to tell of her super-exciting find, did nothing 
wrong by posting this bird to COBIRDS.  99% of the people who have gone to see 
this bird have done our sport proud.  The bird seems oblivious or at least OK 
with all the attention it is getting.  It has its limits and flushes when 
pushed, like any living creature would.  But it keeps coming back, apparently 
because of something (annelid worms, most likely) it is getting from under 
heavy leaf litter at the interface between the spring-fed stream and nearby 
frozen soil.  I have asked the local Ranger Carl (who has been very 
accommodating and helpful to all birders) for permission to sample this 
soil/leaf litter after the bird leaves, to see if we can figure out what it has 
been probing for with that awesome bill.  What a creature, perfectly adapted to 
its microhabitat.  

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 20:52:21 -0700
Subject: Re: [cobirds] White-winged Red Crossbill , Park County
From: dsuddj...@gmail.com
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com

I also had a male Red Crossbill (Type 2) showing narrow white wingbars along 
Meadow Road in Park earlier this month. That is between Pine Junction and 
Bailey. It was the only such that I recall seeing. On that Red individual the 
wingbars were less bold than on the White-winged, in my limited experience with 
the latter.
David SuddjianLittleton, CO
On Mon, Jan 19, 2015 at 8:31 PM, Glenn and Laurie jun...@comcast.net wrote:




I photographed a white-winged, Red Crossbill last year in Clear Creek 
County.  Thanks John for reminding us that some 1st year Red Crossbills can 
indeed have white wing-bars.
 
Glenn Walbek
Castle Rock, CO
 


 

From: 'John D' via Colorado Birds 
Sent: Monday, January 19, 2015 7:12 PM
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com 
Subject: [cobirds] White-winged Red Crossbill , Park 
County
 
CO Birders 
:

A cautionary tale .

A group of us searching 
this afternoon for the White-winged Crossbills reported by David Sudjian in 
Park 
County along CR 98 recently found a type 4 male Red Crossbill with two narrow 
white wing bars along CR 403  .  Disappointment at first but just 
second time that I have seen this variant .

John Drummond
Colorado 
Springs . 
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[cobirds] Larimer Woodcock

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Birders and photographers and others with binoculars and cameras,
In case it needs to be said, and apparently it does, IT IS NOT OK TO WALK DOWN 
THE CREEK EDGE TRYING TO FIND AND FLUSH THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK!!  
This constitutes clueless, and/or rude, unethical behavior and is the kind of 
thing that gives us birders and photographers bad names with neighbors, 
enforcement rangers, and other birders.  Come on, people.  A tick mark isn't 
worth being idiots, to use a moderate label.

Sometimes it takes a little skill and patience to see a bird, even one that is 
pinned down to an area of 50 yards.  This bird evolved its special camouflage 
over eons and is remarkable in this respect.  If one doesn't see this bird or 
any bird, as often happens with ethical birding, you hope to see the next one.  
This isn't like going to the zoo where you have a map, the cage has a name on 
it, and it is fairly reasonable to expect seeing the animal for which the cage 
is named.

Outdoors people usually don't give up the location of their favorite fishing 
hole, a morel patch, or an owl cavity.  Screwing up viewing for everybody who 
might follow you by stomping around for a woodcock is what leads to decreased 
sharing on public media about other kinds of situations like this one.  It 
happened with the Fountain Creek bird last year.   One guy with a lot of saliva 
thwarted untold others from seeing that bird, some of whom drove hundreds of 
miles.   I knew when this bird was beautifully discovered by Fawn Simonds that 
it was special enough to perhaps warrant special protocols (limited viewing 
times, guided group visits, or something along those lines), particularly since 
the parking lot at Bobcat was closed due to mud.  But the word was innocently 
put out on COBIRDS.  The first couple days went OK.  Things tend to come 
unraveled on Day 3 of a Happening and apparently that's what is going on.  
The unraveling can cease with simple considerate behavior on the part of 
visitors from here on.  Please. 

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Hamilton Reservoir (Larimer) on 1/15/15

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Hamilton Reservoir associated with the Rawhide Power Plant has some of the only 
open water in the Fort Collins area.  It is reached by exiting I-25 at the 
Buckeye Exit north of Wellington and going west for a few miles, turning toward 
the dam and immediately taking the road to the observation overlook on the 
south side of the res.

I have been up there a couple times lately but today the wind was not doing a 
frozen laser on one's forehead, so was better.

Fairly good birds for the winter were:
Pied-billed Grebe (4)
Western Grebe (4)
Ruddy Duck (20)
Canvasback (10)
Redhead (8)
Double-crested Cormorant (1)
White Pelican (1) no doubt the same lingerer from before Christmas
Lesser Scaup (6)
Herring Gull (4+)
American Coot (80)
Bufflehead (8)
Gadwall (several)

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Southeastern CO visit summary

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I birded southeastern CO from January 3rd thru the 9th, leaving this morning 
the 10th.

SUMMARY OF VIRTUAL LAMAR CBC CIRCLE (all Prowers except for sliver of Bent at 
town of Prowers/Ark River on Bent CR34.5):
LCC
Only got down there once and saw 2 male and 1 female Northern Cardinals; 1 
Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, several Cedar Waxwings.  I missed 
the reported Brown Thrasher (very likely lurking in one of the thickets 
somewhere), and White-throated Sparrow.  Harris's Sparrow, also reported in 
late December, eluded detection.  

Willow Creek Park   (1 adult male and 1 juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in 
the northwest corner of the park on the west side of Willow Creek just south of 
the community swimming pool, in pines mostly, but they occasionally retreat to 
Siberian elms and a honeylocust.  The juvenile seems to like the pines across 
the street (east of) 1305/1305A Parkview Street.  Both can be tough to detect 
if not actively working sap wells or giving an occasional mew call).  

Riverside Cemetery (not much here, but there is an open water ditch on the 
north side of the field north of the cemetery which is lined with berry-laden 
junipers.  Janeal Thompson and I found 59 Yellow-rumped Warblers in these 
junipers the other day, along with hundreds of robins, about a half dozen 
Mourning Doves, an attendant Merlin, and an unidentified accipiter that was 
probably a Cooper's.

Fairmount Cemetery (Townsend's Solitaire).  I also think I caught a glimpse of 
a Common Grackle at a feeder along the west side of Memorial Drive just across 
from the northwest corner of the cemetery.  

Hospital complex east of Memorial Drive
Eastern Bluebird (at least 3, along with zillions of robins in Russian-olives)

Arkansas River e of US287/US50 just northeast of the Cow Palace Motel (Wilson's 
Snipe, Spotted Towhee, Killdeer, Great Blue Heron, American Coots, huge flock 
of thousands of American Crows stream over this area starting about 2:30pm 
heading sw, probably to the big feedlot west of town)

Walmart/Dollar General stores (usually Great-tailed Grackles can be found in 
the parking lots)

Willow Valley Subdivision (at private residence, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 
Red-breasted and White-breasted (eastern) Nuthatch, Yellow-rumped Warbler, 
Purple Finch (female eastern), Red-bellied Woodpecker, White-winged and 
Cassiar's Dark-eyed Junco, Brown Creeper, White-winged Dove).

Lots of Scaled Quail around the houses at the east end of Austin Drive east of 
Memorial Drive north of Fairmount Cemetery.

All the water in the Lamar area except the Arkansas River is frozen.  There is 
a huge group of geese (all five expected species) north of the train 
stop/collection of homes called Carlton several miles east of Lamar (about half 
way between Lamar and Granada) along US50.  Go north on Prowers CR19 about half 
a mile and look west into the corn stubble fields.  I would estimate over 
10,000 birds, about an even mix of White and White-cheeked.  Seeing this 
many dark geese, mostly Lesser Canadas, in Prowers County is unusual.

Red-tails are the dominant buteo in the Lamar area, including a young 
Rufous morph that had me going until Jerry Liguori and Steve Mlodinow 
threw water on the fire.   Ferruginous Hawks are a distant second in the
 area this winter.  I saw very few Rough-legs this visit until I got up 
between Hugo and Limon on US287.  Fair number of both Bald and Golden 
Eagles around, especially northeast of town along the river and where 
the big high poles occur near p-dog towns, respectively.  Saw at least 3
 different Merlins near Lamar, lots of harriers, one sharpie, no Prairie
 Falcons, no Cooper's (for sure).  Be advised, there is a falconer who 
runs a Peregrine Falcon southeast of town (near the city wind turbines) 
along CR12. 

SUMMARY OF ELSEWHERE:

South of Carlton on Prowers CRs 19 and 21:  lots of Lapland Longspurs and the 
one Ladderbacked Woodpecker per post of a few days ago

Cottonwood Canyon (Baca mostly, with a sliver of Las Animas) had an unusual 9 
Steller's Jays on 1/8, along with Canyon Wrens, Bewick's Wren, Western 
Scrub-Jay.  I struck out on things present in December there, like Winter Wren 
and Golden-crowned Kinglet.

Carrizo Canyon Picnic Area (Baca) - not a lot, 1 Bewick's Wren, a solitaire.  
No doubt I missed some things that spishing and tapes would have produced.

Good luck figuring out the ravens along US287 south of Lamar to Road M south of 
Springfield and west to Carrizo Creek Picnic Area/Cottonwood Canyon.  I am sure 
both Common and Chihuahuan are represented but would not want to wager my 
pension of the ID of any one particular individual.

Along the outlet canal below the John Martin Res dam (Bent), a female 
Ladder-backed Woodpecker persists in the fire-stressed tamarisks near the 
spillway.  Missed the roadrunner near Lake Hasty that was there for the CBC and 
seen recently by Duane Nelson.

Shrikes in southeastern CO this winter seem to be about 

[cobirds] Two Buttes Res (Baca), etc. on 1/6/15

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Janeal Thompson and I made a big loop east of Lamar on Highway 50, south to the 
town of Two Buttes, north to Two Buttes Res, and back to Lamar today.

Highlights:
Loggerhead Shrike (1a) on Prowers CR19 several miles south of Carlton.

Lapland Longspur (few) in with Horned Larks along Prowers CRs 19 and 21 south 
of Carlton

Ladderbacked Woodpecker (1m) in roadside cottonwoods on Prowers CR21 at a 
drainage (S. Plum Creek?) just north of J Rd.  This bird appeared to be 
extracting gall-making borers from small branches far out from the trunk.   An 
autopsy of similar branch material is planned.  This is a rare Prowers County 
bird, a first for me in hundreds of visits.

Lapland Longspur (300+) on Baca UU Rd w of 37 Rd northwest of the town of Two 
Buttes

Below the dam (east) of Two Buttes Res (Baca):  (res itself appeared almost 
completely frozen)
Spotted Towhee (4)
Ring-necked Duck (1pr.)
American Coot (8)
Hooded Merganser (1i m)
Green-winged Teal (2)
Teal sp. (either Blue-winged or Cinnamon, did not get a great look at head/bill)
Western Scrub-Jay (1)
Canyon Wren (H)
RUSTY BLACKBIRD (1 m in non-breeding plumage) in wet woods s of where cliffs 
come closest to the old road (the road below the dam is walk-in only as 
currently configured and it would be good for the habitat if DPW kept it this 
way)
NO Northern Cardinal (a female has been reported by Steve Mlodinow and others 
during the last two months)
NO Winter Wren (very possible one is here, just not detected)
NO Hermit Thrush (ditto)

Driving north from the dam we had about 25 Mountain Bluebirds and then going 
west on C to US287 we had two Chihuahuan Ravens at the old homestead.

Also of note, Janeal reports the immature male PURPLE FINCH she had in her 
Lamar (Prowers) yard the last few days appears to have moved on despite various 
observers checking multiple times today.

Dave Leatherman 
Fort Collins


  

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RE: [cobirds] Question about raptors and Collared Doves

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Pam,
Which raptor or raptors would take advantage of the new entree on the menu has 
been a question that's intrigued me since they first started showing up 20+ 
years ago.  I have kept my eyes open and also posed the question to COBIRDS a 
long time ago.  The co-winners seem to be Cooper's Hawk and Great Horned Owl, 
but Prairie Falcon, Sharp-shins, Red-tails, probably Northern Goshawk, and 
maybe others like Northern Harrier and Merlin no doubt get in on the act.  Of 
course, human dove hunters have also benefited.  

Dave Leatherman

Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 11:59:39 -0700
Subject: [cobirds] Question about raptors and Collared Doves
From: piombino@gmail.com
To: nature-...@yahoogroups.com; cobirds@googlegroups.com

We own two acres of mostly prairie (unfortunately planted in Smooth Brome), 
south and west of the little village of Hygiene.  We are constantly finding 
piles of Collared Dove feathers indicating a kill site  

Are these invaders aiding the success of our indigenous raptors?  With their 
plump size, they make a fine meal and one that seems a bit easier to catch than 
other species.

Pam





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[cobirds] Higbee Canyon Rd (804) (Otero) on 12/11

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I tried to do some research and photo work for a future The Hungry Bird 
column today at Higbee Canyon south of LaJunta.  Taking a cue from David 
Dowell's recent post from this area, I was trying to locate Ladder-backed 
Woodpeckers in cholla cactus.  I did not.  However, I did see:

Cassin's Finch (1m, 1f) along the road eating wild sunflowers
Mountain Bluebird (a few 100) in sunflower, on rabbitbrush, flycatching from 
wires, going to the ground
Northern Shrike (2)
Loggerhead Shrike (1)
Curve-billed Thrasher (2)
Canyon Towhee (5)
Canyon Wren (heard)  on the big rocky bluff to the north of the road
Say's Phoebe (1, maybe 2)
Pine Siskin (8) in sunflowers
Western Scrub-Jay (2)  foraging within pinyon pine crowns in the cemetery

no Rufous-crowned Sparrows
no Greater Roadrunners  (probably entrenched near the homes and ranch buildings)
no Ladder-backed Woodpeckers
no Wild Turkeys 

Total of 25 spp.

If anyone knows of an area where they see ladderbacks foraging in cholla 
consistently, I would appreciate knowing the specific location.   Ideally, what 
I need is a specific part of a specific plant being worked on by a woodpecker 
that flies away at my approach for the purpose of doing an autopsy on the 
plant.  Second best would be an area where the woodpeckers have been foraging 
in recent days.  Examination of either type of situation would require 
permission from the landowner, of course, which I am certainly willing to 
pursue.  Thank you.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Baca and Las Animas Counties, 12/10

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

With Janeal Thompson, made a big loop down from Lamar to Springfield w to 
Carizzo Canyon w to Cottonwood Canyon nw to Kim w about 10 miles on US160 and 
north on CR179 thru Villegreen ne to SR119 n to LaJunta, e to Lamar.  Beautiful 
day for the date or any date.  60 degree high, very little wind.  Very dry in 
the southeast corner.  Dieing junipers, the most drought tolerant trees we 
have, are testament to that.

Carizzo Canyon Picnic/Camping Area (Baca)
Winter Wren (heard)  at bottom of path to creek from main parking area
Brown Thrasher (1) ditto
Spotted Towhee (1m) ditto
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (heard)  nw of main parking area along creek
Bewick's Wren (heard)  at bottom of path from main parking area
Curve-billed Thrasher (just north of entrance to Carizzo Canyon along Road M)
Loggerhead Shrike (2) mostly near jct of M and turn into Carizzo Canyon

Cottonwood Canyon (Baca) mostly camping area on private land and along unnamed 
creek that goes west thru old homestead
Northern Goshawk (1a, probably a male)  flew past, seen well, flying north
Winter Wren (1) in blackberry patch w of the main Cottonwood Canyon road near 
the homestead
Golden-crowned Kinglet (at least 4)  near the blackberry patch
Spotted Towhee (1)
Brown Creeper (1)
White-breasted Nuthatch (looked eastern, sounded interior - not sure about its 
race)
lots of Western Scrub-Jays acting as if onto a small owl, but could never find 
the source of irritation

Along CR177.9 five to ten miles north of Villegreen (mostly along the east rim 
of Chacuaco/Plum Canyons) -this whole area is generally east of the Pinon 
Canyon Maneuver Site and east of OV Mesa - all awesome canyon country full of 
amazing biodiversity in all seasons.  Today, due to normal retention of their 
gray-green leaves, many Mohr Oaks (very local in CO) stood out. (Las Animas)
Curve-billed Thrasher (2)
Bushtit (at least 75 in one big roving flock)
Juniper Titmouse (2)
Rock Wren (2)
Bewick's Wren (at least 2)
Greater Roadrunner (1)
Pine Siskin (7)
Among good number of juncos was at least one White-winged

Throughout the day we had a total of 7 shrikes: 6 Loggerhead, 1 Northern.
Lots of Mountain Bluebirds
Where Rd E crosses the Purgatoire River south of Higbee Cemetery, was a Marsh 
Wren.
Very few large raptors
Tons of ravens, probably good representation of both species
Did not really try for Canyon Wrens, no doubt present, which would have made 
for a 5-wren December day

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins


  

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[cobirds] Lamar (Prowers) on 12/9

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Willow Creek Park (north end)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (adult male, different from yesterday's juv) - 
entering the northwest corner of the park from Parkview Ave., go in the drive, 
staying left to the circle drive.  On the east side of the circle is a small 
stone building with a rust-colored door.  The bird was in the big wide-crowned 
pine 50 feet south of this stone building.

I searched for the juvenile in the southernmost pine along the west side 
(bounded by Parkview St., which I mistakenly called 1st St in yesterday's post) 
of the park's north end (across from 1306 Parkview) and did not see it.

Lamar Community College Woods
Northern Cardinal (heard along the west edge of the woods at the north end)
Spotted Towhee (heard twice in the same general area described above for the 
cardinal)
White-throated Sparrow (heard in the area of the cardinal and towhee)
Brown Thrasher (1) south end under Russian-olive thicket with robins
Red-bellied Woodpecker (1f) in cottonwood along the road that goes behind (east 
of) the college, roughly between the library and dining hall (i.e. 75 yards 
north of the soccer net)

Riverside Cemetery (east of Main on Maple Street)
Sharp-shinned Hawk (1a, 1i)
Harris's Sparrow (1a) in large (100+ birds) group of sparrows that works the 
entire length of the east fenceline (from alfalfa field north of cem all the 
way south to Maple Street) and out into the horse pasture east of cem
Yellow-rumped Warbler (at least 8, maybe as many as 12)

Saw one of the hardy ichneumon wasp species today working a bare dirt area at 
Willow Creek Park, lots of very small midges active, small muscid fly came in 
my car window.  December on the Colorado prairie?

Total species of birds seen in my imaginary Lamar CBC circle since getting here 
two days ago: 56.  Based on experience, there are at least 33 additional 
species reasonably possible in the area that so far have eluded detection.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins


  

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[cobirds] Lamar area (Prowers) on 12/8

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Willow Creek Park
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (juv)  northwest corner, favoring a pine due east of 
the yard between 1306 and 1305A 1st Street (this is the southernmost pine along 
the northwest edge of the park)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (1m)  working on an elm very near the sapsucker location

Thurston Reservoir 5 miles north of town
Virginia Rail (heard)  north side near the little pump house
Marsh Wren (1) ditto

Willow Valley Subdivision (private yard)
White-winged Dove (4)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (4)
Red-breasted Nuthatch 
White-breasted Nuthatch (Carolina race)

Dirt roads north of town, mostly along irrigation ditches
Harlan's Hawk (at least 3)
Merlin (1m prairie race)
Mourning Dove (flock of 15)
Pine Siskin (two small groups in with American Goldfinches beside the road 
eating wild sunflower seed)
Lapland Longspur (heard)

Looked at a zillion Zonotrichia sparrows today but did not turn up anything 
besides Gambel's White-crowns.  Did not go to LCC Woods or Two Buttes.  
Tempel's Grove is now a testament to the power of tumbleweed, wind, and drought.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Sharp Point Pond by feedlot, Fort Collins (Larimer) on 12/3

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

At the pond e of Sharp Point just south of Prospect in Fort Collins (Larimer) 
at 3:30 were three Greater White-fronted Geese (2a, 1i) and the Snow X Cackling 
Goose hybrid plus a few thousand White-cheeked Geese, plus assorted common 
dabbling ducks (and a few American Coots).  I checked the feedlot for the 
Sandhill Crane found and reported by Megan Miller but did not see it.

Also, at Grandview Cemetery this morning was a flock of about 30 Red 
Crossbills, with at least two, maybe three, call types represented.  I am sure 
of #s 4 and 2, not sure about 3.  They were in Engelmann Spruce trees (cones 
typically darker and smaller than the Colorado Blue Spruce trees that outnumber 
them 10-1 in Grandview) in the southwest corner (Section 2) just in (north) 
from the City Park 9 portapotty.  Believe it or not , I tried to join the 21st 
century and record them with my blah-blah phone but a golf green vacuum machine 
(are we still trying to make revenue from golfers in December?) and then 15 
community service folks toting leaf blowers sort of thwarted my technological 
adventure.  The crossbills, particularly when in small-coned conifers like 
Engelmann Spruce, are highly entertaining because they tend to pull the cones 
off their branches, hold them in one foot, while hanging onto their perch with 
the other, all the while looking down cross-eyed  to pry seeds from between the 
cone scales.  Even the Russian judge would give these North American finches a 
10.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Poudre River in Fort Collins on 2Dec2014 (Larimer)

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Took a walk along the Poudre River today, both north and south of Prospect 
about a mile in each direction.  The river corridor still looks and feels 
somewhat scoured and raw from last spring's flooding but it is getting better.  

Highlights included:
Thousands (7?) of geese (mostly Lesser Canadas) at the pond just south of 
Prospect and e of Sharp Point Drive (aka Feedlot Pond)

Ross's Goose (1a)  Feedlot Pond

Hybrid goose (not that it matters, but a Snow X Cackling (very white head and 
neck, gray body)) Feedlot Pond

White-fronted Goose (at least one) Feedlot Pond

No Wood Ducks or diving waterfowl of any kind on Feedlot Pond

Hairy Woodpecker (eastern)  south of Prospect, Prospect Ponds Natural Area, 
north of the east-west stretch of the bike trail where they (City Stormwater 
Department?) are doing all the earth work (that is, the deep woods 100 yards 
north of Lynn Hull's adobe blind north of the Water Treatment Plant) 

Winter Wren (heard only)  same area (too bad this is out of the CBC Circle).  
This had been a traditional spot for Winter Wrens prior to the City Stormwater 
Department messing with this so-called Natural Area by removing much of the 
large woody debris.  Nature is the best architect and last year's flooding 
felled some cottonwoods and otherwise put some more habitat pieces back in 
there, and it is starting to function like a true Natural Area again.  
Troglodytes Unite!  Dear Mr. Stormwater, stay out! 

Total species: 28

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Tundra Swans continue at Hamilton Res (Larimer) on 11/26

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

A check of Hamilton Reservoir off Buckeye Road by the Rawhide Power Plant in 
northern Larimer County showed at least 6 Tundra Swans continuing in the 
southwest corner, as viewed from the Observation Area above the south shore.  
When I first arrived, two were much closer than usual about half way from the 
extreme southwest corner and the Observation Area.  Both clearly showed a 
yellow lore spot at 20X.  All the swans appear to be adults but I am not 
absolutely certain about that.

A large concentration of white-cheeked geese is stuffed along the northwest 
shore.  Otherwise, the gravy of the situation is a smattering of expected 
diving and dabbling waterfowl including a few Pumpkin Pie(d)-billed Grebes, a 
probable sleeping dollop of Homemade Whipped Pelican on the far west shore, and 
a lone Great Blue Heron standing on one drumstick on the northside retention 
pond wall.  

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] No scoters or Long-tailed Duck at Douglas Res (Larimer) on 11/26

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

A check of Douglas Res in Larimer County north of Fort Collins today showed the 
White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, and Long-tailed Duck present over much of 
the past week have apparently moved on.  A few Bonaparte's Gulls and fair 
number of Common Goldeneyes persist at the extreme north end.  The res is 
mostly free of ice at this time.

This res should NOT be ignored, however, as it has produced Pomerine Jaeger, 
uncommon loons, and Snow Buntings (west side parking lot) at this time of year.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] eastern Larimer and western Weld today, 11/25

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I attempted birding some lakes today, hand-holding my scope against the car 
window without a tripod (long story involving a strong gust of wind and the dam 
rocks at Douglas Reservoir that has a $3.75 happy ending, thanks to the 
invention of polycarbonate tube materials and recent arrival of the right brass 
replacement bushing).

Timnath Reservoir
Barrow's Goldeneye (1m) far western side against the rocks, eating crayfish
Dead White Pelican (way across the res on the far northern shore)
Double-crested Cormorant (1) on western shore rocks
Very few birds, in total, and nothing else of major interest (that I could see 
with my hampered set-up)

Windsor Lake (on the eastern end of downtown Windsor)
225+ Common Goldeneyes
Snow Goose (1 white, 1 blue)
Common Merganser (ONE!)

Woods Lake (3 miles east of Severance on Weld CR74)
Always a frustrating and dangerous place to check
Lots of white geese, mostly Snow, some Ross's
Tons of Mallards

Drake Lake (Weld CR23 just s of Highway 14)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (1a, 1 subadult (2nd-year?))
California Gull (several dozen)

Grandview Cemetery (Fort Collins)
Golden Eagle (flyover with a very full crop)  FOY at this location

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Loon at Annex #8 (Larimer) on 11/21

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I went up to Annex #8 Reservoir today, which is just north of the Fort Collins 
Country Club in the southwest corner of the intersection of CRs 13 and 56.  
Andy Bankert reported a sleeping, unidentified loon on Windsor #8 (res across 
56 from Annex #8 day before yesterday) and a Pacific Loon from Annex #8 
yesterday.  This morning, the loon at Annex #8, after considerable anguished 
observation from a couple different angles and distances, in my opinion is a 
Common Loon.  I have heard a few other observers of today's bird agree with 
this diagnosis.  With all the movement of waterfowl ongoing, it is quite 
possible the bird today and Andy's bird from yesterday are different.  I am not 
casting aspersions, whatever aspersions are?  

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins  
  

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[cobirds] Tundra Swans at HamiltonRes (Larimer) on 11/18

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

After checking on the still-present rarities (wwscoter, blkscoter, and 
longtailedduck) at Douglas Reservoir (Larimer), Georgia Doyle and I went up to 
Hamilton Reservoir associated with the Rawhide Power Plant north of Buckeye 
Road.  There we saw a group of three Tundra Swans swimming in the southwest 
corner and a lone fourth Tundra Swan a little further north along the west 
shore (but still basically the southwest corner of the res).  All were adults.  
Nick Komar loaned me his wonderful Swarovski scope and even with that wonderful 
piece of glass I could not make out any yellow in the lores of these birds (but 
they still might show some with a closer view).

Also, several of us all looked for the saturated plumaged (at least on the 
back) harrier at Douglas Reservoir and Nick and Georgia say they may have seen 
it, and report that its underparts, indeed, appeared normal.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Douglas Reservoir (Larimer) on 11/17

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I got a call this morning from Rachel Hopper who had located an adult female 
White-winged Scoter on Douglas Reservoir in northern Larimer County (nw of the 
intersection of 60 and 15RDs).  Once there I located the scoter, and a female 
Long-tailed Duck, which had apparently been seen late last week by David Wade 
and reported to eBird.  I went over to North Poudre #3, found nothing of note 
except a gale-force nw wind and a large throng of Mallards in the northeast 
corner.  Returning to Douglas, I ended up running into David Wade.  While we 
were scoping in the cold wind now present there, a female Black Scoter appeared 
along the west side of the res north of the westside parking lot.  David and I 
bundled up to try for closer looks, and for a time, both the White-winged and 
the Black were swimming together in the north end of the res.  The Long-tailed 
Duck continued at the north end off the east shore.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Unusual dark harrier at Douglas Res (Larimer)

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I photographed a harrier today along the road that goes around the southwestern 
corner of Douglas Reservoir today.  I photographed it just because it allowed 
me to, a unusual thing in my experience with perched harriers.  Upon 
examination of the photos, it appears to be a melanistic or dark-morph female 
or immature male bird.  Apparently, this is quite rare in Northern Harrier, 
with only a handful of North American records.  I showed the pic to Steve 
Mlodinow and he concurs.

If anyone goes to Douglas tomorrow to try for the rare waterfowl seen up there 
of late, you might watch for this dark harrier.  When it flew, it was working 
the rabbitbrush between the westside road and the mansions to the west.

Does anyone have an email for Brian Wheeler?  I would like to send the pic to 
him.  Ditto Jerry Liguori.  Thanks.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Grandview Cemetery/City Park, FtCollins (Larimer) on 11/14

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

There is a male Wood Duck in the bigger of two open water areas at Sheldon 
Lake, City Park, Fort Collins as of about noon today.  Let's hope it can stick 
around for a month.  We have sometimes missed this species in recent years 
during the FC CBC.

In Grandview Cemetery, near the center, was a group of about 25 Red Crossbills 
that I am estimating contained roughly fifteen Type 5s, nine Type 2s, and one 
Type 4.  Definitely a mix of call notes and bill sizes in this loose flock 
feeding in the tops of both Colorado Blue and Engelmann Spruces.

Otherwise, plenty of Brown Creepers, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and Mountain 
Chickadees in addition to the more expected species.  I thought I might have 
heard a Pine Grosbeak give a toodleup call just once, but did not hear it 
again or locate it.  Not sure where the Great Horned Owls are hanging out these 
days, but presumably they are within tall, dense spruce crowns.  An American 
Tree Sparrow, unusual for the location, was coming to a feeder at the north end 
of Frey Avenue on the west side of the street (one house north of where the 
Brown Thrasher was last winter).

Fox Squirrels were eating frozen buckthorn (R. cathartica) berries (sometime 
you open the frig/freezer and there ain't much else).  

No loons.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Northern Larimer on 11/13

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I checked some water bodies in northern Larimer and encountered the same fog 
and difficult viewing conditions everyone else has been having. 

Hamilton Reservoir attached to the Rawhide Power Plant just north of the 
Buckeye Road
All three mergansers
Eared Grebes (few)
Bald Eagle (1 adult)
Several other common waterfowl species

Park Creek Reservoir as viewed from Larimer 80Road about 8 miles west of 
Hamilton Reservoir
TUNDRA SWAN (3)  as I scoped them from a fair distance, they took off and flew 
due north up over Gilman Mountain and out of sight

North Poudre Reservoir #4
Snow Goose (8 including one for-real Blue)
Ross's Goose (2)
NOTE: THIS RES IS NO LONGER PUBLIC AND INVOLVED WITH COLORADO DPW.  IT IS 
WHOLLY RUN BY THE DITCH COMPANY, CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC AND I WAS ASKED TO LEAVE 
BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE THE SMALL-PRINT SIGN NEXT TO THE OPEN GATE.  ALL THE TREES 
ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RES ARE BEING CUT DOWN IN PREP FOR NEW DAM 
CONSTRUCTION.  THE WATER WILL BE COMPLETELY FROZEN BY TOMORROW (MY GUESS) SO 
JUST TAKE THIS PLACE OFF YOUR LIST.

North Poudre Reservoir #3
A quick scan produced nothing unusual

Timnath Reservoir
Lots of gulls, about 10 lingering pelicans, big group of mergansers
Didn't see anything unusual but will admit to being frozen beyond the point of 
sharp concentration.

Not a single loon.  Amazing.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Lamar (Prowers) on 10/28

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Things are very dry here, per usual.  Highlights birding within 5 miles of 
downtown Lamar on Tuesday, 10/28:

Riverside Cemetery (off Maple Street e of Main):
Field Sparrow (2, along edge of alfalfa field north of cemetery)
Savannah Sparrow (10, ditto)
Vesper Sparrow (2, ditto)
Lincoln's Sparrow (1, ditto)
Chipping Sparrow (1, ditto)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (few, will probably winter in junipers along the ditch 
north of cemetery)

Lamar Community College Woods
Wood Duck (2 males)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (at least 6)
White-throated Sparrow (2)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (1 or 2 heard)
Brown Creeper (2, not common in Lamar, hopefully will winter)
White-breasted Nuthatch (2, eastern subspecies)
NO Northern Cardinal (although a few are probably present at south end or in 
subdivision)

Willow Creek Subdivision
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-winged Dove (3)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (1m)
Common Grackle (3)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (at least 3, will probably winter)

Willow Creek Ditch e of Walmart
American Tree Sparrow (1, FOS)

Sandhill Cranes heard off and on daily at this time of year
Great-tailed Grackle (seen at various locations, usually Walmart is a good 
place to find them)

57 species so far

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins


  

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[cobirds] John Martin Res/Hasty (Bent) on 10/29

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Highlights at Hasty/Lake Hasty/John Martin Res yesterday, 10/29:

Sandhill Cranes (we estimated 11,000!! flew over, with this probably being a 
woefully low count of what was within sight in all directions, one of the 
events that makes birding the eastern plains of Colorado a joy at this time of 
year)

Snow Goose (18, FOS)
Dunlin (2, maybe 3, reported earlier by Duane Nelson, about mid-way along the 
north shore, access via network of roads from RdJJ)
Rock Wren (2, in rocks along the north side of res)
Canyon Wren (2, ditto)
Osprey (1, southeast of campground along outlet)
Eastern Phoebe (1, just south of the dam on the road and rocks on the Lake 
Hasty side)
Red-breasted Merganser (at least 40, FOS)
Long-billed Dowitcher (75+, along the north shore)
Stilt Sandpiper (1, along the north shore)
5 species of grebes, but no Red-necked, which Duane had reported recently
American Avocet (still at least 100), Least Sandpiper (5), Baird's Sandpiper 
(1), several of both yellowlegs
Common Loon (1)
NO Red-throated Loon, which Duane had reported recently 

Tens of thousands of waterfowl to sort thru, water level low (lots of fish 
groping for air), probably things we missed

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Grandview Cemetery, Fort Collins (Larimer) on 10/19

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Just shy of 31 years ago, Fort Collins experienced a winter invasion of Pine 
Grosbeaks (January 1984).  I had not seen one again down in town until today.  
The bird, a russet indiviudal first located by call, was just west of Fort 
Collins' Grandview Cemetery entrance (Section F) in a couple very tall Colorado 
Blue Spruce trees with a decent crop of cones.  It flew off to the east about 
9:30AM.  

Lots of other action today at the cemetery, as well.
Over 25 Red-breasted Nuthatches.
At least 10 Brown Creepers.
A big group of maybe 40 Red Crossbills (left the cemetery about 9AM).
My friend Dave Steingraeber spotted a small string of Sandhill Cranes going 
south along the hogback off to the west.
One Yellow-rumped Warbler.
At least 10 Mountain Chickadees, maybe as many as 20.
One White-crowned Sparrow (immature).
One Black-billed Magpie (fairly unusual in the cemetery).

Flying aphids of at least two species, which resulted in lots of erratic 
hovering and flycatching by birds of many species.

A large angle-wing katydid (Microcentrum rhombifolium)

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] report of Cape May Warbler in Fort Collins (Larimer)

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I received a second-hand report of a Cape May Warbler being seen and heard 
singing on the Oval at CSU, Fort Collins yesterday 16October.  I do not know 
the person who reported it but do know we had one at Grandview Cemetery last 
year for about a week centered on 8October.  If someone searches for the CSU 
Oval bird, the whole thing is essentially American Elms, which has been a hot 
tree for passerines on the eastern plains this autumn.  There are also spruce 
trees, another favorite of Cape Mays, in front of some of the buildings that 
ring the Oval, and they might be worth a check.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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RE: [cobirds] Weld County Today

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Steve et al,
You always seem to shake a few apples from the trees, even when the farmers and 
calendar told us they've  been picked over.

Beating a dead horse, re the Palm Warbler at Eaton, I would wager it was inside 
the spruce seeking out hackberry psyllid adults moving from the myriad 
hackberries nearby to overwinter within the spruce crowns.  Your description 
sounds exactly like what the Grandview Cemetery Cape May Warbler did within 
spruce near hackberries last October here in Fort Collins.

I would remind everyone Linn Grove Cemetery is in Greeley a couple miles east 
of Highway 85 off E. 18th Street.

Seems to be a definite dispersal of good numbers of Mountain Chickadees (and 
perhaps Golden-crowned Kinglets) from the mountains to the plains this autumn. 

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

 Subject: [cobirds] Weld County Today
 From: cobirds@googlegroups.com
 Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 17:29:19 -0600
 To: cobirds@googlegroups.com
 
 Greetings All
 Today I wandered around SW Weld County
 The biggest highlight was an apparent YELLOW PALM WARBLER at Eaton Cemetery 
 (which is just SE of town). The bird was hanging out deep within the cover of 
 conifers, and eventually flew across the street to a private residence. 
 Photos to be posted in a day or two. Also at Eaton Cemetery was a MONTANE 
 DOWNY WOODPECKER with only two white spots on its wing coverts, and a 
 Mountain Chickadee
 
 At Linn Grove Cemetery, a MISSISSIPPI KITE soared southward on thermals. Also 
 there were 2 Mountain Chickadees and a GC Kinglet. 
 
 Other highlights included a RN Phalarope at Lower Latham, a THAYER'S GULL at 
 Windsor Reservoir (note that Windsor Lake is nearly birdless), a MEXICAN DUCK 
 female and hybrid male at Stewarts' Pond, and 2 late Cattle Egrets at Union 
 Reservoir. 
 
 Good Birding
 Steven Mlodinow 
 Longmont CO
 
 Sent from my iPhone
 
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[cobirds] Crow Valley CG (Weld) on 10/15

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Very quiet today at Crow Valley Campground near Briggsdale (Weld) but many 
changes since last week and always beautiful this time of year (except for the 
fracking truck traffic noise).  Wonder when the intersection at Highway 14 and 
CR77 will warrant a signal light?

Highlights:
FOS Sandhill Crane (flyover of about 25)
FOS Northern Shrike (1i)  in the northern outback
FOS Lapland Longspur (1 flyover)
Brown Creeper (1 or 2)
Brown Thrasher (by the waterhole northeast of Group Area)
Hairy Woodpecker (heard only, so don't know which race it was)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (few)
Townsend's Solitaire (few by the waterhole northeast of Group Area)
No sparrows except for a few juncos, Song Sparrows, and White-crowned Sparrows
No sapsuckers
No Black-throated Blue Warbler or Wood Thrush (like I conjured in my head on 
the way out)

Lots of Redshank Grasshopper nymphs
Many buckthorn triozid adults (last week they were all nymphs)
Still a few butterflies around (Checkered White, Mourning Cloak, Variegated 
Fritillary)
Underwing moth (Catocala sp.)
Striped Meadowhawks
Catface Spider
Undetermined sp. of black tiger moth caterpillars (which will overwinter as 
larvae and be part of the fare of the earliest migrant Mountain Bluebirds on 
the prairie next Feb-March)

Saw Northern Harrier catch a plump vole (Microtus sp.)

Total of 26 bird species (24 in the CG and 2 additional in Briggsdale)

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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FW: [cobirds] Re: Re: condors in CO were NOT countable

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

All,
This is a reply to Wayne and Joe that I co-addressed to COBIRDS but that 
apparently didn't go out.
Dave Leatherman

From: daleather...@msn.com
To: jroll...@gmail.com
Subject: RE: [cobirds] Re: Re: condors in CO were NOT countable
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 15:55:32 -0600




Wayne, Joe, et al,
I believe the cranes to which Wayne is referring occurred in September 1985.  
One was near Hudson and one was near Severance.  A newspaper clipping I have 
rubber-cemented (yes, you read it right) in my journal (not to take away from 
eBird but let's hear it for jBird) has a lot of interesting detail, of a sort 
not found in modern media accounts.  The Hudson bird was found on 9/11/85 on 
the property of Bill Phillips (near the jct of Weld 10  35 Roads).  The 
Severance bird was first noted on 9/23/85 on the property of Jack and Roy 
Schneider 0.75 miles e of Severance (along Weld CR74).  I saw the Severance 
bird on 9/26 while participating with a group of volunteers loosely organized 
by the DOW to keep hunters and the cranes separated.  The article also 
indicates both birds were part of the Gray's Lake, ID flock fostered by 
Sandhill Cranes, that they spent the summer prior to their CO appearance near 
Pinedale, WY., and then migrated down the Front Range instead of taking their 
normal route on the west side of the Divide to Bosque del Apache NWR in NM.  
Both birds stayed in their respective CO locations until 24October.  The 
Severance bird was later spotted at Las Vegas NWR near Las Vegas, NM on 5Nov 
and finally made it to Bosque on 17December.  The Hudson bird ended up at 
Bernardo SWA 40 miles n of Bosque.

Sounds like neither bird would be countable because of the foster parent factor.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 14:49:00 -0600
Subject: Re: [cobirds] Re: Re: condors in CO were NOT countable
From: jroll...@gmail.com
To: bkperci...@yahoo.com
CC: wwat...@msn.com; bmaynar...@gmail.com; cobirds@googlegroups.com

Wayne, The Whooping Crane you are referring to from 11-14-04 was indeed from 
the wild flock. The exact location was a playa east of Lindon, west of Anton, 
that is bisected by highway 36.There is an eBird hotspot named:
Lindon Pond Playa (Hwy. 36  Washington Co. Rd. Z)

The Whooping Crane was there one afternoon, stayed overnight, then flew. As you 
do recall, it was watched, observed, babysat overnight by someone (Wayne? 
others?)from the Fish and Wildlife Service, as legend has it. I am very 
interested in any details you can provide, as this is a neat story, one which I 
tellevery time I drive by that playa to any passengers  in my vehicle at the 
moment - aka victims. With more detailed information, I can stretch this 
story from just east of LastChance all the way to Cope, maybe even Joe's.
This playa used to fill with water each spring and was a good place to see 
ducks and shorebirds by using a car as a blind.The playa had some shallow water 
and waterfowl in it, maybe 8-10 years ago, but none lately during our prolonged 
drought. I recall that it has been dry even this summer and early fall, when 
nearby parts of Washington County featured many, many wet playas; info on that 
is also requested.Could this playa have kind of silted in from runoff from 
the ag fields that surround it? If not silt, as least it seems to fill with a 
member of the spinach family, the common tumbleweed,(Salsola australis, among 
other species).

Joe Roller, Denver

PS  A rule of thumb is that wild flock Whooping Cranes are seen east of the  
Front Range andthe introduced flock from the San Luis Valley and counties north 
of there. Are there any valid recordsof introduced Whooping Cranes from east of 
the Front Range?




On Tue, Oct 14, 2014 at 2:11 PM, 'Brandon' via Colorado Birds 
cobirds@googlegroups.com wrote:

To answer Wayne's question about Whooping Crane records in Colorado.  There are 
four accepted records of the wild flock that migrates from Canada to Texas (I 
looked all this information up on the CBRC Website, which all all that kind of 
info).
Nov 3 1973 in Greeley, Weld CountyMar 10-26, 1995 Thurston Reservoir, Prowers 
CountyNov 14-14, 2004 West of Anton, Washington CountyNov 1, 2006 Nee Grande 
Reservoir, Kiowa County There might be more specimen records, that might be 
mentioned in Colorado Birds by Andrews and Righter.  If there have been other 
sightings, they weren't accepted by the CBRC, or not written up, this is why 
people need to document any very rare bird that they see/hear in Colorado.
Brandon Percival
Pueblo West, CO  
   Hi Bill  All,Another question for my old fuzzy mind.  There was one 
Whooping Crane that showed up on the front range, as I recall somewhere a 
little east of Ft. Collins or Loveland.  I was still with FWS and made a trip 
out there to check on it and the contingency plan that I recall was in place 
since I believe it was in the fall in hunting season.  But I don't remember if 
it was from the Gray's Lake, Idaho experimental flock or 

[cobirds] condors in CO were NOT countable

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Maybe it would be more appropriate for a spokesperson from the Colorado RC to 
be saying this, but.

I appreciate the sleuthing done by several people to answer the question posed 
as to when California Condors visited Colorado's Grand Mesa.  It was August 
1998 when 3 birds wandered up from the introduced Arizona Grand Canyon group.  
Since reproduction was not documented among these birds, including their 
cohorts, until about 2004, according to the new ABA listing rules, they were 
not countable in 1998 when in CO, or anywhere else until 2004.  Thus, they do 
NOT become our 499th species.  

Countable or not, the moment that semi-tame condor walked in the door and 
surprised a USFS employee working INSIDE the under-rennovation Land's End VC, 
had to be one of the more memorable human facial expressions in the history of 
Colorado birds.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins


  

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[cobirds] ABA listing rules and the CO State List, etc.

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

As I understand the recent changes to the ABA listing rules that Ira brings up, 
this may influence the CO List in regards to California Condor.  Does anyone 
remember when the Grand Canyon condors visited the Grand Mesa of Colorado?  A 
good source informed me the condors introduced back to their historic nesting 
cliffs at the Grand Canyon began to reproduce on their own in 2004.  One of the 
new rules seems to indicate after such a date for this kind of reintroduction 
into a former historic nesting area, the species is countable.  If the CO 
sighting was in 2004 or later, maybe we have a new bird on the CO list.  My 
unclear memory of the CO condor episode tells me it was before 2004, but maybe 
I'm in error.  Comments?

On a related but different subject, I am very disappointed by our Colorado DPW 
decision to introduce non-native Chukars into new areas for very shallow 
reasons supported by what I suspect is shallow ecological pre-study.  I guess 
only when us tax payers are willing to fund this agency from general funds (as 
opposed to license fees only), can we expect them to do anything other than 
cater to their base.  Chukar introductions in new places are NOT the fault, 
really, of the current agency employees carrying out orders from on high.  And, 
I would stress, I have nothing against hunting and fishing when done within 
sound ecological guidelines but  When will we learn?  I say no more 
new hybrid fish.  No more introductions of non-native species.  Non-game 
species matter.  I'm not trying to stir up a big debate on this forum but just 
getting some things off my chest.

Had a late Townsend's Warbler in my Fort Collins yard today (eating psyllids in 
boxelder).  Maybe some more good warblers are still coming for what has been a 
lackluster passerine migration in northeastern CO.  I would remind everybody 
what John Shenot recently pointed out about hackberry psyllids - just prior to 
this cold, wet stretch of days, in Fort Collins the gall psyllid hatch (two 
species coming from both blister and nipple type galls) was peaking or could be 
considered just past peak (i.e. retreating into their overwintering sites in 
the bark of host trees and especially nearby spruce trees).  That means a 
similar flight (look for tiny gnats milling about in the air) should be 
peaking in areas to the south of here as soon as we return to daily highs in 
the 60s, and this tree is worth searching for small migrants.  That said, I 
would also comment that because the temps have been fairly mild to this point 
this fall, all trees are supporting insect populations to some extent, and 
hackberry is not the standout species it normally is.

Dave Leatherman

  

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[cobirds] Crow Valley CG on 9Oct14 (Weld)

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Here's a report from yesterday.  Crow Valley was pretty quiet (11am-3pm) in 
terms of both campers and birds.  But it is always interesting.

Best birds were probably two White-throated Sparrows in the thicket south of 
the Main Picnic Shelter.  A taiga Merlin buzzed thru the Group Area in early 
afternoon.  Three species of warblers were present: about 20 Yellow-rumps, 4 or 
so Orange-crowns, and 2 Wilson's.  There were a few winter arrivals such as 
Dark-eyed Juncos (pink-sided and slate-colored) and a Brown Creeper.  North of 
the Group Area on the long north-south straightaway to the gate that goes out 
into the Mourning Dove Trail/Primitive Camping area are a few buckthorn shrubs 
(Rhamnus sp.).  These shrubs with gray-green leaves are across the path about 
20 yards west of the gate.  They usually have something of note and yesterday 
they hosted a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, a couple Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and a 
couple Orange-crowns.  The subject of their interest was an unidentified 
species of winged aphid present on many leaves and perhaps nymphs of a 
psyllid-like insect, also present on the leaves, called a triozid (thanks to my 
friend Boris Kondratieff for the ID of these).  A late Gray Catbird was also in 
the buckthorns.  In the Magic Russian-Olive just north of the gate by the 
sometimes waterhole (which presently has water) were three solitaires, robins, 
several Yellow-rumps, an Orange-crowned, plus a late Western Tanager.

Total of 27 species (including 3 from the town of Briggsdale), down from the 
lists in the high 40s I had during 3 unthorough visits in September.

Dave Leatherman
  

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[cobirds] Pawnee Grasslands, etc. (Weld) on 9/21/14

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Norma's Grove west of Weld CR57 on Weld CR100 was pretty quiet but did have a 
Cassin's Kingbird.

At the intersection of Murphy's Pasture Road (GR96) and CR69 is a windmill with 
a cattle tank full of water.  This has always been a bird-attracting area and a 
great place to study sparrows.  In the general area of this intersection today 
were two Rock Wrens, several Savannah Sparrows, a Grasshopper Sparrow, several 
Chestnut-collared Longspurs (including lots of young birds that would be tough 
to get onto and ID without knowing the flight call), two late Lark Buntings,  
plus Brewer's, Clay-colored, Chipping, Vesper, and Gambel's race White-crowned 
Sparrows.

Crow Valley Campground, like Norma's Grove, was not crawling with birds but a 
long visit produced 42 species including Cassin's Kingbird, a late Western 
Kingbird, a late Townsend's Warbler, two Swainson's Thrushes, two latish 
Western Tanagers, a couple empids I did not see well enough to positively ID 
but believe one of them was a Cordilleran.  The latter bird was in a juniper in 
the sw corner and had a very large caterpillar in its beak in very bad 
lighting.  When I jack the exposure on the photos well enough to see anything, 
it is clear the bird has a big teardrop eyering, yellow underparts, and a long 
primary projection.  No sapsuckers or White-throated Sparrows, which surprised 
me.  A few Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, a late singing Tibicen dealbatus (dog-day 
cicada), several Wilson's Warblers, one Orange-crown, one Sage Thrasher, heard 
a flyover McCown's Longspur (maybe two), several migrating freshly-emerged 
Monarchs, and two late Common Nighthawks.

Crom Lake, which now has high water, had over 20 phalaropes, including several 
Red-necked.

Barn Swallows persist at all the above locations.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins


  

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[cobirds] Crow Valley CG (Weld) on 9/12/14

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Nina Routh, Mike Serruto, and I birded Crow Valley Campground today from about 
9am-2pm.  Hundreds of scouts were camped in the elm grove n of the Main Picnic 
Shelter.  They were hauling logs out of the south fenceline area (doing 
conservation work according to the adult leaders involved) and doing lots of 
stick fighting and throwing, but, really, for such a big group, it was not all 
that noisy or disruptive to birding or the birds.

Highlight species were:
*Nashville Warbler (m, race undetermined) low in the weeds/willows southwest of 
the Main Picnic Area
Gray Flycatcher (1)  probably the same bird that has been around for a while now
Hammond's Flycatcher (2-3)
Dusky Flycatcher (1)
Least Flycatcher (1)
Townsend's Warbler  (at least 6 (one of which might have had some 
Black-throated Green in it, no good photos unfortunately), almost every one we 
saw was in Siberian Elm)
Red-naped Sapsucker (1m)  FOS for me down low
Cassin's Vireo (3: 2 dull, 1 bright)
Warbling Vireo (1)
Orange-crowned Warbler (4)
MacGillivray's Warbler (1f)
Black-headed Grosbeak (1)
Western Tanager (2-3)
Sharp-shinned Hawk (2)
Ferruginous Hawk (1 flyover)
Pine Siskin (3)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (4)
White-breasted Nuthatch (1)
Hairy Woodpecker (1 mountain form
Townsend's Solitaire (3)
Solitary Sandpiper (1)
Cassin's Kingbird (1 heard well)
Hummingbird sp. (1)
Oh yeah - Wilson's Warbler (at least 50, probably more like 75)

We ran into Jack from eastern Boulder County who said he was with a group 
earlier this morning that had a Great Crested Flycatcher in the Group Area in 
the nw corner plus a couple unidentified hummingbirds, one of which might have 
been a Calliope.  We did not see the big flycatcher and only had a brief 
glimpse of our hummingbird, which also went unidentified.

Total of 42 species for the cg and a brief drive thru Briggsdale.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins





  

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[cobirds] Grandview Cem (Larimer) and other thoughts on 9/11/14

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I woke up yesterday morning and here's what it was like in my yard and my patch 
at Grandview Cemetery (Larimer).  First sound coming thru the front door was 
that of a Western Tanager foraging on big true bugs (probably Leptoglossus sp.) 
in my apartment courtyard junipers (Fort Collins neighborhood a mile east of 
the CSU campus).  A few Wilson's Warblers worked the boxelder (probably for 
psyllids).  A Rock Wren, decidedly NOT normal in the courtyard, called.  A 
group of short-tailed swallows buzzed over in the fog (probably Violet-greens, 
based on Steve M's amazing observation two days ago at Golden Pond in Longmont 
per this species).  Across the street in a dead-topped poplar sat a raptor 
which proved to be an Osprey.  Wow.  The day was not normal.   The big 
prediction must be true.  

Then I went to Grandview Cemetery and would agree with what Nick said about a 
nearly complete lack of local turnover.  In fact I would say I saw less numbers 
and diversity today than has been there the two times I've gone in the last 
week or so (in the way of data I had 22 species on the 3rd, 37 spp. on the 
7th, and 15 spp. on the 11th, the latter being one of my lowest totals for the 
site ever) .  In contrast, however, was perhaps the largest collection of Red 
Crossbills I have seen there in 1500+ visits, working the new crop of spruce 
cones.  Tough to really count them, but the total had to exceed 100 
individuals.  One of them, sitting off by itself, was giving a very different 
call than the majority, which I am calling Type 2s.  It flew just as I raised 
my binocular.  Would love to know what Type that was.  Also present was a 
Grosbeak, never seen but presumably a Black-headed, and a female Broad-tailed 
Hummingbird (getting late).

I applaud what Brian and Ted are trying to add to our toolbox as birders 
wanting to understand the subjects of our passion.  Ultimately, I guess, there 
is no substitute for going out and seeing what really happens.  We need more 
predictions, followed by real world tests.  And, we need more birders in the 
outposts.  Mlodinow, Peterson, Walbek, the Maynards, Kaempfer, Suddjean, 
Kellner and the other finders who scatter to the far corners from the Front 
Range can't be everywhere.  Come back to Julesburg, Henry.  Keep working the 
southeast Jane and Janeal.  Thanks for monitoring the SLV Mr. Rawinski.  Go 
Coen and Brenda.  Everybody, don't give up reporting to COBIRDS.  Why is there 
a separate reporting network for the West Slope?  Did we recruit anybody to the 
ranks in Sterling?  I'll wager nobody was near Brian's blue line out east 
yesterday.  Too bad.  

My final comment on this subject relates to a comment/question Brian posed.  Re 
the subject of rain in conjunction with weather, I would suggest its presence 
DOES probably influence insectivores and 
insectivores-forced-to-be-facultative-frugivores (or herbivores), to the extent 
rain tends to knock flying insects to the ground, and lowers the average height 
of insects feeding/resting in vegetation.  In follows that birds needing to eat 
would stop flying, ground themselves, and when grounded, be lower, finding 
whatever they could find, and, therefore, more detectible by birders.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

David Leatherman



  

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[cobirds] Crow Valley CG, etc. on 9/9/14 (Weld)

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Georgia Doyle and I birded Crow Valley Campground this morning.  It was not 
super birdy but we did have a few nice things:

Gray Flycatcher  (1) in the dry creekbed s of the Main Picnic Shelter
Hammond's Flycatcher (1, possibly 2)  in the dry creekbed south and sw of the 
Main Picnic Shelter
Townsend's Warbler (at least 4 working the elms sw of the Antique Farm Machine 
exhibit
Cassin's Vireo (1 very yellow individual, in with the Townsend's Warblers)
Warbling Vireo (1, silent, in with the Townsend's Warblers)
Townsend's Solitaire (1, first of the fall down low for me)
Hairy Woodpecker (2, both mountain form)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (2, first of the fall down low for me)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (2)
Unidentified warbler (strongly suspect Tennessee, very short tailed, no obvious 
wingbars, light underneath)
Hermit Thrush (2, first of the fall for me down low)

Total of 36 species (including those seen in a brief drive-by survey of 
Briggsdale)


Near the Antique Machines we ran into Judy Wright of Estes Park who has been 
camping at CVCG with fellow teachers.  She reported:

VARIED THRUSH (1 seen and heard well in the creek bed that goes north from the 
Group Area out to the gate leading to the Morning Dove Trail/Primitive Camping 
area (see saw in an elm and down in the willows along this stretch).  
Supposedly another was reported in Estes Park within the last day or so!

WHITE-WINGED DOVE (1) no details

EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE (heard vocalizing, probably the same individual reported by 
Steve M.)

We also went out and checked the low spot/ephemeral pond on Weld CR105 a few 
miles south of SR14 where Mark Miller reported the Buff-breasted Sandpiper 
recently.  We had the following:

*Tom Wilberding
*Wilson's Phalaropes (including one that ate a tadpole shrimp, similar to what 
Bill Schmoker documented with the  famous breeding plumaged Red Phalarope 
on the PNG years ago)
*McCown's Longspurs (small numbers came in off and on)
*Savannah Sparrows
*American Avocets
*American Pipits
*A long-horned Opuntia cactus borer in the genus Moneilema (these are fairly 
common on the PNG)
*A zillion fracking tanker trunks (these are abundant on the PNG, see eTruck 
for a fascinating graphic portrayal of their proliferation over the past few 
years) 

This site is very much changed from what it used to be when it was a nice, 
quiet place to pull over and watch/photograph prairie birds coming in for a 
drink.  Due to recent high water, the road thru the area, although no longer 
closed, is barely passable, is essentially one-lane (even though the trunks are 
going both directions), parking is problematic, noise is considerable, etc.  
The birds probably don't care because water is water, but anyone going out 
there needs to understand the situation.  Those things said, this area can 
attract hundreds of longspurs and I would wager it has had all four species on 
the same day at least once in its past.

At Crom Lake west of Pierce (on CR31 s of 90) we had 15 Stilt Sandpipers, a few 
Leasts, a few Baird's, a few avocets, one Semipalmated Sandpiper, 350 Canada 
Geese, 1 Ruddy Duck, and a large group of Barn Swallows persists.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins


  

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[cobirds] Grandview Cemetery on Sunday 9/7 (Larimer)

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Lots of migrant/winter influx activity today at Grandview Cemetery in Fort 
Collins (Larimer).

Highlights included:

Red Crossbill (at least 30 flying in small flocks this way and that, mostly in 
spruce, sometimes in Douglas-fir, occasionally in American Elm (I think the 
latter is either a site for bill cleansing of excess conifer cone pitch and/or 
perhaps feeding on European Elm Scale insects).  All sounded like Type 2s to me 
but it would not be that surprising if a few individuals of another type are 
present.

Rock Wren (1 exceptionally silent individual exploring square rocks with names 
on them stayed mostly east and just northeast of Section S the entire morning).

Spotted Towhee (1 male, not a regular visitor to the understory-challenged 
habitat of an urban cemetery)

Red-tailed Hawk (1st dark morph of the winter, soaring with vultures)

Pine Siskin (at least 25, big influx since mid-August, occasionally in with 
crossbills)

Chipping Sparrow (few adults, several juveniles)

Clay-colored Sparrow (1 mixed in with the Chippies)

Cordilleran Flycatcher (1, working the interior crown of a large American Elm 
near Section S)

Wilson's Warbler (at least 6, mostly in elms)

Western Wood-Pewee (at least 4)

Turkey Vulture (3 slowly working their way from w to e)

Hairy Woodpecker (heard, first one at this site since spring, probably an 
elevational migrant)

House Finches and Fox Squirrels are biting the nipplegalls off hackberry leaves 
to get at the plump psyllid nymph morsels inside (which means adult psyllid 
emergence is at least 2-3 weeks away).  I am guessing early October for the 
peak of hackberry action at this site, which means once again it will be only 
available to late migrants (warblers and such that travel with Yellow-rumps).

Thought I once heard a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and believe I saw a couple 
warblers (or the same individual twice) that was not a Wilson's (perhaps a drab 
Yellow-rump or possibly even a Blackpoll).

Total of 30 species, which is about 6-8 spp. over the average for this time of 
year.

Birders who visit this site should be on their toes for things like mountain 
jays, Pygmy Nuthatch, Mountain Chickadee, Townsend's Solitaire, kinglets, very 
high-flying swifts that aren't Chimneys, and sapsuckers, as they are all 
possible, maybe even likely in the next couple weeks.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins


  

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[cobirds] Crom Lake (Weld) on 9/5

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I neglected to mention that yesterday on my return from Crow Valley I stopped 
at Crom Lake (Weld CR31 just south of 90Road (= just west of the town of 
Pierce)).  On the west side of the road (east side essentially all dried up) 
was a nice group of about 20 Stilt Sandpipers, one Baird's Sandpiper, and one 
Least Sandpiper, along with a throng of swallows (99% Barn, but also present 
was at least one Cliff (studied well, possibility of it being Cave Swallow 
eliminated) and one brown swallow that appeared to have white surrounding the 
eye (Violet-green?) but I am still leaning toward young Bank).  The light was 
horrible (that's my excuse for not being sure about the swallows and I'm 
sticking to it).

Also, given the fact people have been seeing southbound kettles of Swainson's 
Hawks in southeastern CO numbering over 100 individuals, it is interesting that 
a good number still exist in northeastern CO.  That will soon change.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Crow Valley 9/5PM (Weld)

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

It was fairly slow at Crow Valley Campground (Weld) this afternoon but I did 
run into the following birds of modest note:

Dusky Flycatcher (2)
American Redstart (1f)
Cordilleran Flycatcher (1)
Warbling Vireo (1) saw it catch and eat a green lacewing, plus a good-sized 
unidentified caterpillar (in S. elm)
Townsend's Warbler (1)
Blackpoll Warbler (1)
Cassin's Vireo (1)
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Cassin's Kingbird
Swainson's Thrush (1)
Wilson 's Warbler (at least 6)
Orange-crowned Warbler (2)

Total of 39 species

The nuthatch, vireos, thrush, Townsend's and Blackpoll Warblers were in the 
Siberian Elm grove n of the Main Picnic Shelter, mostly feeding on European Elm 
Flea Weevils (I think).

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] Timnath Res (Larimer) Jaeger - NO

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Several people, including Jon Dunn, Bill Kaempfer, Sean Walters, and Ted Floyd, 
searched in vain for the jaeger reported shortly after 11am this morning at 
Timnath Reservoir (Larimer) by Gary Lefko.  Apparently the jaeger, as jaegers 
often seem to do, has moved on from Timnath Reservoir.  It should be looked for 
at other nearby bodies of water.  This is within the window when Long-tailed is 
perhaps the expected species.  An adult Long-tailed was seen yesterday on 
Ogallalah Res near Lake McConaughy in western NE on a CFO Convention field trip 
led by John Vanderpoel.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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RE: [cobirds] Re: Boulder County, July 30

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Scott, David, et al,
Re crossbills at lower elevations, and cone crops in general, I would say the 
following:

Conifers produce cone crops at fairly irregular intervals, with what nursery 
people refer to as bumper crops occurring only every 3-5 years for most 
species of coniferous tree (in Colorado that would be pines, spruces, true 
firs, and Douglas-fir).  Heavy cone crops can be triggered by both moisture 
(i.e. good growing conditions) and stress (i.e. bad growing conditions).  
If the stress is bad enough, and the plant has a physiological sense it might 
die, available energy can be, and often is, put into cone production as the 
best means of sustaining the species.  Last winter and the months hence have 
generally had good moisture over wide areas of the Colorado mountains, so, as 
David suggests, cone production this year is mostly in response to good 
conditions.  

Most conifer cones take one to two years to mature and produce viable seeds.  
Cone production starts in late spring after pollination of female cones (called 
strobili) by pollen from male strobili.  The resulting seed-bearing cones 
develop during the summer, and the future inventory available for 
exploitation the following winter (or the winter after that) becomes evident 
about this time of year.  Thus, crossbills which are highly dependant on such a 
widely scattered, both geographically and temporally, resource as cones, need 
to engage in extensive scouting.  Type 2 Red Crossbills dependent on ponderosa 
pine apparently have the ability to differentiate between 1-year old (unripe) 
and 2-year old (ripe) cones during scouting.  I am not sure if this is done 
visually while on the wing (conifer cones are concentrated in tree tops AND the 
color of these two ages of cones ARE different), or if they have to stop and 
examine things/sample things more closely.  Regardless of what exactly it 
entails, in my experience, much scouting occurs from mid-July thru the onset of 
winter (November-early December).  How scouts convey information to the general 
population of crossbills is also a mystery, at least to me.  But if you've ever 
watched a group of crossbills quietly feeding atop a conifer, and then heard 
one of them begin to call (I'm having a tougher and tougher time over here 
finding seeds easily, I say we move on, or, Is it just me, or do you guys 
feel Merlin eyes beating down on you?, or whatever it is they say), followed 
by a crescendo of the others calling in agreement, followed by them all flying 
off, they are obviously able to vocally convey information.

Whether we see conspicuous numbers of crossbills in the foothills or out on the 
plains probably depends a lot on the situation in the mountains.  If cone crops 
are good everywhere in the mountains, not much scouting elsewhere will be 
necessary.  But I would wager, diligent observation would result in at least a 
few sightings in almost every county on the eastern plains, and that if they 
occur, July-October would be the most likely time to see out-of-the-mountain 
wandering crossbills (and corvids, which also eat a lot of conifer seeds).  

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2014 13:29:08 -0700
From: dave...@gmail.com
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com
Subject: [cobirds] Re: Boulder County, July 30

Scott:
I haven't encountered any in town yet but did find some low down in Skunk 
Canyon (southwest Boulder) yesterday.  In general, Red Crossbills are seemingly 
everywhere in the northern Colorado mountains this summer (based on my own 
observations plus the number of red dots -- recent reports -- on ebird).  Has 
the deep soil moisture built up during the previous 10 months resulted in a 
good cone crop?
David DowellLongmont, CO

On Wednesday, July 30, 2014 12:54:57 PM UTC-6, Scott Baron wrote:
Also, has anyone had Red Crossbills in areas outside the mountains recently?  I 
think I heard them as flyovers a few times this Monday and Tuesday in the city 
of Boulder.

Scott Baron
Loveland, Colo.






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RE: [cobirds] Two missing birds for CO.

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Gary, 
The only thing I would add to what has already been said is that of the 
resident passerines, perhaps only crossbills are more hidden pea trick from 
year to year than corvids.  I think the common denominator here is a heavy 
reliance on conifer seeds.  Since most conifers only have a good-to-bumper cone 
crop every 3-5 years, these bird groups, which are both highly nomadic as a 
direct consequence of their diets, don't really care if they hang out in an 
eBird hotspot.  Factors which affect the cone crop are mostly weather related 
and involve the amounts, timing, and extremes of things like moisture and 
temperature.  This can make some of the target corvids hard to find in certain 
seasons and years, except, as noted, at modified habitats like campgrounds, 
picnic areas, pull-offs and other human creations where handouts/scraps can be 
expected.  The latter has apparently and unfortunately become an important diet 
supplement for mountain corvids.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins (presently in Lamar gawking at the water puddled or rushing in odd 
places like everybody else)

PS - I vote for Rufous-backed Robin and Wheatear.

Subject: Re: [cobirds] Two missing birds for CO.
From: garybro...@comcast.net
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 10:58:33 -0600
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com

To all who provided thoughts about the CLNU and GRJA -- thanks!
The ranger speculated that the late snow-melt meant that picnickers weren't 
able to draw the birds to the picnic areas.
Thanks for the eBird data.  I didn't have access to that up in the mountains -- 
and hadn't checked it since I returned home.
Gary BrowerEnglewood, CO
On Jul 15, 2014, at 9:52 AM, Jim Nelson kingfishe...@verizon.net wrote:



Prompted by Gary's and Derek's observations concerning Gray Jays and 
Clark's Nutcrackers, I checked eBird for the Rocky Mountain National Park area 
for this year and past years.  At least as far as reported observations in 
eBird, Clark's Nutcrackers are being reported in and around RMNP this year in 
numbers comparable to past years, but Gray Jays aren't being reported as much 
this year as in some past years.  With more and more data, eBird is very 
useful for checking things like this.
 
Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland


 

From: Derek Hill 
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2014 11:30 PM
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com 
Subject: [cobirds] Re: Two missing birds for CO.
 

To add to Gary's observation, I spent several days in the Fraser 
Valley, Grand Co. over the last month, and an afternoon tour through RMNP along 
Trail Ridge Rd., and throughout all the traveling, hiking, biking, and camping 
I 
was surprised at the lack of birds (and also no GRJA or CLNU in RMNP). Granted 
our drive through RMNP was pretty direct with no woodland hiking, and much of 
the time in Fraser Valley was spent with family and a wedding, but it was 
somewhat disappointing birdwise. Hardly needed to carry binocs for the lack of 
birds, and I wondered if it was the pine bark beetle damage. Though I have very 
little experience summer birding in the mountains and not sure if my perception 
of lack of birds is accurate for that locale/season. However with all the 
wildflowers, lepidoptera, other wildlife, and awesome scenery it took me a 
while 
to wonder where the birds were!

Good birding,
Derek Hill
Fort 
Collins

On Monday, July 14, 2014 8:03:34 PM UTC-6, Gary Brower wrote: 
All, 
  

A different take on this thread. 

I spent the weekend in RMNP, 
  and saw no/zero/nada/zip Gray Jays or Clark's Nutcrackers.  I talked a 
  volunteer at Lake Irene; she had noticed the same thing.  And I spoke 
  with a ranger at Kawuneeche Visitor Center who had the same 
  report.   

Any thoughts?  (The ranger suspected it was 
  because the snow melted so late.) 

Gary Brower 
Englewood, CO 
  

PSBy the way, I did see two 
  WTPT's (perhaps male and female, as they were in pretty close proximity to 
one 
  another) at the Rock Cut on Trail Ridge Rd, and a female-on-the-nest 
  Broad-tailed Hummer at Lily Lake.-- 
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[cobirds] Eastern Wood-Pewee, Fort Collins (Larimer)

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

The Eastern Wood-Pewee first reported by Joe Mammoser along the Poudre River 
north of Prospect is still present.  This morning it started singing on a 
regular basis about 8:20am west of the bike trail on the west side of the river 
in a lush tall cottonwood grove west of the Cattail Chorus sign (Yellow-headed 
Blackbird on this sign) and spur trail that goes west from the main trail up to 
benches on a little hill.  It watched with envy as an Eastern Kingbird sallied 
forth from this same grove and easily caught a Blue-eyed Darner dragonfly, 
sallied back and ate it for breakfast.  Ever try to catch a darner?  Not as 
easy as the kingbird made it look.  Thanks to Joe for initially finding and 
reporting the pewee.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
  

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[cobirds] various (Larimer, Weld, Clear Creek) of late

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

There is a phenomenon on-going involving evening primrose (a white-flowered 
species of Oencantha), the white-lined sphinx moth (Hylea lineata), and birds.  
Caterpillars of the moth are gorging on the abundant plant, which, in response 
to much-needed rains, blanketed the northern prairies of Larimer and Weld 
Counties with blooms in this late spring.  The caterpillars in spots have 
out-stripped the sparse leaves of this plant and are wandering in search of 
more leaves to complete their development.  If they make it to adulthood, they 
turn into what many call a hummingbird moth, familiar to most of us as they 
hover about ornamental flowers at dusk (they are boldly marked with dark brown 
and white, with mostly pink hindwings, long proboscis, ghostlike).  
Technically, other sphinx moths are more properly called hummingbird moths, but 
this post isn't technical.  Above I said, If they make it... because birds, 
and I suspect other potential predators, make the completion of their 
metamorphosis less than a sure thing.  So far, during this spate of hundreds 
(thousands?) of caterpillars wandering across roads in Larimer and Weld, birds 
of many species are cashing in on the bounty.  To date I have seen House 
Sparrow, Lark Buntings, Horned Larks, Western Meadowlarks, and McCown's 
Longspurs involved.  I have a good photo of a female McCown's Longspur subduing 
a caterpillar taken on 6/30, if anyone would want to see it.  I suspect this 
will be subject of The Hungry Bird in Colorado Birds at some point, so you 
will see this photo again.

One good place to see the caterpillars and bird response, including McCown's 
Longspurs, is CR5 north of Buckeye Road (the exit on I-25 near the WY line one 
would take for Hamilton Reservoir near the Rawhide Power Plant).  Go west on 
Buckeye Road from I-25, cross the RR tracks, and take the first county road 
north.  Note that normally one could hit CR29 at the north terminus of CR5 and 
go east to I-25 at the Carr Exit, but the other day there was bridge out which 
prevents this (was out on 6/30, may be fixed now).

Also, longspurs of any type are somewhat hard to find this year on the northern 
prairie.  While wandering aimlessly on 6/30, I had good numbers of McCown's of 
all sexes and ages on Weld CR120 between 55 and 67.  I have yet to find a 
Chestnut-collared, but surely they are out there, too, albeit fairly locally.  
I note where Gary Lefko reported them on a Pawnee BBS without details.

There are 4 female type Barrow's Goldeneyes on Echo Lake (Clear Creek) as of 
6/26, first reported by John Breitsch on 6/24.  A dusky Fox Sparrow was singing 
about a half mile west of the Guanella Pass Summit (Clear Creek) on 6/26.  Gray 
Jays and Clark's Nutcrackers were east of Echo Lake at the campground on 6/26.  
We did not find Pine Grosbeaks but Doug Kibbe, who we ran into, said he had 
seen two in the campground on 6/26.  From public parking for the trailhead near 
the campground host campsite looking north, we had 3 Band-tailed Pigeons either 
flying over or perched in distant dead conifers.  Lots of Red Crossbills on 
Squaw Pass Road (SR103) between Echo Lake and Squaw Pass itself (Clear Creek).  
Also Gray Jays in the picnic areas along this road.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins


  

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