from:"Jim Nelson"

Re: [cobirds] Yard list questions: How many of CO's 520 species have been seen (or heard) from a yard?

2024-03-11 Thread 'Jim Nelson' via Colorado Birds

 Thomas,
A great idea.
I'm a Maryland resident, but we have a vacation home just outside Estes Park, 
Larimer County.  The house is west of downtown Estes Park surrounded by mainly 
ponderosa pine on the northwest-facing slope of a small "mountain" at about 
7,600 feet above sea level.
I've been keeping a yard list there for 43 years, since July 1981 (around the 
same time my wife and I started birding).  At that time the home was owned by 
my parents, and we would visit from Maryland in the summers.  When I first 
started using eBird in March 2006, I uploaded all my old checklists.  Until 
2009, most of the eBird checklists were from July and August visits.  After my 
father passed away we took over the home and began spending more time there in 
other months as well, and the number of visits, eBird checklists, and species 
increased.  I usually do a couple of eBird checklists from the house each day 
that we are there.  My total of eBird checklists from the house stands at 949.
I am a dedicated lister at the house.
My observations are of birds seen or heard from the house and small yard.  We 
maintain a handful of feeders and bird baths.  In good weather, most of the 
observations are from the deck.  My yard list stands at 90, which is pretty 
respectable given the location and the viewshed we have.  Two of my 90 species 
have not been accepted by eBird reviewers (Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Pacific 
Wren, notwithstanding my detailed writeups that, unfortunately, lacked photos 
or audio support).  I think it would be best, for consistency, to only count 
species that have been accepted by eBird, so I will claim only 88 species on my 
yard list.
As far as rarest species, those two unaccepted species would be the ones.  
Otherwise, I have been fortunate to have a good variety of flyover species, 
including lots of water-associated species because we aren't too far from the 
Big Thompson River and Lake Estes.  Our favorite avian visitors are the 
resident Wild Turkey flock that roams neighborhoods on this side of Estes Park. 
 It's fun to watch them scratching under our feeders like really big chickens!  
In recent years, a resident pair of Great Horned Owls have been heard calling 
and sometimes are seen roosting in trees visible from our deck.  And a few 
years back we were lucky to have a Northern Pygmy-Owl sitting in a tree above 
our deck.  Considering our habitat and location, I am fortunate to have seven 
warbler species on my yard list.
Thanks for doing this.
Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland
On Monday, March 11, 2024 at 12:40:41 PM EDT, Thomas Heinrich 
 wrote:  
 
 Hi all,
Every now and then one of us will share the excitement of adding a rarity or 
new species to a yard list, report yard list totals, or comment on local 
trends. And some of the lists, and variety of species, are really impressive 
(e.g. David Suddjian's, Gary Lefko's). 
Yellow Grosbeak, Pyrrhuloxia, Streak-backed Oriole, Long-billed Thrasher, 
Costa's Hummingbird, Laurence's Goldfinch, and even Anhinga come to mind as 
rarities that have shown up in or been observed from yards. (Perhaps the recent 
Brambling, too?)

As a pretty obsessive yard lister (i.e. binocs always on, camera ready when 
outdoors, much of the time indoors too), I often wonder about others' 
experience with yard-listing. 

How long have you been keeping your list?What's your style of yard listing: 
casual, mainly feeder watching, moderate, dedicated, obsessed?How many species?
Rarest, or favorite species?Most memorable experience?Location/habitat: urban, 
suburban, rural, etc?
And the big question: if we tallied up all our yard lists, how close to 
Colorado's 520 species could we get?
It seems likely that certain families would be less well-represented; 
shorebirds, waterfowl, and gulls, for example. But with neighborhoods lining 
bodies of water such as Boyd Lake, Lake Loveland, Marston Reservoir, Jackson 
Lake, and MacIntosh Lake (in Boulder), among many others, many of those species 
theoretically could have been counted on a yard list. Maybe some lucky person 
living on the shores of Boyd Lake has Long-tailed Jaeger, Slaty-backed Gull, 
and Garganey on their yard list!
Wishing all good health, good birding, and an exciting Spring migration!
--Thomas Heinrich

My answers to the questions above:15 yearsDedicated to obsessive 152 
speciesWood Thrush, Yellow-throated Warbler, N Cardinal, Common Redpoll, 
Bohemian WaxwingWatching spring raptor migration from the roof-top, 35 
Broad-winged Hawks among 130 raptors of 10 species on one high-flow day 
(4/18/2020)Interface between suburban and open space, base of foothills, el. 
5600'
-- 
Thomas Heinrich
Boulder, CO
teheinr...@gmail.com
www.pbase.com/birdercellist

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[cobirds] Magnolia Warblers, Matthews-Reeser Bird Scantuary, Estes Park, Larimer Co. 5/21

2021-05-21 Thread 'Jim Nelson' via Colorado Birds

Enjoying our first visit to Colorado in 18 months, it's been nice to get back 
to birding in the Estes Park area.
I was birding later in the afternon today, May 21, in the Matthews-Reeser 
Sanctuary at Lake Estes.  It was slow for a while, then, as often happens, a 
flurry of activity at the place where there is a break in the rail fence to 
allow access to the golf course.  I suddenly realized I was seeing two Magnolia 
Warblers, a male and a female moving around, both in the area behind the fence 
east of the cut-through and then across the paved trail into the area I think 
is referred to locally as "pine point."  I remember seeing a couple of 
sightings reported a few days ago on the eBird rare bird alert, and another 
birder told me yesterday, when I was also birding at this location, that they 
had been seen yesterday morning.  I tried checking eBird for the most recent 
sightings just now, but it is balky.
In any event, given their rarity, these may be continuing birds from the 
earlier reports.  Since at least one was still around about 4:15 as I walked 
back to my car, and this does not appear to be a good night for migrating, I 
think one or both may be around tomorrow as well.
Other highlights of our visit over the last two days including an amazing 
fallout of Yellow-rumped Warblers at Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park 
this morning, literally dozens of birds in view a the same time as we walked 
around the lake, seeing the nesting Osprey pair at Lake Estes with the male 
aggressively attacking a Turkey Vulture yesterday, a tom Turkey standing on 
Bear Lake Raoad in RMNP last evening displaying to two hens feeding on the 
other side of the road, ignoring the stopping cars, and Great Horned Owls with 
nestlings in the same tree on the west side of Estes Park where I last saw them 
two years ago (pre-pandemic).  While birding this afternoon at Lake Estes, I 
met a visiting birder from Paraguay who was seeing many species for the first 
time.  Always fun to share that experience as I got to show him some local 
birds and help him with names.
Looking forward to more great birds in the coming days
Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland

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Re: [cobirds] Mute Swans

2021-02-09 Thread 'Jim Nelson' via Colorado Birds

The Broadmoor has had resident Mute Swans for many years, their birds, 
not wild.  For those who use eBird, if you "Explore Species" for Mute 
Swan in El Paso County, you won't see any sightings, though many of us 
have reported the Broadmoor birds, because they are not wild and, 
therefore, correctly not accepted by the eBird reviewers.  If you scan 
north from El Paso County, you will see many sightings from Arapahoe 
County north and then also some to the west that have been accepted.


Jim Nelson

Bethesda, Maryland

On 2/9/2021 4:28 PM, Marie Hoerner wrote:
I believe someone posted a couple of weeks ago that they are the 
Broadmoor's birds (they spoke with someone at the Broadmoor to find 
out).  They're still beautiful birds, though!


Marie Hoerner
Colorado Springs, El Paso County

On Tue, Feb 9, 2021 at 2:12 PM Joan Larrabee <mailto:djlarra...@hotmail.com>> wrote:


Today, Feb 8, I saw the Mute Swans at the lake at the Broadmoor in
Colorado Springs, El Paso County. How do we know they are wild
birds and not permanent birds at the Broadmoor?

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[cobirds] Interesting Crow Observation, Estes Park, Larimer Co.

2019-11-30 Thread 'Jim Nelson' via Colorado Birds

We're enjoying a nice wintry Thanksgiving visit at our place in Estes Park. 
I want to share an interesting observation.  On this very windy and cold 
Saturday morning I eschewed my usual morning walk down to buy the newspaper (a 
daily excuse to do some early birding) and drove instead.  On the way back to 
our home, I saw well over 20 American Crows in the road up ahead.  I assumed 
they were feeding on road kill, so I drove up slowly.  They flew off and all I 
could see was a large quantify of sand on the pavement, presumably spread by 
the highway folks after the 15 inches of snow we got on Monday/Tuesday.  My 
guess is that the crows were ingesting the sand as grit for their crops.  I 
have seen groups of small birds doing this on occasion, but it was very 
interesting first for me to see the highly social crows engaged in this 
communal behavior.
Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Canyon Wrens, Gem Lake RMNP, Larimer Co. 11/16

2019-11-17 Thread 'Jim Nelson' via Colorado Birds

I'm not in Colorado right now, but I'm passing along a sighting of two Canyon 
Wrens, singing, on the Gem Lake Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park.  Our 
daughter and some friends hiked the trail on Saturday and got to see and hear 
the birds.  eBird shows Canyon Wrens aren't reported up in this area near Estes 
Park by mid-November.
Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Nashville Warbler Estes Park, Larimer Co, and other observations

2019-09-02 Thread 'Jim Nelson' via Colorado Birds

We are enjoying another nice visit to the Estes Park area.  I haven't had 
anything noteworthy to post until today, though I have been seeing lots of good 
birds.
Each morning I take an early long walk around the west end of Estes Park to 
bird and buy a newspaper.  On this morning's walk, I was pleased to find a 
bright male Nashville Warbler feeding in stream-side vegetation along the Big 
Thompson River where Mary's Lake Road crosses the River.  This area of riparian 
habitat is behind The Other Side Restaurant and opposite the Spruce Lake RV 
Park.  I have had two other sightings of Nashville Warbler in Estes Park over 
the years, one at this very location on September 9, 2012, and another at Lake 
Estes on September 4, 2014.
On this visit, which began on August 27, I have been amazed at the substantial 
numbers of Red-breasted Nuthatches I have seen and heard all over the Estes 
Park area, including three visiting our feeders and bird baths in our back yard 
every day.
The other big surprise is the large numbers of Red Crossbills I have been 
seeing and hearing all over the area, including fairly regular visits to our 
bird baths.  To the extent I have heard vocalizations, they all seem to be Type 
2.  So far I have not been able to record any sounds.
It seems from these observations that both the nuthatches and the crossbills 
had good breeding success this year.
Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Chestnut-sided Warbler, Lake Estes area, Larimer Co.

2019-05-26 Thread 'Jim Nelson' via Colorado Birds

Enjoying a nice visit at our vacation home in Estes Park, I've been tracking
the influx of migrants iton the Estes Park area since we arrived last Tuesday
to several days of snow and cold.
Today during a late morning walk at Lake Estes and the Matthews-Reeser Bird
Sanctuary at the Lake, we met a birder couple visiting from California who had
a warbler in view and were trying to identify it. I was pleased to see it was
a female Chestnut-sided Warbler and to introduce them to a lifer. The bird was
inside the fenced-off area just east of the opening in the protective wooden
fencing that allows access to the golf course from the trail through the
Sanctuary.
It was interesting to read all the reports of migrants seemingly waiting along
the Front Range foothills until the weather improved up here. I wasn't seeing
any warblers other than Yellow-rumped, no swallows, no Western Tanagers, no
flycatchers, no House Wrens, etc. up here in Estes Park until Friday when the
cold weather finally broke and the floodgates opened.
Always interesting to be here in the spring.
Jim NelsonBethesda, MD

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Re: [cobirds] Do we want an RBA

2018-12-06 Thread Jim Nelson

I should have said I value the listserv and the RBA, which is a great 
consolidation of what is being seen each day.  It is a "must-read" for me each 
day.
Jim Nelson

-Original Message-----
From: Jim Nelson 
To: cobirds 
Sent: Thu, Dec 6, 2018 12:09 pm
Subject: Re: [cobirds] Do we want an RBA

As an out-of-stater, who visits Colorado several times a year, I really value 
the listserv reports, even when I don't have a trip to Colorado pending.  They 
really help me keep track of what's going on.
When I am in Colorado, the reports can help me find good birds when I am in the 
right place.  I also try to post interesting sightings when I am fortunate 
enough to have them.
The listserv helps me feel like part of the community of Colorado birders, even 
when I'm not there.  And when I am lucky enough to meet local birders, I often 
recognize their names from the reports, and it is nice to put faces with names.
Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland

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Re: [cobirds] Do we want an RBA

2018-12-06 Thread Jim Nelson

As an out-of-stater, who visits Colorado several times a year, I really value 
the listserv reports, even when I don't have a trip to Colorado pending.  They 
really help me keep track of what's going on.
When I am in Colorado, the reports can help me find good birds when I am in the 
right place.  I also try to post interesting sightings when I am fortunate 
enough to have them.
The listserv helps me feel like part of the community of Colorado birders, even 
when I'm not there.  And when I am lucky enough to meet local birders, I often 
recognize their names from the reports, and it is nice to put faces with names.
Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland


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Re: [cobirds] Robin and Black-headed Grosbeak songs

2018-06-24 Thread Jim Nelson

Bob,

My wife and I had a similar experience also in RMNP at nearby Hollowell
Park on an evening walk in early June. There were many Robins in the
ponderosa pines uphill from the trail singing, and one was doing a very
Black-headed Grosbeak-like song. There were also some Black-headed
Grosbeaks around, mostly in the willows down by the stream, but some
flying up to the ponderosas. It is interesting to speculate whether
hearing Grosbeaks singing influences song development in nearby Robins.

Jim Nelson

Bethesda, Maryland

On 6/23/2018 6:30 PM, Bob Righter wrote:

Was I hearing the song from a Robin or was it from a Black-headed
Grosbeak?

I usually associate the song of the Black-headed Grosbeak as being
patterned like a Robin but embellished with various toots, whistles,
and slurred notes, delivered at slightly faster tempo. The Grosbeak’s
song is sometimes referred to as sounding like a revved up Robin.

On the east side of Moraine Park, in RMNP, I heard a song emanating
from a spruce-fir-ponderosa habitat, that to me sounded like a typical
Black-headed Grosbeak’s song. However wherever I looked in the
direction of the song all I could see were Robins.

From a patch of willows that were adjacent to the conifers I heard and
saw a Black-headed Grosbeak singing. Shortly it flew to a Douglas-fir
limb and continued singing for a short time.

What was I to think? Do Robins really have that range of song
diversity to sound like a Black-headed Grosbeak, could Robins and
Blacked Grosbeaks mimic each other’s song, like individuals from other
songbird families, or was I just hearing an odd, revved up Robin
singing?I’m inclined to believe I was hearing a revved up Robin that
coincidently was in the same neighborhood as the Black-headed Grosbeak.

That’s why birding is fun—one never knows where the next birding
dilemma will occur.

If any one would like to hear the recording I obtained, let me know as
I’d be delighted to send a copy, but it wouldn’t be until next week,
as I have to download the file to the computer, which is in Denver.

Bob Righter

Denver, CO

Sent from my iPad
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Re: [cobirds] Starling mimicry of Eastern Wood-Pewee

2018-06-02 Thread Jim Nelson


Eric,


I live in Maryland, and nearly every spring when I think I'm hearing my first 
Eastern Pewee of the year, I realize that it is one of the local Starlings 
instead.  The Pewee sound is fairly common among our Maryland Starlings.  In 
the Birds of North America online article on European Starlings, the Starling's 
mimicry skills are noted and includes the following specific statement -- "In 
North America, commonly heard mimicries include the Eastern Wood-Pewee...".  
The interesting thing in my suburban neighborhood just outside Washington, DC, 
is that Eastern Pewee is not very common at all, but I hear Starlings doing 
Pewee imitations every Spring before the Pewees arrive.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland



-Original Message-
From: Eric DeFonso 
To: cobirds 
Sent: Sat, Jun 2, 2018 7:35 am
Subject: [cobirds] Starling mimicry of Eastern Wood-Pewee



Hi folks,


I meant to mention this earlier, but about a week ago during a brief trip out 
to Tamarack Ranch SWA, I got a visual confirmation of a European Starling doing 
an amazing mimicry of Eastern Wood-Pewee.


For about half an hour I was convinced I was hearing a real Eastern singing 
from somewhere in the woods just out of sight, although I also noticed that I 
was only hearing a portion of the full song. I was hearing a convincing 
rendition of the initial 'pee-ur' phrase every so often, but never 
hearing the subsequent downslurred 'pee-urrr'. Eventually I 'got close' to 
the pewee and my heart sank as I realized there were a disturbing number of 
starlings around. And finally, in the bins, I saw the culprit actually vocalize 
the phrase. The tonal quality of the mimicry was outstanding, and I mean right 
on the button. I wouldn't have thought it possible, except in recent weeks I've 
also heard starlings do outstanding mimics of Common Nighthawks, White-crowned 
Sparrows, Black-billed Magpies, and so on.


I offer this just as a cautionary note that any Eastern Wood-Pewee song heard 
at Tamarack Ranch should be investigated thoroughly. Sure, it's true that the 
starling had to learn the song from someone who could actually be present, and 
Eastern Wood-Pewee is certainly a probably find there. But just beware that 
starlings know this and will deceive you if you don't catch them in the act.





---
Eric DeFonso
Coal Creek Canyon, Jefferson County, CO (at exactly 8,000' ASL)





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[cobirds] Possible Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Estes Park, Larimer Co. 5/31

2018-05-31 Thread Jim Nelson

Continuing our visit in Estes Park, I took my regular early morning walk on the
west end of town to bird and buy the Denver Post. At the intersection of Lower
Broadview and Marys Lake Road, I saw a bright green male hummingbird with a
ruby-red gorget feeding on a low flower near the road. I was looking down at
the bird from no more than 10 feet away. What immediately struck me was the
lack of a wing trill as the bird hovered while feeding and when it flew away.
All the male Broad-tailed Hummingbirds I have ever observed have the wing trill
when hovering to feed and when flying. This is not a voluntary sound since it
results from the structure of the wing. The bird guides note that the trill
may be absent in the fall due to feather wear. The species account in Birds of
North America online notes --"Trill is naturally muted by wear, often inaudible
by midwinter." But this bird is flying around in May.

The bird flew out of sight before I could get my camera ready. I am very
familiar with Ruby-throated Hummingbirds from observations at home in Maryland
(our only regular hummer). My brief observation and angle of view did not
allow me to note key field marks like the coloring of the breast and armpits,
the shape of the tail, and whether the bird had a black "chinstrap" at the top
of its gorget which would distinguish it from a Broad-tailed Hummingbird. My
quick impression of the "jizz" of the bird was Ruby-throated.

So my question for seasoned Colorado birders is whether folks have observed
spring male Broad-tailed Hummingbirds that do not produce the wing trill.

For now, I have entered this hummer in eBird as "hummingbird sp." but I might
change that based on what I hear from you.

Thanks.

Jim Nelson

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[cobirds] Cassin's Kingbird, Estes Park, Larimer Co. 5/28

2018-05-28 Thread Jim Nelson

We've been enjoying a nice late spring visit to Estes Park.

About 5:00 this afternoon, after the rain stopped, I stepped out on the deck of
our vacation home to see what birds would be around. I immediately heard a two
note call I did not recognize. After scanning the ponderosa pines where the
sound was coming from, I spotted the bird in the top of a pine across the road.
It was gray on top and around the head and chest and yellow underneath. My
first thought was Western Flycatcher, but I realized the sound was not like any
I had ever heard from a Western. I also noted that the head and chest were a
darker gray than I would expect for a Western with a lighter area under the
chin. My thought went to Cassin's Kingbird because I have been reading reports
on the Colorado listservs and the eBird rare bird alerts about Cassin's being
seen.

The bird flew off before I could get a decent photo or try to record the call.
Checking the bird guide descriptions and illustrations and listening to calls
on my phone app for the kingbirds and other flycatchers with variations of gray
or brown upperparts and yellow underparts, I was able to confirm that it could
only be a Cassin's Kingbird giving the characteristic "chi-bew", "chi-beer", or
"CHI-Vrrr" (depending on the bird guide description) call.

Coolest thing is that this is a life bird for my wife and me. Great to find it
at our Colorado house.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Cassin's Kingbird, Estes Park, Larimer Co. 5/28

2018-05-28 Thread Jim Nelson

We've been enjoying a nice late spring visit to Estes Park.

Coolest thing is that this is a life bird for my wife and me. Great to find it
at our Colorado house.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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Re: [cobirds] Golden-crowned Sparrow in May?

2018-05-13 Thread Jim Nelson

Joey,

Intrigued by your question, I used "Explore -- Species Maps" in eBird
and searched for Golden-crowned Sparrow records in Colorado May to
September and found a scattering of records in May over the years: the
Red Rocks bird was present several years in early to mid-May; another in
the Tamarack State Ranch area in early May 2016; another at Lathrop
State Park in early May 2005; another at the Stulp farm near Lamar in
mid-May 2013; and and another at Burchfield State Wildlife Area in Baca
County in early May 2014. There is also a Colorado Bird Records
Committee record in eBird of a bird at Colorado City in late September
1989. Nothing in eBird between mid-May and late September.

Jim Nelson

Bethesda, Maryland

On 5/12/2018 11:57 PM, Joey Kellner wrote:
On today's Chatfield Spring Count Steve Stachowiak and I identified
(not hard) an adult Golden-crowned Sparrow along the Highland Canal
east of the Douglas County parking lot on Roxburough Road just north
of the Highland Canal (and south of the Chatfield pay station).

Question, does ANYONE know of a non-fall/winter Golden-crowned Sparrow
in Colorado?

We thought it was pretty outstanding!

Joey.

Joey Kellner
Littleton, Colorado
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[cobirds] Singing Am. Dipper at Lake Estes, Larimer Co.

2018-02-16 Thread Jim Nelson

Enjoying a nice winter visit to Estes Park, I had a very windy walk at Lake 
Estes this afternoon.  Just east of the Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary, in the 
Big Thompson right by trail by the Lake, I had a male American Dipper singing 
his heart out.  This is the first time I've heard one sing.  A real treat.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Red-breasted Sapsucker -- thanks Colorado birders and sapsucker neighbors

2017-12-28 Thread Jim Nelson

Nearly at the end of a holiday visit to Colorado to see family, I was lucky to
be in Colorado Springs for a less than 24-hour stay. We were in Estes Park the
rest of our visit as I read listserv posts and saw eBird Rare Bird Alerts for
the Red-breasted Sapsucker expecting the bird to disappear just as we made it
to Colorado Springs.

We got in too late on Wednesday to try for the bird. I saw reports from
Wednesday, so this morning during a 45-minute window I had available to try for
the bird before needing to check out from our motel and head to an appointment,
I arrived at Mirada Road with no birders in sight (bad sign?). I am usually
the kiss of death for unusual birds. I almost always miss the target when I go
in search of a bird that dozens of birders have seen over several days. So I
had low expectations for success today.

Three other birders arrived within a few minutes, none of whom had seen the
bird in previous tries, and we were wandering up and own Mirada looking for the
sapsucker with no success. The clock was ticking. My stroke of luck was to
stand in front of the house of a very nice woman (Carol, who Norm Lewis
mentioned yesterday) scanning various pines with my binoculars. Carol came out
her door, coffee cup in hand, and asked if I had seen the bird. When I said
"no," she told me to wait a minute and she would take me to where she was sure
it would be. She walked me back up Mirada where we gathered the other three
folks and entered the HOA's open space with Carol, her so, and (I believe)
daughter-in-law. And there was the bird. We all had great views and enjoyed
sharing the special experience.

I added a lifer (thanks to friendly Coloradans, birders and non-birders) and
made it back in time to check out and go to our appointment. Couldn't ask for
a better experience and a great end to our holiday visit as we fly back east
tomorrow.

Thanks David T. for the great find and all who helped me and other birders see
this great bird.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Singing Dickcissels, Bear Creek Park East, Colorado Springs, El Paso Co. 6/26

2017-06-26 Thread Jim Nelson

Enjoying another visit to Colorado and seeing family in Colorado Springs, I 
birded Bear Creek Park East this morning.  I was surprised to find five singing 
male Dickcissels in the large field south of the community gardens, running 
from the power line west to 21st Street.  A new Colorado species for me.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Snowbirding in Estes Park, more first of season species, Larimer Co.

2017-04-29 Thread Jim Nelson

I decided to do my usual late ,afternoon walk at Lake Estes today in the cold
snow showers. I wasn't expecting any large birds, and saw none other than
Canada Goose, Mallard, American Crow, Common Raven, and Turkey Vulture. The
highlights were the many small birds feeding in bare areas along the shore and
in sheltered areas. Of particular note were a Green-tailed Towhee and two
Hermit Thrush, firsts for the Estes Park area this year in eBird and a
White-crowned Sparrow, with only one previous eBird report from March. At one
point, the Towhee was feeding right at my feet with one of the Hermit Thrush
three feet away.

A real treat was seeing many bright Yellow-rumped Warblers (both Myrtle and
Audubon's) feeding in plain view along the shore and among the exposed rocks in
the water, accompanied by Western Bluebirds, American Pipit, Vesper Sparrow,
and Savannah Sparrow.

Worth the freezing fingers, toes, and nose. Of course it was in the 90's today
back home in Maryland.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] White-faced Ibis, Sheep Lakes, Rocky Mtn. Nat. Park, Larimer Co.

2017-04-28 Thread Jim Nelson

 Late this afternoon we decided to drive into Rocky Mountain National Park to 
see how it looked after our early afternoon snow (mostly melted in the late 
afternoon sun).  


It started snowing again as we drove.  We ended up at Sheep Lakes in Horseshoe 
Park around 5:30 and were surprised to find a White-faced Ibis feeding in the 
marsh of the largest of the three lakes, easily viewed from the road.  I found 
two observations for this location in eBird, one in May 2006 and one in April 
2012.  It was particularly interesting to find this bird at this location in 
RMNP after seeing one at Lake Estes yesterday.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Oops! Loggerhead Shrike at Lake Estes and other first arrivals in Estes Park, Larimer Co.

2017-04-28 Thread Jim Nelson

I reported yesterday seeing a Northern Shrike at Lake Estes. Nick Komar
kindly wrote and suggested it was late for Northern Shrike and asked whether it
could have been a Loggerhead Shrike. As I told Nick, I was still in winter
birding mode (experiencing a short snow squall at Lake Estes as I birded
yesterday), and was just expecting Northern Shrike. As soon as I read his
email, I realized the bird I had seen had a broad black mask, and, upon
checking my photos, I quickly realized it was a Loggerhead Shrike that I saw,
another first for this season in eBird for the Estes Park area.

This morning on my daily birding/newspaper buying walk, I found an
Orange-crowned Warbler, also a first for this season in the Estes Park area in
eBird. I also encountered a large movement of Chipping Sparrows in one
location, easily 20 birds moving through, as well as hearing a couple of males
singing along my route. One other person has reported Chipping Sparrows up
here in the last 4 days. So they are coming in now, just in time for the
predicted 6-12 inches of snow.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] White-faced Ibis and other season firsts, Lake Estes, Larimer Co. 4/27

2017-04-27 Thread Jim Nelson

My late afternoon walks at Lake Estes on this visit to Colorado have been uniformly productive with species not yet reported in the Estes Park area this season. This afternoon was no exception with a White-faced Ibis, a male Common Yellowthroat, two Savannah Sparrows, and a Wilson's Snipe, all not yet reported in eBird up here. The Common Yellowthroat is particularly interesting since the closest sighting in eBird this season is at Boulder Reservoir, but it is consistent with a handful of prior-year eBird sightings in the Estes Park area around this date. I also found a pair of Lesser Scaup and a Say's Phoebe, both reported once earlier this month from the Lake Estes area. I also found a Northern Shrike, with two March sightings at Lake Estes.I also think there was a Common Loon today as well, but the bird was too far down the lake to confirm with the magnification of my binoculars. I later drove to the other end of the lake, but the bird was no longer there.Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] More New Arrivals in Estes Park, Larimer Co.,

2017-04-25 Thread Jim Nelson

 Enjoying more first arrivals in the Estes Park, we walked late afternoon at 
Lake Estes and were awarded with an American Avocet, three pairs of Cinnamon 
Teal, a female Bufflehead, a Killdeer, and a Western Meadowlark, all firsts in 
eBird for the Estes Park area for this year but right on time based on 
prior-year reports in eBird.  One Willet was still present as well along with 
some American Pipits along the shore.  Met two friendly local birders at the 
lake. It's always a pleasure connecting with folks who share our interest.


This morning on my regular morning walk, I found two Horned Larks, right on 
time but not yet reported in eBird for the Estes Park area this year.


Everyday brings surprises.


Jim Nelson

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[cobirds] Band-tailed Pigeons and other new arrivals in Estes Park, Larimer County

2017-04-24 Thread Jim Nelson

Continuing to observe new arrivals in the Estes Park ares, on my daily walk to get the newspaper and count birds, I always check a specific house with feeders along my route.  Band-tailed Pigeons frequent these feeders when they are here in Estes Park.  The first ones of the season arrived today.  Checking eBird, the only other recorded sightings this season are in the Silverthorne area, Summit County to the south and west.  Checking prior-year sightings in eBird, I found only one instance of Band-tailed Pigeons arriving in the Estes Park area before this date, and only two for the month of April.  I also had one Vesper Sparrow and one Brown-headed Cowbird.  First reports in eBird for the Estes Park area this season but on time based on eBird reports from prior years.Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland



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[cobirds] Early shorebirds, Lake Estes, Larimar Co., Earth Day

2017-04-22 Thread Jim Nelson

Continuing to enjoy our April visit to Colorado in Estes Park, I took a late 
afternoon walk at Lake Estes.  I was surprised to find three species of 
shorebird -- a single Marbled Godwit (never reported for the Estes Park area in 
eBird), 4 Willet (only one other April report in eBird for this species in the 
Estes Park area -- April 24, 3013), and two Spotted Sandpipers (6 days earlier 
than the earliest prior reports in eBird for the Estes Park area).


Also had two Barn Swallows, the first in eBird for Estes Park this year.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Brown Thrasher and Lincoln's Sparrow, Estes Park, Larimer Co.

2017-04-21 Thread Jim Nelson

Continuing our nice April visit to Colorado, I took my regular early morning
walk today, a 2.4 mile loop from our vacation home on the west end of Estes
Park down to buy the daily newspaper and back. We have a lovely snowy
landscape this beautiful Friday morning up here. It was interesting to see
various birds in the snow including gaudy male "Mytle" Warblers in snow-covered
bushes. My biggest surprise came as I walked between Smokin' Dave's BBQ and
Taphouse and the adjacent Trout Haven. I always check around behind these two
establishments for interesting birds. Around Smokin' Dave's dumpster, I had
the usual scavengers, then out of a small bush by the dumpster, a Brown
Thrasher popped up and gave me a nice view before ducking into the bush. I had
to stalk it for about 15 minutes before it flew up into an aspen where I could
get decent photos for my eBird checklist. Checking eBird when I returned to
the house, I was very surprised to find so few other Brown Thrasher sightings
this month, all well and east and south of Larimer County. There were also
other sightings in eBird in February and March in Denver County, the closest to
where I am. Even looking at other years in eBird, this is the only April
thrasher up here and only a handful east of here on the plains. So it is
amazing that this bird made it up here already!

Yesterday on the same morning walk I found a Lincoln's Sparrow in the piece of
Rocky Mountain National Park land across Mary's Lake Road from "The Other
Side." This was the first one in eBird up here this season, though we ran into
Scott Rashid at Lake Estes two days ago, and he reported finding Lincoln's
Sparrow there. Here again, this is almost a week earlier than historical
reports in eBird for this species in the Estes Park area,

Always fun to see these first of season birds, and a real treat to have the
very early Brown Thrasher to report.

My eBird checklist with photos of the thrasher can be viewed at
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36144358

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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Re: [cobirds] Eagles, Herons and ebird codes. Longmont Area (Weld & Boulder)

2017-02-20 Thread Jim Nelson

Todd,

I agree with the earlier response that which code to use depends on the 
circumstances.

Here is how eBird defines several possibly applicable codes:

ON Confirmed--Occupied Nest -- Occupied nest presumed by parent entering and 
remaining, exchanging incubation duties, etc.  (Could be true for the Bald 
Eagles if they appear to be staying in the nest.  The recently published 
Colorado Breeding Bird Atlas lists January 1 as the beginning of the safe dates 
for Bald Eagle, and we do have two Bald Eagle pairs with eggs here in the 
District of Columbia.  Great Blue Heron safe dates start March 15.)

NB Confirmed/Probable--Nest Building -- Nest building at apparent nest site 
(should not be used for certain wrens, and other species that build dummy 
nests).  (This would apply if you see either species bringing nest materials or 
otherwise appearing to rehab a previous nest.)

N Probable--Visiting probable Nest site -- Visiting repeatedly probable nest 
site (primarily hole nesters).  (This would apply if they aren’t actively 
building but are visiting.  It sounds like this would require more than one 
observation at the same nest site.)

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

From: Todd Deininger 
Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2017 2:40 PM
To: co-birds 
Subject: [cobirds] Eagles, Herons and ebird codes. Longmont Area (Weld & 
Boulder)

I saw 20 eagles today SW and SE of Longmont. 2 were immature Golden Eagles and 
13 were immature Bald Eagles.  Two of the adult BE were perched on their nest. 
Also, at two different heronries  I had multiple Great Blue Herons perched in 
their nests. 

What breeding code, if any is this?

Also, Tundra Swans are still at Walden Ponds (Boulder).

-- 

Todd Deininger
Longmont, CO

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Re: RE: [cobirds] Interesting Crow behavior along the river today, Arapahoe County

2017-02-17 Thread Jim Nelson

Crows at our vacation home in Estes Park also soak prey items like small rodents or young birds before carrying them off, presumably to feed to nestlings.  I've wondered if it is a way to ensure the young getlots of water along with their food.  This can leave the bird bath pretty uninviting with residual entrails left behind.Jim NelsonBethesda,    On 02/17/17, Kay Niyo wrote: When I lived on Bear Mt at 8200’ a few years ago, my resident crows soaked lots of bread in my bird bath on my deck.  They also brought potato chips and soaked them!  There were very few homes on large acreages up there so I have no idea where they were getting all the potato chips!  Someone must have been feeding them!  When they had young in the nest, the soaking activity increased.  They would soak the food and then fly to the nearby nest in a giant ponderosa pine.  I had to clean out and refresh the water in the bird bath daily!  Fun observations! Kay Kayleen A. Niyo, Ph.D.Niyo Scientific Communications5651 Garnet St.Golden, CO 80403303.679.6646k...@kayniyo.com; www.KayNiyo.com From: cobirds@googlegroups.com [mailto:cobirds@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Deborahann S-CSent: Friday, February 17, 2017 3:09 PMTo: buntingrobin...@gmail.comCc: Colorado Birds Subject: Re: [cobirds] Interesting Crow behavior along the river today, Arapahoe County We were just in Mexico and noticed Great-Tailed Grackles doing the same thing.  On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 2:53 PM, Brian Johnson  wrote:Today when walking along my local patch along the Mary Carter Greenway (the part I patrol is between Bowles Ave and the Northern Wildlife Area) I watched a American Crow on the rocky beach take a piece of bread or a roll and drop it in the river. The bird started to drink and look around, watching to make sure anther bird did not take the bread likely. Than after a few moments the crow proceed to tear the bread apart and eat it. I don't know if the bread was hard as rock and stale and needed softening or if the bird just likes soaked bread, but it was rather interesting to watch this. Corvids are know for their intelligence so it was quite a treat to get to watch this in person. Brian Johnson Englewood Co-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com.To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/559d976b-11cf-40ac-8f2e-d345ce954652%40googlegroups.com.For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com.To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CABc8NxDH326LZYi%2BRKSmLgHeJPuOUeJkpg_dG7rQ57CGqDUaWw%40mail.gmail.com.For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com.To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/0c1601d28975%248d9fba40%24a8df2ec0%24%40kayniyo.com.For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.



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Re: [cobirds] Unusual Kestrel in Adams County

2017-01-12 Thread Jim Nelson

The extent of black spotting on the underparts may be age related.  This is 
from the species account in Birds of North America online -- “Considerable 
disagreement on how much of the variability in kestrel plumage is age-related. 
Bent ( Bent 1938b ) suggested that males become less barred dorsally, less 
spotted ventrally, with a more rufous tail through successive molts; Parkes ( 
Parkes 1955a ) presented contrary evidence.”

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland 

From: Susan Rosine 
Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2017 7:19 PM
To: Colorado Birds 
Subject: [cobirds] Unusual Kestrel in Adams County

I was on a little road near Thornton, and came across an American Kestrel 
dining on roadkill. He would fly to a tree on the side of the road when a car 
would come along, and then go back for more. 
The unusual thing was, he had no black speckles except a few on the sides, and 
lots of orange on chest and belly. Is he a subspecies?
Susan Rosine
Thornton
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[cobirds] New Yard Bird, N. Pygmy-Owl, Estes Park, Larimer Co.

2016-10-22 Thread Jim Nelson

 Enjoying a nice late October visit to Colorado and the unseasonably warm 
weather, we had a nice surprise as we ate lunch today on the deck of our 
vacation home in Estes Park.  As we finished lunch we realized Pygmy Nuthatches 
and Mountain Chickadees were fussing high in a ponderosa pine by our deck.  It 
was obvious they were mobbing something, and we finally saw a small bird move 
to another ponderosa followed by the mob.  When we got our binoculars on it, we 
were surprised to see a Northern Pygmy-Owl.  The bird was calmly eating a small 
gray rodent, probably a mouse or vole, ignoring the mob.  Eventually the mob 
settled down.  Several more times during the afternoon, the mobbing started 
again, and we saw the owl in various trees.  Still hanging around just a little 
while ago.


Quite the unexpected sighting.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Northern Waterthrush, Estes Park, Larimer Co. 8/5

2016-08-05 Thread Jim Nelson

We have been enjoying a nice midsummer visit in Estes Park in Larimer County.
Today we took a late morning walk at the Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary at Lake
Estes. We were delighted to see a Northern Waterthrush doing its distinctive
tail bob next to a Spotted Sandpiper, similarly bobbing. The bird was on the
east side of the pine-covered peninsula that juts into Lake Estes along the
water line. The lake level has gone down a bit in the last few days, so there
is a nice area for foraging along the water's edge. Checking eBird, I was
surprised to find no reports of Northern Waterthrush in Colorado from July 1
until today. So our bird appears to be the first reported fall migrant.

On our way back to our car, we spotted a post-breeding-plumage male Lark
Bunting in the grassy area between the concrete trail through the Sanctuary and
the water outlet from the power plant. It was hunting in the grass and
occasionally sitting on the fence by the maintenance yard. eBird shows only
one other sighting of this species off the plains since July 1, four birds in
Little Horseshoe Park in Rocky Mountain National Park on July 10.
\
So nice to see some post-breeding migrant passerines.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Late report of possible Black Rosy-Finch, Trail Ridge Road, RMNP, Larimer Co.

2016-07-30 Thread Jim Nelson

For those of you who don't subscribe to eBird Rare Bird Alerts, the following
sighting from July 25 just appeared on today's Colorado eBird Alert of a Black
Rosy-Finch on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. Worth keeping
an eye out even though it is now five days later. Probably a visiting birder
just catching up on eBird submissions.

Black Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte atrata) (1)
- Reported Jul 25, 2016 11:30 by Louis La Mont
- Rocky Mountain NP--Trail Ridge Rd--Medicine Bow Curve/Alpine Visitor Center,
Larimer, Colorado
- Map:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8=p=13=40.4436865,-105.7536221=40.4436865,-105.7536221
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30895302
- Comments: "Bird appeared at the glacier point at the RMNP Visitor Center. It
landed next to the remaining snow pack and stayed for approximately 15 seconds.
Bird was a breeding male mostly black on body with a slight lighter color at
the edge of the beak near his face. Grayish band starting at eye of going
around his head. Slight red (or rosy) coloration on leading edge of wings and
on flanks Gave brief appearance of whitish color underneath. No media taken

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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Re: [cobirds] Yellow Warbler and Cowbird, Arapahoe County

2016-06-27 Thread Jim Nelson

Brian,

It is interesting to see how many different species raise Cowbird chicks.  
According to the species account in Birds of North America Online, one 
comprehensive source found that Yellow Warblers are the most frequent host 
species for Brown-headed Cowbirds.  At home here in Maryland, I see Song 
Sparrows (which are the number two most frequent host species) feeding Cowbird 
chicks in our yard every summer.  

The largest size disparity I have ever witnessed was a tiny Ruby-crowned 
Kinglet feeding a significantly bigger Cowbird chick in Rocky Mountain National 
Park. 

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

From: buntingrobin...@gmail.com 
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2016 1:49 PM
To: Colorado Birds 
Subject: [cobirds] Yellow Warbler and Cowbird, Arapahoe County

Today while walking along my favorite part of the Mary Carter Greenway I 
encounter an odd looking bird that I could not figure out. It was all brown 
with fine streaks along the breast and belly but the bill was wrong for a finch 
and it was too big. Then I noticed it was flapping around from branch to branch 
frantically, and I noticed it was chasing a yellow warbler male and constantly 
calling. I could not make sense of why this bird would be chasing a warbler and 
calling like that. Finley both stopped on a Russian olive branch and I was able 
to get a better view. I observed the warbler glean an insect (likely a gnat) 
and take it lower down to the unknown bird and stick it in the bird’s mouth. It 
finally came together then. This was a recently fledged juvenile brown headed 
cowbird that the warbler believed to be its offspring. It was certainly dwarfed 
by the cowbird. I have not seen this in the wild before, I have one nature 
programs but that was it. Interesting behavior to watch, not all that good for 
the warblers however. Hopefully their population will not be to affected by 
this along the river. This was at the mile marker 12, the dirt walking path 
goes through some woods that is a favorite for warblers and other birds. 
Thought I would share this.

Brian Johnson

Englewood CO

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Re: [cobirds] Re: Bird ID question - Purple Martin?

2016-06-16 Thread Jim Nelson

The coloring certainly suggests Violet-green Swallow, but the lack of any green 
and the odd pattern on the face and the light colored head don’t seem to line 
up with adult or juvenile Violet-green.  If it weren’t for the violet back 
color and the fact that the birds are perched, the face suggests White-throated 
Swift.  Or is it a mix of Tree Swallow and Violet-green Swallow?

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, MD

From: Joey Kellner 
Sent: Thursday, June 16, 2016 4:50 PM
To: Colorado Birds 
Subject: [cobirds] Re: Bird ID question - Purple Martin?

Color and overall shape indicate Violet-green Swallow.

Joey Kellner
Littleton, Colorado

On Thursday, June 16, 2016 at 1:02:14 PM UTC-6, Jeff Parks wrote:






  Hello all -

  I was birding in the Shanahan Ridge area outside of Boulder yesterday, and 
saw what I thought were swallows flitting around.  While I was watching another 
bird, a couple of these birds landed on a dead tree nearby, and I took a quick 
look at them.  They didn't look like tree swallows, although they were dark 
blue on the back.  I pulled out my camera and tried to get a few pictures of 
them while they were still there, and managed to get some, although they are 
not very good.  After looking at them on the computer, I am wondering if they 
are Purple Martins?  I have attached a few pictures which show them from 
different angles.  I would appreciate any feedback as to what bird this is. 

  PS -- since the pictures were not as good as I would have hoped, I went back 
this morning to see if I could get better ones,  but I was not able to find 
them again.  

  Jeff Parks
  Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Double-crested Cormorant Lake Estes, Larimer Co.

2016-05-02 Thread Jim Nelson

I thought I had filed my last report earlier today, but on our drive out of 
Estes Park this morning we spotted a Double-crested Cormorant as we drove 
across the causeway at Lake Estes.  Checking eBird as best I can on my iPhone, 
it appears this is the first reported up in Estes this year. Sitting here at 
DIA, I fully expect this will be my last posting for this trip. 
Enjoy the rest of Spring. 
Jim Nelson 
Bethesda, Maryland 

Sent from my iPhone

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[cobirds] Swainson's Thrush and House Wren west end of Estes Park, Larimer Co.

2016-05-02 Thread Jim Nelson

 Took my last, very cold (14 degrees F starting out), morning walk on the west end of Estes Park before leaving Colorado for this visit.  I found a first-of-year Swainson's Thrush and a singing male House Wren.  eBird shows no records for this year up here so far.Next visit will be in much warmer weather.Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland



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[cobirds] Common Yellowthroat and Broad-winged Hawk, Lake Estes, Larimer Co.

2016-05-01 Thread Jim Nelson

 I had a nice walk at the Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary and Lake Estes in Estes Park mid to late afternoon today.  Highlights were a Broad-winged Hawk soaring over the Lake and another male Common Yellowthroat (to add to the one I saw this morning at the other end of town), both new up here for this year in eBird.  Lincoln's Sparrows have arrived in numbers, and I saw single Vesper Sparrow and Chipping Sparrow, lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers, mostly Mytle, good numbers of Spotted Sandpipers, a few Killdeer, a nice Wilson's Snipe in the Sanctuary that scurried away before I could get a photo, a lot of Western Bluebirds on the adjacent golf course, and the resident Bald Eagle and Osprey.Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland



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[cobirds] Not so Common Yellowthroat, West Estes Park, Larimer Co.

2016-05-01 Thread Jim Nelson

On my daily morning walk today on the west end of Estes Park, with snow
falling, I found a male Common Yellowthroat. Checking eBird I could not find
any sightings for this year above the plains. This bird was in my favorite
little hot spot, behind The Other Side restaurant near the intersection of
Moraine Avenue and Marys Lake Road. There is a small pond on the south side of
the restaurant and thickets of willow and alder around the pond and along the
stream just behind it and next to a parking area below the buildings in the
small shopping center. I had my Orange-crowned Warbler here yesterday and have
found Nashville Warbler and Northern Parula in this area in prior years. Quite
a pleasant surprise today in the snow.

It was not as birdy this morning with lower temperatures and snow falling. No
Yellow-rumps today on my walk. I found a large flock of Common Grackles, quite
a few Red-winged Blackbirds, and my first Brown-headed Cowbirds.

Unfortunately, I will be leaving Colorado just as the weather moderates and
gets more spring-like. But it's been interesting to see what is here in the
spring snow.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Orange-crowned Warbler and other snow birds, Estes Park, Larimer Co.

2016-04-30 Thread Jim Nelson

Continuing our spring (though it seems like winter up here) visit to Estes
Park, on my morning walk today in the snow I found a first-of-year
Orange-crowned Warbler on the west end of Estes Park. No other eBird reports
yet for this year up here. I also encountered a large flock of Ruby-crowned
Kinglets feeding together in a couple of ponderosa pine. Numbers of Myrtle and
Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warblers are increasing even with the snow. This being
my first visit in April, I've been surprised at the numbers of Myrtle Warblers
I've seen. Here in Estes Park, and a few days ago in Colorado Springs, they
seemed to outnumber the Audubon's Warblers that I observed. It would be
interesting if eBird did a dynamic map showing the migration of each form to
see if Myrtle moves through somewhat ahead of Audubon's which will stay to
breed here in the foothills and mountains.

I had a large flock of what I believe were American Pipit fly over me headed
toward Rocky Mountain National Park. I didn't find any eBird reports for Pipit
up here yet for this year. Flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles
seemed to be staging this morning, presumably waiting for the snow to clear so
they can move on up to breeding areas.

Always something interesting to discover in the world of birds.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Board-tailed hummer, Cliff Swallow Estes Park, Larimer Co.

2016-04-23 Thread Jim Nelson

Continuing a nice April visit to Colorado, on my walk this morning I had my 
first Broad-tailed Hummingbird and Cliff Swallow on the west end of Estes Park. 
No other reports in eBird for either species up here yet this year. I didn't 
report the first Violet-green Swallows and Northern Rough-winged Swallows that 
we saw at Lake Estes two days ago, also the first up here in eBird this year.


Something new most days this time of year.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Myrtle Warbler, Evening Grosbeak, & Ruby-crowned Kinglet in Estes Park, Larimer Co. 4/21

2016-04-21 Thread Jim Nelson

 We arrived yesterday for another visit to Colorado.  We are at our vacation 
home in Estes Park.  On my morning walk this morning to get the newspaper, I 
did my usual birding route on the west end of Estes Park.  I had two singing 
male Ruby-crowned Kinglets which I see from eBird have not yet been recorded 
west of the foothills this year.  Also had a nice singing male Myrtle form of 
the Yellow-rumped Warbler, I see one other reported so far this year in eBird 
down at Lake Estes.  I encountered two flocks of Evening Grosbeak and was 
surprised to see they have not been reported in eBird this year anywhere around 
Estes Park and adjacent Rocky Mountain National Park.  Lots of other 
first-of-year western birds for me.  Also enjoyed an early visit by the 
neighborhood Wild Turkeys to our feeder area.


Looking forward to more interesting birds on our visit.


Jim Nelson\
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Lake Estes, Larimer Co. 12/28, Red-br. Merganser, American Coot, American Dipper

2015-12-28 Thread Jim Nelson

Enjoying a cold holiday visit in the Estes Park area, we had a windy but
enjoyable walk at Lake Estes this afternoon. Most of the Lake is frozen over,
but in the areas of open water there were a lot of Common Goldeneye, not
unexpected. Of most interest we found two male Common Merganser, two female
Red-breasted Merganser, and an American Coot. None of these are unusual
according to eBird, Checking eBird, I found no eBird reports from the Lake
Estes/Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary area since early November.

A real treat was a very cooperative American Dipper that was hunting along the
shore of the Lake where sheets of ice had been forced up and over rocks on the
shore creating sheltered areas. The Dipper went under the ice sheets searching
for prey along the shore. We could see its shadow under the ice sheets with
occasional glimpses through holes, and one time its head appeared briefly in
the open water at the outer edge of the ice.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Green Heron, Lake Estes, Estes Park, Larimer Co. 10/2

2015-10-02 Thread Jim Nelson

We've been enjoying a nice fall visit in Colorado for the past week, but, until 
today, I didn't have anything special to report.


This morning we had a nice sunny walk in the Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary at 
Lake Estes in Estes Park.  We were out on the pine covered peninsula that juts 
into the lake, when we heard an unusual sound.  My wife was the first to spot 
what turned out to be a hatch-year Green Heron.  It was perched in a ponderosa 
pine near the water and then flew to the marshy end of the inlet on the west 
side of the peninsula.  Checking eBird I found only one other report from the 
Estes Park/Rocky Mountain National Park area -- at Lake Estes on two days in 
May 2003, and no other reports for Larimer County above the edge of the 
foothills.  A nice county bird for us.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Lewis's Woodpecker, Estes Park, Larimer Co., 7/31

2015-07-31 Thread Jim Nelson

 On my daily birding/newspaper buying walk in Estes Park this morning, I was 
amazed to find a handsome male Lewis's Woodpecker posing in a dead ponderosa 
pine along Mary's Lake Road just uphill from the intersection with Lower 
Broadview Road.  I got a quick, out-of-focus picture before it flew west.  I 
don't know if it will be hanging around the area.  It was just about a tenth of 
a mile as the woodpecker flies from the piece of Rocky Mountain National Park 
that reaches Mary's Lake Road and Moraine Avenue, north of Lower Broadview.  So 
I just missed adding it to my RMNP list.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Williamson Sapsucker morning, Larimer Co.

2015-07-30 Thread Jim Nelson

As I went out on the deck of our vacation home in Estes Park this lovely 
Thursday morning, I spotted a juvenile female Williamson's Sapsucker checking 
out several small ponderosa pines.  Later, as I took my morning walk to bird 
and buy today's newspaper, I saw another juvenile female Williamson's Sapsucker 
on Mary's Lake Road between Lower Broadview and Just Broadview and a female 
Williamson's flying with another Williamson's that I was not able to identify 
(probably another juvenile female) on Riverside Drive between Prospect Park 
Drive and the Manor RV Park.  It was quite a surprise to see so many in one 
day.  I also saw a female or immature Black-chinned or Ruby-throated 
Hummingbird along Lower Broadview west of Mary's Lake Road.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Williamson's Sapsucker, Hollowell Park, RMNP, Larimer Co. 7/24

2015-07-25 Thread Jim Nelson

 Continuing a nice visit to the Estes Park area, we saw a female Williamson's 
Sapsucker at Hollowell Park in Rocky Mountain National Park on Friday, July 24.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Green-tailed Towhee feeding juvenile cowbird, Estes Park, Larimer Co.

2015-07-20 Thread Jim Nelson

We are enjoying a nice July visit to Colorado.


One of the bird lists I keep is of species I have observed feeding juvenile 
Brown-headed Cowbirds.  At home in Maryland every summer we have Song Sparrows 
feeding cowbirds in our yard.


Today at our vacation home in Estes Park, we observed a Green-tailed Towhee 
feeding a juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird, a new species for my list.


Lots of other species are feeding their own young as well.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Sora, Lily Lake, Rocky Mtn. Nat. Park, Larimer, 6/1

2015-06-02 Thread Jim Nelson

 We had a nice walk at Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park on Monday 
morning.  The highlight, aside from our lifer moose, was a very cooperative 
Sora in the marsh on the south side of the lake.  This is proving to be a 
reliable spot for this species since we have seen Sora several times here over 
the years.  The water level in the marsh is very high, and I first spotted the 
Sora when it flew to one end of the marsh and then swam until it reached the 
edge (I'm used to seeing them walk along marsh edges, so seeing one swimming 
was a pleasant surprise).  It then proceeded to walk about in and out of cover 
giving us great views.  Wilson's Snipe were also active and calling.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Redhead, Lake Estes, Larimer Co. 5/31/2015

2015-05-31 Thread Jim Nelson

 Birding at Lake Estes in Estes Park this afternoon, I found a male Redhead in 
the Lake near the head of the Lake.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Greater White-fronted Goose still present, Memorial Park, Colo. Sprgs, El Paso Co. 5/30

2015-05-30 Thread Jim Nelson

Enjoying a nice visit in Colorado Springs the last few days, I went by Memorial 
Park in Colorado Springs this morning and found the previously-reported Greater 
White-fronted Goose still present.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] White-throated Sparrow, Estes Park yard, Larimer Co., 5/26

2015-05-26 Thread Jim Nelson

As I was getting my second bowl of cereal this morning at our vacation home on
the west side of Estes Park, I glanced out the kitchen door at the back yard
area where we have our bird feeders. I saw a bright bird feeding on the
ground. Realizing it was something different, I grabbed my binoculars and
focused on a very bright White-throated Sparrow. At home in Maryland in late
fall, winter, and early spring, we have lots of them in our back yard. But I
know it is very unusual in Colorado and especially up here. I managed one
documentary photo before it flew off. It has not returned since.

I checked eBird and found only one other record in the Estes Park area, at the
YMCA Camp in October 2010. There is also an eBird report a bit south in
Allenspark, Boulder Co., in November 2012.

It is always nice to get a new state bird in our own back yard.

Another fun observation was a male Hairy Woodpecker that managed to hold on to
a perch on our hummingbird feeder and extract sugar water using its long tongue.

We also have been seeing a melanistic Mountain Chickadee which is fairly dark
gray in the areas that would normally be white.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Marsh Wren, Rocky Mtn. Nat. Park, Larimer Co. 5/25

2015-05-25 Thread Jim Nelson

Continuing our visit in the Estes Park area, this morning we had wonderful close views of a Marsh Wrennear the side of the road in Moraine Park in Rocky Mountain National Park. I found only a handful of other records in eBird for the Estes Park/RMNP area over the years. The bird was about two thirds of the way down the road from the Bear Lake Road to the Cub Lake trailhead, near the two cabins on the north side of the road. On our return up the road we saw the bird a second time interacting with a House Wren, giving us a nice comparison of the two species. There were also lots of American Pipits in Moraine Park, apparently waiting for all that snow above tree line to start to melt.Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland



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[cobirds] Magnolia Warbler American Redstart, Lake Estes, Larimer Co., 5/25

2015-05-25 Thread Jim Nelson

 I took a late afternoon walk at Lake Estes in  Estes Park and found the 
previously reported male Magnolia Warbler and a female American Redstart.  Both 
birds were on the peninsula that juts out into the lake in the Matthews-Reeser 
Bird Sanctuary.  


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Winter Wren, Moraine Park, Rocky Mtn. Nat. Park, Larimer Co. 5/23

2015-05-23 Thread Jim Nelson

 We are enjoying a nice visit in the Estes Park area in Larimer County.  This 
afternoon we drove slowly through Moraine Park in Rocky Mountain National Park 
watching and listening for birds.  We spotted a small, stub-tailed wren at the 
base of a bush right by the road.  It was a very pale gray brown over all, with 
a very light throat and pale barring on the belly.  We concluded it was a 
Winter Wren.


Other expected birds included active Mountain Bluebirds, a female Western 
Bluebird bathing in a natural bird bath in the hollow of a rock right by the 
road, a singing Savannah Sparrow, Vesper, Chipping, and Brewer's Sparrows, and 
Brewer's Blackbird.  


Looking forward to a break in the rainy weather.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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Re: [cobirds] Re: Swan at Doubletree Colorado Springs

2015-02-14 Thread Jim Nelson

It is likely a stray from the group that live at the lake at the Broadmoor 
Hotel a couple of miles west of the Doubletree.  There has been a pair at the 
Broadmoor since I began regularly visiting Colorado Springs a few years back, 
and they raised several young in recent years.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

From: 'BKP' via Colorado Birds 
Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2015 11:19 AM
To: drchart...@msn.com ; cobirds@googlegroups.com 
Subject: [cobirds] Re: Swan at Doubletree Colorado Springs

Bill Maynard is looking at the swan, it is an adult Mute Swan.


Brandon Percival 
Pueblo West, CO


As I was speeding south on I-25 this morning I noticed a swan on the pond next 
to the Doubletree hotel in Colorado Springs.  If anyone is in the area you 
might want to check it out.  I did not turn around to investigate.

David Chartier
Colorado Springs


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[cobirds] Lake Estes, Larimer Co. -- G.W. Teal, Greater Scaup, Dipper 12/4

2014-12-05 Thread Jim Nelson

Finishing a nice early winter trip to Colorado, I birded around Lake Estes in 
Estes Park, Larimer County, Thursday afternoon.  Among the waterfowl lingering 
on the Lake were a nice pair of Green-winged Teal, a female Greater Scaup, a 
pair of Common Mergansers, and 5 Common Goldeneye.  I also had an American 
Dipper flying up and down the Big Thompson near where it enters the Lake, and a 
Belted Kingfisher patrolling the Lake.


At our vacation home here in Estes Park this morning we had 40 Wild Turkey in 
the back feeding under the bird feeders.  Quite a sight!


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Waves of Yellow-rumped Warblers in Estes Park, Larimer Co. 9/11

2014-09-11 Thread Jim Nelson

Each morning I walk a 2 mile loop down from our vacation home in Estes Park to
buy the daily newspaper. On this morning's walk I encountered what I can only
describe as a wave of Yellow-rumped Warblers moving through at about 8:00. My
conservative count was 30 birds in 3 minutes, and that was just what I could
see where I was at that point in my walk. The birds were in the trees, in the
bushes, and all over the ground. Later in the morning, I observed another wave
coming by our house as I stood on the deck. This time it was at least 20 with
Orange-crowned and Townsend's Warblers thrown in. Then this afternoon, after it
turned much colder and began spitting rain, from our deck I observed another
wave of Yellow-rumps with Orange-crowned, Townsend's, and Wilson's thrown in.
I've seen lots of Yellow-rumps and Wilson's on this visit to Estes Park, but
this was the first where they were moving in a consistent direction as a group.
And it's the most I've ever counted at our home. I suspect it is related to the
significant change in the weather that others have discussed. Needless to say,
our feeders have been very busy today too as the seed-eaters stock up.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Male Prothonotary Warbler, Lake Estes, Estes Park, Larimer Co. 9/10

2014-09-10 Thread Jim Nelson

We had a nice, late-morning walk in the Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary and 
along the north shore of Lake Estes in Estes Park today. There were lots of 
Wilson's Warblers and Yellow-rumped Warblers. As we explored the side trail 
that leaves the main trail on the right just east of the small pond, I spotted 
a beautiful male Prothonotary Warbler in the bushy, wet area on the left of 
that side trail. It really stood out from the Wilson's Warblers. I lost the 
bird after about a minute, and we couldn't relocate it, but there is lots of 
good habitat in the Bird Sanctuary area.  I see them each year at home in 
Maryland, but  it's particularly fun to see one here and add it to my Colorado 
list.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Possible Male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Estes Park, Larimer Co. 9/10

2014-09-10 Thread Jim Nelson

We had quite an interesting experience this afternoon at our vacation home on
the west end of Estes Park. I was scanning for birds from our deck, when I saw
a woodpecker land on the side of a wooden telephone pole in front of our house,
no more than 100 feet away. Looking at the bird through binoculars I at first
assumed it was a Red-naped Sapsucker -- red throat, red on the top of the head,
yellow belly. But I quickly realized it had absolutely no red on the back of
the head (very white instead) and had a strong black border between the red of
the throat and the rest of the head. It really looked like the male
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers I see at home in Maryland in the winter. The bird
flew before I could get my camera. I tried to track it down, unsuccessfully,
and then I made notes of my observation before going to books and online
resources. Reviewing the illustrations and descriptions in several field
guides, this seems to be a male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. I remembered articles
on the subject of distinguishing Red-naped from Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. I
read online Tony Leukering's In the Scope article from the October 2007
Colorado Birds about some female Red-naped Sapsuckers with all-red throats.
Tony doesn't say whether the female he observed and photographed for that
article had red on its nape. The overall size of its red throat seems bigger
than the bird I observed. Unfortunately I cannot access online the article in
the November/December 2006 Birding about Variation in Red-naped and
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, so that will have to wait until I get home to
Maryland. I'm mindful that other observations of Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in
Colorado have generally been on the plains and along the foothills (checking
eBird and the CBRC database), so up here in Estes Park would be even more
unlikely. Also, Tony's entirely red-throated female Red-naped Sapsucker was
photographed in Rocky Mountain National Park only a couple of miles from where
we are. And there is always the issue of an intergrade between the two species.

Our neighborhood is mostly Ponderosa Pine and brushy areas up on the side of a
hill, so I don't know how likely it might be that this bird will reappear.
Whichever it turns out to be, it is a new species for our yard here.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Solitary Sandpipers at Lake Estes, Estes Park, Larimer Co. 9/5

2014-09-05 Thread Jim Nelson

 Continuing our visit in Estes Park, we birded at Lake Estes around noon today 
and found two Solitary Sandpipers, an adult and a juvenile (not together, so 
they lived up to their name).  Checking eBird I see that none have been 
reported up here in this part of the Front Range this year (lots down on the 
plains) and only a very few sightings in the Estes Park area in prior years, 
often right around this date.


A very reliable local birder we ran into this morning reported seeing a 
Prothonotary Warbler at the beginning of the Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary 
area at the Lake yesterday.  And to really whet your appetite, another local 
birder ran into a visiting birder today at the Lake who reported seeing a 
Varied Thrush in the rocks east of the parking area for the fishing platform on 
the north side of the Lake.  Six of us spent a lot of time looking in that area 
unsuccessfully, so I can in no way vouch for the reliability of that sighting.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Pacific Wren, Estes Park, Larimer County, 9/5

2014-09-05 Thread Jim Nelson

We had a remarkably birdy day Friday at our vacation home in Estes Park. The
socked-in, and off-and-on rainy conditions seemed to be concentrating migrants
around our yard, and I think this was the most species we have ever observed in
and from the property in a single day. Late in the afternoon, we were outside
tracking lots of warbler activity in the trees and bushes around the house when
we spotted a small brown bird fly into a clump of bushes. Our first impression
was of a small wren. Almost immediately we heard a long, soft musical song
coming from that clump of bushes that we had not heard before. I slowly
circled the bushes as the bird continued its soft song. I got many
tantalizing, short looks at the bird deep in the bushes. It clearly was a
Pacific/Winter Wren based on its size, short tail, and overall markings. (I
have observed many Winter Wrens at home in Maryland in the winter.) As the
rain picked up, I had to retreat to the shelter of the house, and the bird
stopped singing. We immediately went to the computer to listen to Pacific Wren
and Winter Wren songs. After listening to them, it was clear that this was a
Pacific Wren song.

After the rain ended, we went outside several times, but did not hear or see
the bird again.

Quite a memorable experience.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Nashville Warbler, Lake Estes, Estes Park, Larimer Co. 9/4

2014-09-04 Thread Jim Nelson

 Enjoying a nice visit to Colorado, I took a walk this afternoon at Lake Estes 
in Estes Park, Larimer Counter, from the Estes Park Visitor Center through the 
Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary and along the south shore of the Lake.  I found 
31 species including lots of Yellow-rumped and Wilson's Warblers, 
Orange-crowned Warbler, Barn, Violet-green, and Tree Swallows, two Bald Eagles, 
an Osprey, and two dark male Lesser Goldfinch.  As I headed back to my car I 
spotted a lovely female Nashville Warbler low in the large cottonwood just west 
of the bird sanctuary -- gray head, neck, and sides of face with complete white 
eye-ring and sharp bill (essentially a gray hood except for the throat); back 
and wings olive green; yellow on the throat extending through the breast; 
yellow under the tail; and white around the legs separating the yellow of the 
breast from the yellow of the tail.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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Re: [cobirds] Re: Two missing birds for CO.

2014-07-15 Thread Jim Nelson

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] Probable Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Colorado Springs, El Paso Co. 3/30

2014-03-31 Thread Jim Nelson

My brother lives in Colorado Springs east of the Broadmoor Hotel. He called me 
yesterday afternoon to tell me that a hummingbird had buzzed by him and stopped 
to feed briefly on the vinca that were the only flowers blooming in his yard. 
He described the whistling sound that the bird made as it flew by and said it 
was green on the back. From the description, it sounds like it could only be a 
male Broad-tailed Hummingbird since a male Rufous Hummingbird would be 
obviously orange. I just checked eBird and could not find any hummingbird 
reports for Colorado, but Broad-tailed has been reported in New Mexico.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, MD

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[cobirds] First of year Western Meadowlark, Rocky Mtn. Natl. Park, Larimer Co. 3/31

2014-03-31 Thread Jim Nelson

Continuing our visit in the Estes Park area, we found two Western Meadowlarks 
in Morraine Park in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) this afternoon.  Also 
enjoyed our first Mountain Bluebirds in the same area.  eBird has no Western 
Meadowlark reports around Estes Park or RMNP (though we met a birder at Lake 
Estes yesterday who saw 4 near the lake).  I also noted that several others 
were reporting Mountain Bluebirds today in RMNP.
 
Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] First of Year Killdeer, Lake Estes, Larimer Co.

2014-03-25 Thread Jim Nelson

We found another first-of-year bird at Lake Estes, in Estes Park, Larimer Co., 
on a walk at the lake this morning -- a Killdeer.  None have been reported to 
eBird for the Estes Park/Rocky Mountain National Park area so far in 2014.
 
Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] First of Year waterbirds, Lakes Estes, Larimer Co. 3/24

2014-03-24 Thread Jim Nelson

We arrived in Colorado yesterday for a visit, starting in the Estes Park area 
in Larimer County.  This afternoon I walked around Lake Estes and found a good 
variety of waterbirds.  After entering my list in eBird I checked for other 
reports of the same species and found that only Canada Goose and Mallard have 
been reported from anywhere in or around Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National 
Park since the beginning of the year.  And I don't recall any earlier reports 
from Lake Estes on either of the Colorado listservs.
 
The main lake held 16 Gadwall, 3 (American) Green-winged Teal, a pair of 
American Wigeon, 8 Common Goldeneye, and a single American Coot.  In the 
smaller body of water on the south side of the U.S. 36 causeway (which was ice 
free today but almost totally frozen when we arrived yesterday), I was 
surprised to find two Great Blue Heron.  There was also a pair of Hooded 
Merganser.
 
A nice start to our first visit to Colorado this year.
 
Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland
 
 

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Re: [cobirds] Northern Goshawk imitators

2014-03-05 Thread Jim Nelson

Jeff,

I checked the Birds of North America online article for Steller’s Jay, and 
here’s what it says about the Jay’s mimicry skills:

Mimicry. Good mimic; often heard imitating sounds of other animals in area, 
including those of fox squirrel (Sciurus niger; Brown 1964), Northern Flicker 
(Colaptes auratus; WD), Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis; Kennedy and 
Stahlecker 1993), White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis; C. Ghalambor 
pers. comm.), chicken, and rooster (Gallus gallus), dog (Canis familiaris), cat 
(Felis domestica), and mechanical sounds such as water sprinklers, telephone, 
and squeaky door (WD, EG).

So, since Northern Goshawk is in its repertoire, it seems you’ll need to see 
the Goshawk to be able to rule out the Steller’s doing a good imitation.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

From: Jeff J Jones 
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2014 10:00 AM
To: 'cobirds' 
Subject: [cobirds] Northern Goshawk imitators

Over the past two weeks at my home in Teller County; on three different 
occasions; at or just after sunrise; a Northern Goshawk has been calling 
outside my home office, in dense woods, for 1 to 15 minutes.

 

The call is an absolute dead-ringer to every recording I have for a Northern 
Goshawk in every respect. Loudness, tempo, etc. Simply dead ringer. I can hear 
this thing inside my office, and it must be 10-40 yards away.

 

I am invariably tied up in a meeting or other work, but eventually get outside 
with camera and binos to look for it. 

 

Every time I go outside, it ceases to call. Wondering around the acre of woods 
with an eye towards a sneaky large Accipter flying off silently, I have never 
found it. But, the Steller’s Jays that are always in my yard at this time of 
the morning (I put out peanuts in the shell for them) are always there.

 

So, the whole point of this email is, I know that Steller’s Jays do a weak 
imitation of red-tailed hawks; and I have witnessed this on countless occasions 
over the years. The Jays breed on my lot most years. But, I have never heard 
them sound anything like a Goshawk. And further, even though the Jays can be 
noisy and raucous, I don’t think any of them are capable of the volume of the 
Goshawk call. Am I wrong? Is it possible that a Steller’s Jay is making this 
call?

 

Jeff J Jones

(jjo...@jonestc.com)

Teller County - 8500' - Montane Woodlands

 

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[cobirds] Help identifying a possible Brewer's Blackbird

2014-02-15 Thread Jim Nelson

 above notes that some first-year Brewer’s 
retain dark eye color into their first Spring.  The other subtle difference 
between Rusty and Brewer’s noted in several guides is the slightly decurved 
(bending downward) bill in the Rusty.  I did not note how my bird’s bill was 
shaped at the end so I can’t use this feature.  Given the dark but not 
iridescent coloring of the bird, it if was a Brewer’s, I am leaning toward 
first-year male rather than a female.



I appreciate any and all feedback on my tentative identification of Brewer’s 
Blackbird, particularly any experience with birds with dark eyes in midwinter.



Thanks.



Jim Nelson

Bethesda, Maryland


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[cobirds] Immature Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Estes Park, Larimer Co. 8/29/13

2013-08-29 Thread Jim Nelson

We are having another nice visit in the Estes Park area in Larimer County.
This morning on my early walk down to get a newspaper, I found what I concluded
to be an immature male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

I saw this hummingbird at about 7:25 on Lower Broadview Road just 30 feet west
of Lower Broadview's intersection with Mary's Lake Road close to where Mary's
Lake Road crosses the Big Thompson River on the west end of Estes Park. I
observed the bird for about a minute, clearly, in the bright, early morning
sun, perched on top of a bush near the river at a distance of no more than 15
feet through 8x42 binoculars. The back, nape of the neck, and top of the head
were a bright, shiny, metallic golden color. The folded wings were dark.
Underneath, the breast and belly were whitish, suffused with gray, with no
buffy coloring. The throat had fine streaking with some scattered darker
feathers near the base of the throat where the bottom border of a gorget could
be developing. With the angle of the sun, no iridescence was visible in these
darker feathers, so I could not see whether these feathers were red, as in
Ruby-throated, or purple, as in Black-chinned. When the bird took flight, the
tail feathers had white tips with no sign of rufous coloring in the tail. These
field marks ruled out Broad-tailed, Calliope, and Rufous Hummingbirds. I
decided this was an immature male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, rather than a
Black-chinned Hummingbird, based on the bright, shiny metallic gold color of
the back. The National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America
description of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird notes that some immature males
have a golden cast on upperparts, unlike Black-chinned Hummingbird. I have
seen a few immature male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds with this same metallic
golden appearance at my feeders at home in Maryland during fall migration.

A nice find, but I need to start carrying my camera when I go for the newspaper.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland.

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[cobirds] Bullock's Oriole, Lark Bunting, Estes Park, Larimer Co. 5/23

2013-05-23 Thread Jim Nelson

Continuing our visit in the Estes Park area, this morning I made my daily walk 
to get a paper, about a 2 mile loop on the west end of Estes Park.  Close to 
Mary's Lake Road south of the intersection with Morraine Avenue, I had a 
beautiful singing male Bullock's Oriole and a little later a flock of three 
females and a male Lark Bunting.  I checked eBird and found no sightings up in 
this area for this year.
 
Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Bobolink, Lake Estes, Larimer County, 5/22

2013-05-22 Thread Jim Nelson

Continuing our visit to the Estes Park area in Larimer County, I birded again 
in the late afternoon at Lake Estes.  Not much around, but I had a great 
surprise when I came upon a beautiful male Bobolink in the Matthews-Reeser Bird 
Sanctuary area at the lake.  I checked eBird and found Bobolink were observed 
two times in May 2012 at Lake Estes and once in May and once in early June at 
Lake Estes in 2011.  All the 2013 sightings appear to be out on the eastern 
plains.  A new Colorado bird for me.

 
Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Black-crowned Night-Heron, Lake Estes, Larimer Co. 5/21

2013-05-21 Thread Jim Nelson

We got to Colorado late yesterday for a visit. I've been looking forward to
some interesting birds after weeks reading the Colorado listservs about
interesting sightings.

This afternoon I had a nice walk at Lake Estes in Estes Park, Larimer Co.
After enjoying my first of year Lincoln's Sparrow and seeing Gray Catbird,
Spotted Sandpiper, copulating Pine Siskins, nest building Osprey (on the steel
structure at the power plant), and singing Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warblers,
I was walking back and stopped to enjoy an elk frolicking in the lake. Out of
the corner of my eye I spotted a large brownish bird flying across the lake.
My quick binocular view led me to a heron of some kind and a Night-Heron
immediately came to mind. I walked toward where it had flown ashore and got a
much longer look as it took flight again back across the lake. While is was
generally brown like an immature Black-crowned Night-Heron, it had the black
crown already formed, so I guess it is still transitioning into full adult
plummage. When I last saw it, it had flown into some trees on the shore at the
east end of the power plant, near where the road in the recreation area on the
north side of the lake ends.

I checked eBird and found this species is generally only seen down on the
plains along the foothills with only four sightings in Estes Park, 3 around
Lake Estes, most recent in the summer of 2011.

A nice start to our visit.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Acorn Woodpecker, Colorado Springs, 2/12/03

2013-02-12 Thread Jim Nelson

We are enjoying a short February visit to Colorado.  Before coming, I had been 
reading on the two Colorado listservs and on the eBird Rare Bird Alert for 
Colorado about the female Acorn Woodpecker being seen in the 1800 block of 
Cheyenne Boulevard at Willow Circle in Colorado Springs.  I don't get much 
chance to chase unusual birds, but this one was only a couple of miles from my 
brother's house where we would be visiting.  Today, my wife and I finally had a 
chance to check out the location, excited by the Friday sighting reported by 
Seth Gallagher.
 
We drove up Cheyenne Boulevard and saw someone with a camera with a long lens.  
We stopped to ask if he was looking for the Acorn Woodpecker.  He confirmed 
that he had seen it just a few minutes before and told us to drive up the road 
to Willow Circle and he would show us.  When he caught up with us, we 
introduced ourselves, and we got to meet Bill Maynard, a name we had seen many 
times before.  Bill showed us the specific tree and waited with us for about 25 
minutes, but the bird was a no show.  We had to leave to get somewhere by 
10:30.  After we were finished, we decided to head back to the location 
arriving about 11:25.  Bill was still there with several other people, and they 
showed us the Acorn Woodpecker in its favorite tree.
 
This was a new Colorado bird for us, and we're pretty sure a new U.S. bird as 
well, so it was very exciting.
 
Bill personified the many birders we have met in Colorado over the years who 
have gone out of their way to share good birds with us.  It is always a 
pleasure to bird here.
 
Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Lily Lake, RMNP, Larimer Co. -- Rough-legged Hawk, no redpolls, 11/18

2012-11-18 Thread Jim Nelson

We're in Colorado for a Thanksgiving visit.  I had been reading about the 
Common Redpolls at Lily Lake in Rocky Mtn. Nat. Park and worried they would 
have moved on by the time we got here.
 
Sure enough, no sign of them when I walked around the lake this afternoon.  But 
I had a wonderful consolation prize -- nice views of an immature, light morph 
Rough-legged Hawk right overhead.  I see very few reports in the area of 
Rough-legs on eBird.
 
Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Nashville Warbler, Estes Park, Larimar Co. 9/9/12

2012-09-09 Thread Jim Nelson

Every morning, I walk down from our vacation home in Estes Park to buy the 
Denver Post and bird along the way.  This cold Sunday morning, I was surprised 
to find a very cooperative Nashville Warbler.  The Nashville was located near 
the Other Side Restaurant, market, and liquor store at the intersection of 
Mary's Lake Road and Morraine Avenue on the west end of Estes Park.  Entering 
the small shopping area from Morraine Avenue, the Nashville was behind the 
market and liquor store.  There is a gravel parking area below and behind the 
buildings which can be reached by going between the market and liquor store.  
The Nashville was in bushes near the stream on the east side of the parking 
area very close to a fence with a picnic table behind it.  This area behind the 
buildings has been a little hot spot most mornings.
 
I would not be surprised to have the Nashville Warbler on my home turf, but I 
know it is unusual here.  Since this is our last full day in Colorado for this 
visit, finding the Nashville was a nice bonus.
 
Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Wild Turkeys, between Boulder and Lyons, U.S. 36, Boulder Co., 9/8/12

2012-09-09 Thread Jim Nelson

We were driving on Saturday afternoon about 4:15 from Boulder to Lyons on U. S. 
36 when we spotted a flock of Wild Turkey, about a dozen birds, on the west 
side of the highway.  This was between Nelson Road and St. Vrain Road half way 
between mile markers 26 and 27.  I checked eBird and found very few Wild Turkey 
reports for Boulder County.  This was an interesting way to get a new county 
bird at 60 mph.
 
Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Williamson's Sapsucker Western Bluebird, Lily Lake, RMNP, Larimar Co. 9/5

2012-09-05 Thread Jim Nelson

We had a very pleasant walk around Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park 
this beautiful Wednesday morning. Highlights were a male and one or two female 
Williamson's Sapsuckers and one or more flocks of Western Bluebirds, both 
species around the western half of the lake.

I've never seen this many Western Bluebirds at once. There were at least eight 
and possibly more, depending on whether we were seeing more than one flock as 
we walked around the lake.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland





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[cobirds] Northern Parula, Cub Lake Trail, Rocky Mtn. Nat. Park, Larimer Co. 8/31

2012-08-31 Thread Jim Nelson

We are continuing a nice visit to Colorado.  As we started our hike on the Cub 
Lake Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park this fine Friday morning, we had 
great views of a very cooperative, fist-fall female Northern Parula in the 
willows and alders at the beginning of the trail between the parking lot and 
the stream.  We did not relocate it when we returned from our walk.
 
This was a very nice surprise since I had a singing male Northern Parula in 
Estes Park on our spring visit this year.
 
Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Nice variety of birds in Estes Park and Rocky Mountain Nat. Park

2012-08-26 Thread Jim Nelson

We're off to a nice start on our visit to Colorado. Since putting up the 
feeders on Saturday at our place in Estes Park in Larimer County and watching 
from the deck, we've been visited by Calliope, Rufous, and Broad-tailed 
Hummingbirds, Evening Grosbeak, Cooper's Hawk, and Townsend's, Orange-crowned 
and Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warblers as well as the usual three species of 
nuthatch, House and Cassin's Finches, American Crows, Common Ravens, Steller's 
Jay, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker (Red-shafted), Chipping Sparrow, 
Dark-eyed (Gray-headed) Junco, and circling Turkey Vultures.

On the first stretch of the Cub Lake Trail in RMNP in the Saturday evening 
dusk, we had a nice Rock Wren, a lifer for my wife.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] N. Parula still present Estes Park, Larimer Co., 6/3/12

2012-06-03 Thread Jim Nelson

I walked down to get the Sunday paper this fine morning and found the male 
Northern Parula still singing up a storm in the tall Ponderosa Pines on the 
north side of the river at the intersection of Lower Broadview Road and Mary's 
Lake Road in Estes Park.  It was easily heard from the bridge.  It was 
apparently oblivious to the large number of Common Ravens that were in the 
area, including four in the very tree from which the Parula was singing.  I 
think all the Ravens on the west side of Estes Park were hanging out in that 
immediate area.
 
An Osprey was hunting over the river farther west on Lower Broadview, second 
time I've seen it in this location in the last week.
 
Late yesterday afternoon at the Alluvial Fan in Rocky Mountain National Park, 
we were treated to a Wilson's Snipe sitting high in a dead pine calling loudly. 
 This was a pleasant surprise since we had never seen a Snipe perched in a 
tree.  All our previous views have been down in marshes or in quick flight.  
The young Great Horned Owls from the nest west of the Alluvial Fan have left 
the nest tree and moved to other nearby trees.
 
Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Singing Northern Parula, Estes Park, Larimer Co., 6/2/12

2012-06-02 Thread Jim Nelson

Continuing to enjoy a great visit to Colorado. This sunny Saturday morning, I 
walked down to get a newspaper and birded along the way. At 7:55 at the corner 
of Lower Broadview Road and Mary's Lake Road on the west side of Estes Park, I 
heard an interesting warbler song, and I immediately thought what western 
warbler sounds like a Northern Parula? I searched for the bird and finally 
found it actively feeding and singing high in the tall Ponderosa Pines on the 
north side of the river close to the bridge. I got very good views of a male 
Northern Parula. At home in Maryland I hear and see them often, but I knew it 
was unusual here. 

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Northern Waterthrush, Catbird, Brewer's Sp., more Lake Estes, Larimer Co. 5/25

2012-05-25 Thread Jim Nelson

Having a nice visit to the Estes Park area in Larimer County. This cold, gray 
morning at Lake Estes, along with many local and visiting birders, primarily in 
the bird sanctuary area, we enjoyed a Northern Waterthrush (pointed out by 
local birders who reported one has been seen periodically for the last three or 
four weeks), a Gray Catbird, a Brewer's Sparrow, a Prairie Falcon, a number of 
Lincoln's Sparrows, Yellow, Wilson's, Orange-crowned, and MacGillivray's 
Warblers, American Redstart, and Common Yellowthroat.

Later at our vacation home in Estes we had a new yard bird -- two flyover 
American White Pelicans.

Yesterday in Rocky Mountain Park we encountered large numbers of White-crowned 
Sparrows and American Pipits in Morraine Park and Horseshoe Meadow 
respectively, apparently waiting for the snows to end up high so they move up 
to breed. Also had a Western Meadowlark singing in Morraine Park, a first in 
RMNP for us.

Jim and Ann Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] No Trumpeter Swans, Lake Estes, Larimer Co., 11/27/11

2011-11-28 Thread Jim Nelson

I took a walk around Lake Estes on Sunday afternoon, and, as of 3:30 when I 
left, the previously reported Trumpeter Swans were not present.  The colder 
temperatures have significantly increased the ice cover on the lake, and I 
suspect the swans moved on because the shallower areas where they had been 
feeding are no longer available.  The numbers and variety of other waterfowl 
were also down significantly.  I saw only Canada Goose, Mallard, and Common 
Goldeneye.
 
Jim Nelson 
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Common Redpole, Estes Park, Larimer Co. 11/27/11

2011-11-27 Thread Jim Nelson

I continued a nice visit to Colorado with a wonderful surprise this morning.  I 
walked to get the Sunday paper at the Other Side restaurant on Mary's Lake 
Road on the west side of Estes Park.  I always count birds when I do this.  
After collecting the paper I walked across Mary's Lake Road and walked west on 
Lower Broadview Street (Road on maps but Street on the sign) which is just 
south of the Other Side across the bridge.  Walking back east on Lower 
Broadview, just 30 feet before Mary's Lake Road, in the willows and alders on 
the north side of the street I head and saw several American Goldfinch.  There 
was a streaky bird with them that I initially thought was a Pine Siskin until I 
got my binoculars on it and realized it had a small red patch on the head and 
pink on the breast.
 
Consulting my bird guide, I discovered I had a nice male Common Redpoll -- a 
life bird!  It gave me wonderful views from only 10 feet away.  Next time I 
will bring my camera when I go to get the paper!
 
Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

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[cobirds] Trumpeter Swans, other waterfowl -- Lake Estes, Larimer Co. 11/25/11

2011-11-25 Thread Jim Nelson

We're having a nice Thanksgiving visit in Colorado.  We saw the four 
previously-reported Trumpeter Swans on this past Monday and Tuesday on the 
drained Lake Estes.  After a couple of days in Colorado Springs, we returned 
this Friday afternoon to see the four Trumpeter Swans are still present on the 
now-refilled Lake.  Also had nice views of a female Hooded Merganser, American 
Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Common Goldeneye (tried to turn several distant 
birds into Barrow's but had to leave them as unidentified Goldeneyes), 
Bufflehead, Ring-necked Duck, and a nice Western Grebe (down from the three 
Western/Clark's I saw at a distance on Monday).  Birding in the late afternoon, 
there weren't many land birds around, but I stumbled on a Northern Shrike on my 
way back to my car near the power plant.  My complete list from eBird is below.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

Estes Park--Lake Estes, Larimer, US-CO
Nov 25, 2011 3:10 PM - 4:20 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
Comments: Lake full again. Cool and breezy conditions. Some whitecaps on the 
water of the Lake.
16 species (+2 other taxa)

Canada Goose 146
Trumpeter Swan 4 
American Wigeon 15
Mallard 29
Green-winged Teal 8
Ring-necked Duck 1
Bufflehead 3
Common Goldeneye 6
Common/Barrow's Goldeneye 3
Hooded Merganser 1
Western Grebe 1
gull sp. 1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 1
Northern Shrike 1
American Crow 12
Black-capped Chickadee 2
American Robin 8
European Starling 1

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[cobirds] Calliope Hummingbird, Estes Park, Larimer Co. 6/2

2011-06-02 Thread Jim Nelson

We had a beautiful male Calliope Hummingbird visit our feeder (which I just put out yesterday) early this morning. His gorget was really striking. According to eBird, this is an unusual sighting. He has not returned. We had many of them last fall on a previous stay here in Estes Park. Our place is on the west end of Estes Park in Prospect Park.Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland



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[cobirds] Redstart, Veery, Brown Thrasher, Northern Waterthrush, plus at Lake Estes, Larimer Co. 5/28

2011-05-29 Thread Jim Nelson

We just arrived in Colorado for a spring visit.  Saturday afternoon I birded 
the east end of Lake Estes, primarily in the bird sanctuary area.  I had been 
reading about this area for a couple of years on the listserv, and I can 
definitely say it lives up to its billing as a great location in spring 
migration.  It was a gray, cold afternoon but the birds were popping.  As I 
started out, I ran into local birders Scott Rashid and Judy Wright who told me 
about lots of interesting birds, many of which I went on to see during my walk.

I saw 39 species plus non-singing Traill's flycatchers which I presume to be 
Willow.  Highlights for me were a female American Redstart flycatching over the 
stream flowing by the path (joining the many Yellow Warblers and Traill's 
Flycatchers engaged in the same pursuit), 3 Northern Waterthrush, a Veery right 
by the trail (foraging close to a Swainson's Thrush for a nice comparison), a 
Brown Thrasher, Common Yellowthroats, Black-headed Grosbeaks, a Cliff Swallow, 
a nice male Bullock's Oriole, more Lincoln's Sparrow than I have ever seen, and 
at least 58 Spotted Sandpipers.  A truly wonderful afternoon.  My complete list 
from eBird is below.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

Location: Estes Park--Lake Estes
Observation date: 5/28/11
Notes: Very gray day. Temperature low 50s. No precipitation during period of 
count.
Number of species: 39

Canada Goose 28
Mallard 4
Turkey Vulture 1
Spotted Sandpiper 58
Rock Pigeon 3
Mourning Dove 1
Broad-tailed Hummingbird 3
Downy Woodpecker 1
Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's) 12
American Crow 2
Common Raven 6
Violet-green Swallow 3
Barn Swallow 5
Cliff Swallow 1
Mountain Chickadee 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 7
Veery 1
Swainson's Thrush 4
American Robin 13
Gray Catbird 11
Brown Thrasher 1
Cedar Waxwing 35
Yellow Warbler 25
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 6
American Redstart 1
Northern Waterthrush 3
Common Yellowthroat 6
Green-tailed Towhee 4
Chipping Sparrow 10
Song Sparrow 4
Lincoln's Sparrow 32
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Black-headed Grosbeak 3
Common Grackle 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
Bullock's Oriole 1
House Finch 3
Pine Siskin 18
American Goldfinch 2

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[cobirds] Warbling Vireo, Chat, Orange-crowned Warbler, Am. White Pelican, Lake Estes, Larimer Co., 5/29

2011-05-29 Thread Jim Nelson

Continuing a great visit to Colorado, we had a nice mid-day walk at a birdy 
Lake Estes.  New birds for me since yesterday's walk at the Lake included 7 
American White Pelicans circling in a thermal over the Lake, an Orange-crowned 
Warbler, a Yellow-breasted Chat, a Warbling Vireo, several McGillivray's 
Warbler, 2 House Wren, and a beautiful Western Tanager.  Saw a Veery again as 
well as a female American Redstart.  Saw several species gathering nesting 
material and/or mating.  My complete eBird list is below.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland

Location: Estes Park--Lake Estes
Observation date: 5/29/11
Notes: Mix of clouds and sun. Temperature in mid to high 50s.
Number of species: 36

Canada Goose 54
Mallard 3
American White Pelican 7
Broad-tailed Hummingbird 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's) 1
Warbling Vireo 1
American Crow 2
Common Raven 2
Tree Swallow 3
Violet-green Swallow 6
Barn Swallow 6
House Wren 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
Veery 1
Swainson's Thrush 1
American Robin 8
Gray Catbird 17
Brown Thrasher 1
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Yellow Warbler 24
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 5
American Redstart 1
Northern Waterthrush 2
MacGillivray's Warbler 3
Common Yellowthroat 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Chipping Sparrow 8
Song Sparrow 2
Lincoln's Sparrow 16
White-crowned Sparrow 4
Western Tanager 1
Common Grackle 2
Brown-headed Cowbird 5
Bullock's/Baltimore Oriole 2
House Finch 12
Pine Siskin 22
American Goldfinch 2

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[cobirds] Northern Shrike, Estes Park, Larimer County, 2/11/11

2011-02-11 Thread Jim Nelson

We're visiting in Estes Park for a few days. This morning as I was driving back to our place from an errandI saw a shrike sitting on the wires at Riverside Drive and Prospect Park Drive on the west side of Estes Park. I raced to get my binoculars and made it back in time to have a good look at a Northern Shrike before it flew off. Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland



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[cobirds] 1st WinterBlack-legged Kittiwake, Lake Estes, Larimer County

2010-12-20 Thread Jim Nelson

I'm visiting for a couple of days in Estes Park in Larimer County.  This 
afternoon I decided to go down to Lake Estes to see what was around.  As I 
walked from the parking lot at the Visitor Center at the west end of the Lake 
at about 2:40 pm, I saw a gull flying from the west toward the Lake.  It had 
very distinct dark wing tips with an interesting pattern of black and white 
areas in the wings.  My mental note was that the black areas formed a v shape 
on each wing with a bright white area behind the black v.  At several points 
I left the paved walking trail to view the open areas of water, but no gull.  
Back on the trail I saw the gull again, flying back west toward the power plant 
water outlet at the head of the lake.  I hustled back and left the trail to 
view the open water below the water outlet.  The gull was on the water about 
100 feet away from me.  I noted the white head and black bill with a blackspot 
behind the eye and a vertical black line at the back of the head as well as a 
lot of black in the folded wings.  I checked my field guide and quickly 
realized that I was looking at a first winter Black-legged Kittiwake -- a life 
bird!!  

Being from out of state, I had only one potential contact to tell about the 
bird and seek confirmation of my i.d.  As I was viewing the bird, I called 
Scott Roederer who I had met on Saturday when I helped out on the Rocky 
Mountain National Park Christmas Count.  Scott was not in Estes when I called 
on his cell, but he promised to call someone to come to the Lake.  Just as he 
and I were talking, the Kittiwake flew back toward the Lake and out of view. I 
hustled toward the Lake as the snow storm intensified and looked at the open 
water from several vantage points, but did not see the bird again.  I went back 
to my car and drove to the south side of the Lake where I encountered Scott 
Rashid and Judy (didn't get Judy's last name).  Scott Roederer had called them, 
and they had arrived in time to see the Kittiwake and confirm my i.d.  I 
understand Scott also got pictures.  We were joined by two other folks in cars, 
and we drove up and down the south side of the Lake, but no one had 
seen the Kittiwake again as of the time I drove away.  I walked to the power 
plant outfall one more time to see if the bird was back there (the area can't 
be seen from the driving area on the south side of the Lake), but the 
Kittiwake was not there when I left about 4:20.

I hope it hangs around so others can see it.  

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland 

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Re: [cobirds] Estes Park on 26Oct2010

2010-10-27 Thread Jim Nelson

We're visiting in Estes Park for a few days. I had never checked out the bird sanctuary area at Lake Estes so I braved the very gusty winds and took at look on Tuesday midafternoon. The only birds I sawaround the crabapple trees by theutility yardwere Dark-eyed Juncos. On the pine-covered peninsula that Dave mentions below, in addition to Mountain Chickadees and Brown-headed Nuthatches, I had great veiws of a Dipper along the edge of the Lake.Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland
On Oct 26, 2010, Dave Leatherman daleather...@msn.com wrote:

We (Mary Tom France and I) blew off the weather report and went to Estes Park today. Then the wind did the same to us.

North of the Power Plant utility yard at the west end of Lake Estes, we checked the crabapple trees that hosted good warblers last weekend and found 5 Yellow-rumped Warblers eating aphids. Not sure if these aphids were dead from the freezing temps last night or not, but the point is these trees and the insects are still attractive to insectivorous passerine birds and the trees would warrant checking over the next few weeks.

A little ways east within the Matthews-Reeser Sanctuary, specifically the pine covered peninsula, were 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler, a few Pygmy Nuthatches, a few Mountain Chickadees, and 1 mountain race, female Hairy Woodpecker.

At the north end of the Dry Gulch Road north of US34 in the northeastern part of Estes Park, we found about a dozen cooperative Brown-capped Rosy-Finches feeding along the roadside on what appeared to be the pink flower heads of a tiny, low-growing plant.

Between the upper and lower switchback on the Devil's Gulch Road as it descends north into Glenhaven was one female (I think) Pine Grosbeak. The bird's crown was intermediate between what Sibley calls "russet" and what his guide shows for the normal corn-yellow coloration of a female. Russet birds can either be females or young males. Since the rump of this bird was gray, perhaps that makes it a female.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

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[cobirds] Calliope Hummingbirds in Estes Park, Larimer Co.

2010-09-05 Thread Jim Nelson

We spent a nice week and half at our place in Estes Park, leaving on Saturday, September 4.  We were amazed at the numbers of Calliope Hummingbirds we saw at our feeder.  As the days progressed the Rufous Hummers disappeared, and the Broad-tails declined in numbers, but we seemed to have ever-increasing numbers of Calliopes (females/young males).  Is this unusual?Jim NelsonBethesda, Maryland



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