[cobirds] Crowley County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

No rarities to report, but if you’re thinking of looking for birds near 
Ordway, Sugar City, or Lake Meredith you might want to wait a while. 
Crowley County is the worse county in the U.S. for the past week for 
covid-19, per capita. Bent County also in the top ten.

Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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Re: [cobirds] Joe Roller sad news

[Tom Wilberding]

The news comes as a shock. Barb and I will miss Joe, but are thankful we 
knew him. Two weeks ago I emailed Joe to ask how he was doing. He replied 
with Churchillian courage, "When marching through hell, keep marching."  
Never complain, never explain.

I admired Joe’s politeness and outgoing personality. My first memory of him 
was on a CFO convention field trip when we were taking a break at a 
Nebraska welcome center. Joe took the time to walk up to the senior woman 
behind the counter, probably a volunteer, and compliment her on the nice 
welcome center and how she was so helpful to visitors. She smiled and 
clearly enjoyed chatting with Joe. Introverted birders like me typically 
did not do that. Joe was a good example of kindness and outreach.

Joe loved recognizing other people’s  efforts and accomplishments. For 
years on the CFO Board he was in charge of awards. He took that very 
seriously and annually came up with some member who deserved thanks from 
the Colorado birding community. Joe also worked to recruit new Board 
members and officers. He was very good with people and had wide contacts. 
He was always the first to give hearty applause to CFO award winners at the 
annual convention banquet, whether he nominated them or not.

After Joe retired from the CFO Board I thought he would relax, but no, he 
took on the President’s position at DFO and did a great job invigorating 
DFO with creative and professional leadership..

I know Joe devoted many hours to the Boy Scouts over the years and was a 
leader there.

Lastly, I admired Joe’s life-long love and devotion to his tragically 
disabled wife, Mary Anne. Such constant care-giving is not easy, impossible 
for most of us, but he carried on over many years with Mary Anne’s 
well-being as his top priority. 

He was a friend of mine, and many others.

Tom Wilberding
Littleton, Colorado

On Wednesday, November 25, 2020 at 9:45:02 PM UTC-7 Sharon wrote:

> The first time I met Joe Roller was at my first Trinidad 2012 CFO outing 
> on a Spanish  Peaks field trip. He was very outgoing and his sense of humor 
> impressed me as a fun person to be around. He made me feel comfortable 
> within that group of birders and I was hooked on CFO conventions.
>
> Joe also sent our Boulder Bird Club a gracious constructive feedback 
> message regarding a questionable eBird hotspot posting a while back. Always 
> the teacher, Joe, and it as an appreciative response. We all will miss you.
>
> Sharon Norfleet
> Boulder Bird Club Bird
> President 2020
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Nov 25, 2020, at 3:45 PM, Larry Modesitt  wrote:
>
> Cobirders,
>
> The very sad news is that Joe died last night of cancer just after 
> midnight. His wife Maryanne said that despite his pain, he was still 
> cracking jokes with the nurses yesterday morning. “He made me laugh every 
> single day,” she said. Either one of their boys, Dan and Tom, was always 
> able to be with him for the past month. 
>
> I was out running with my dog when Joe corralled us decades ago. That’s 
> how I became one of many people Joe introduced to birding. That led to us 
> birding together all over Colorado and the world. Joe’s love of teaching 
> folks about birds, almost always with a humorous insight, continued through 
> his illness. He was a valuable contributor to Denver Field Ornithologists, 
> Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Colorado Field Ornithologists, and the 
> medical community. There has never been anyone like Joe Roller, and he will 
> be missed greatly.
>
> We can believe that last night just after midnight, St. Peter laughed 
> harder than he had all year.
>
> Larry Modesitt
>
> Arvada
>
> -- 
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> .
>
>

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[cobirds] Wild Turkeys, Adams County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,
No rarities to report, just a rather unusual Wild Turkey sighting.

Barb and I took advantage of the warm, sunny weather today and rode our 
bikes from the Bluff Lake Nature Center northwest along Sand Creek on the 
Sand Creek bike path to the confluence of Sand Creek and the South. Platte 
River. An industrial corridor. Barb: “When’s it going to get pretty?”

The most birds we saw was at the Denver sewage plant, the effluence at the 
confluence, the sudsy, sulfurous cascades below the plant. Here there were 
hundreds of American Wigeon and Northern Shovelers frantically gobbling up 
whatever was flowing from Denver’s Cloaca Maxima.

We biked south on the South Platte River bike path to the spooky necropolis 
of Riverside Cemetery, home of Augusta Tabor since 1895 and Governor John 
Evans since 1897. We stopped for a break before heading back. Barb heard 
some rustling in the leaves below us on the bank. “Turkeys!”

There were four adults crouching on the bank next to a King Sooper grocery 
cart and broken concrete. A passing local bicyclists said he photographed 
them here in the spring when they were poults and later watched them become 
jakes and jennies, now Toms and hens. Location here: 
https://goo.gl/maps/4hxSZ1zcVVuDJQ3r8 

It was a strange Thanksgiving tableau, far from Currier & Ives. These 
turkeys were at home with the sounds, sights, and smells of the Denver 
sewage plant, the Cherokee coal plant, rumbling coal trains, roaring semis, 
a homeless encampment, an oil refinery, and a concrete crushing mill.

Nature persists, even in difficult conditions, and so may we all this 
Thanksgiving and in the coming months 'til spring, when the pandemic may 
finally end.

Best,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Hunter orange

[Tom Wilberding]

This week Barb and I spent a few days in northeastern Colorado, spending 
one night in Sterling, another in Wray. We enjoyed birding at Prewitt 
Reservoir SWA, North Sterling State Park, Tamarack Ranch SWA, Red Lion SWA, 
Jumbo Reservoir SWA, Stalker Lake SWA, and South Republican SWA (with our 
SWA fishing licenses). We  enjoyed the trip very much, but looking back, we 
should have worn some hunter orange.

Most of these state wildlife areas have deer hunters now who all wear 
orange caps and vests. Some carry shotguns, others muzzleloaders. They were 
all friendly, but we should have been dressed like them for safety. BTW, we 
did notice another birding couple dressed in strict camo outfits with no 
orange, probably even less safe than Barb and I in our street clothes.

It was fun to see fall cottonwood colors and some eastern birds like 
Eastern Bluebird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Eastern Screech-Owl, and to hear 
the constant calls of Blue Jays.

Masks are good, and in retrospect, so is hunter orange.

Good birding,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Re: Reddish Egret, Jackson Reservoir, Morgan County

[Tom Wilberding]

Congrats to Joey, David, and Dean!
Regarding the Reddish Egret, story follows.

I was kneeling in the mud at Jackson Lake with my camera this afternoon 
trying to get a photo of a Sanderling. My helpful birding sidekick, wife 
Barb, stood beside me with instructions to let me know if she saw anything 
“unusual.”
Meanwhile I noticed three guys with scopes about 500 yards away (David, 
Dean, Joey). “Wonder what they’re looking at?”

Barb: “There’s something over there that looks a little different than a 
Great Blue Heron.”
Me, taking a glance: “That’s just a Great Blue Heron scrunched down, makes 
it looks smaller.”
Barb, persisting, “But it’s acting differently, sort of dancing.”
Me: “Huh? Holy crap, a Reddish Egret! THANK YOU Barb!”
Photo below.
BTW, later I asked Barb, “Why are you wearing your covid mask out here?” 
(She calls her mask, “Not today, Rona.”)
Barb: “Because it STINKS out here.”
Oh well, another day at the beach!

Cheers,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

[image: AH2I0337.jpg]



On Friday, September 18, 2020 at 1:25:22 PM UTC-6, Joey Kellner wrote:
>
>
>
> --
> *From:* Joey >
> *Sent:* September 18, 2020 12:42:22 PM MDT
> *To:* Cobirds >
> *Subject:* Reddish Egret, Jackson Reservoir, Morgan County
>
> David Dowell, Dean Shoup and I are looking at a young, dark morph Reddish 
> Egret first seen from the dam near the outlet canal. One can walk down the 
> face of the dam and get closer. 
>
> Smaller than nearby Great Blue Herons. Grayish-red body, neck and head. 
> Yellow eyes; Darker grayish wings. Long, dark, relatively even width bill 
> (tip to base).
>
> Began running actively and "canopy feeding"
>
> Photos will be to eBird later.
>
> Joey.
>
> Joey Kellner
> Littleton, Colorado
> Joey Kellner
> Littleton, Colorado
> Joey Kellner
> Littleton, Colorado

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[cobirds] Jackson County shorebirds

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Here are some photos of elusive Colorado shorebirds Barb and I saw this 
week in Jackson Country, and also a bit north at Hutton Lake NWR in 
Wyoming, about 30 miles north of the Colorado boarder. We did not see a lot 
of shorebirds; I think we were early, but I was pleased to get a few photos.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/twilberding/albums/72157715469076278

*Hutton Lake NWR* has five lakes. Only Lake George and Hutton Lake had 
water on Monday. Not a lot of shorebirds, but ample shore-beach-mudflats on 
Lake George and Hutton Lake. . Close views of Willets, Avocets, Wilson 
Phalaropes, and a couple of distant Whimbrels. Lots of Sage Thrashers, too. 
BTW, as a CoBirder cautioned recently, avoid “Flag Road.” It is private and 
dead end, despite internet navigation.

*Cowdrey Like SWA*: beautiful spot, full of water, steep banks, and on 
Monday no mud flats or shorebirds that we could see.

*Pole Mountain Lake*: good potential, many distant waterfowl and American 
White Pelicans, but we saw only one shorebird, a Killdeer. This is a 
private reservoir visible only from CR 26A

*Lake John SWA*: beautiful, vast reservoir. There were a few shorebirds, 
and a fox eyeing them, at a small alkaline pond on the left as we drove in. 
Close views of Wilson Phalaropes and Baird’s Sandpipers today.

*Arapaho NWR Automobile Wildlife Tour*: today a distant Black-necked Stilt, 
Wilson Phalaropes and the usual beautiful scenery and waterfowl.

We camped Monday and Tuesday night near Buffalo Pass at Teal Lake 
campground, and spent Tuesday hiking the Continental Divide Trail—saw some 
mountain birds, mostly juveniles, and spectacular summer wildflowers. At 
times pretty smokey in western North Park due to the Pine Gulch and Grizzly 
Creek fires in western Colorado. Makes for red sunsets, red moon, red 
sunrises, and camping gear that now smells like smoked ham.

Good birding,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, Co

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[cobirds] Tent birding, western Larimer County

[Tom Wilberding]

After exploring far south Baca County two weeks ago for two nights camping 
and birding, Barb and I ventured out this week for some birding in the far 
north, the east side of the Medicine Bow mountains in Larimer County near 
Wyoming.

Tunnel Campground on CR 103 has a diligent host and 40 well-spaced sites 
next to the roaring Laramie River. The host told us it sells out on 
weekends, first come first served, but usually has some open spaces on 
weekdays. Nearby is the West Branch Trail leading into the Rahwah 
wilderness—lovely wildflowers and butterflies. (Rahwah means “wilderness” 
in Arapaho.) 

Most birds were nesting and hidden, but we did see a Red-naped Sapsucker 
hover over us like a hummingbird, as if to say, “Move along, I have a nest 
nearby.” In the willow carr near the Laramie River was a Slate-colored Fox 
Sparrow singing up a storm, when not carrying insects to its hidden nest.

At Cameron Pass along state highway 14 we saw four adult moose chomping on 
willow twigs like there was no tomorrow. South of Walden in North Park, 
Jackson County, we drove the six mile auto route through Arapaho National 
Wildlife Refuge We read it was established in 1967 primarily for waterfowl 
production, especially Gadwall, Lesser Scaup, and American Wigeon. We saw 
lots of those, but also American Coots sitting on floating nests in the 
open, near very vocal Yellow-headed Blackbirds tending their hidden nests. 
We also saw Coot chicks, so some females may be on clutch number two.

South of the refuge on state highway 125 we strolled the Moose Goose 
boardwalk near refuge headquarters on the Illinois River. Saw a Savannah 
Sparrow and a Black-crowned Night-Heron at this oasis surrounded by very 
dry land. We then drove east on deserted county road 32 for 12 miles 
through a vast sagebrush steppe with Brewer’s Sparrows popping up next to 
the two-track dirt road. No luck seeing Greater Sage-Grouse.

Back at our campsite we were pretty comfortable until about 3 am, when one 
wakes up and thinks, “Hypothermia!”--there is still snow at the top of the 
Medicine Bow peaks and cold air falls. Consolation came in the form of two 
Boreal Owls softly winnowing back and forth near our campsite, on and off 
both nights from 9:30 pm to about 4 am. The dawn chorus came at 4:50 am in 
the form of one cheerful American Robin. 

23 photos here, mostly scenery: 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/twilberding/albums/72157715033310456

Good birding!
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, Colorado

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[cobirds] Colorado's 350 State Wildlife Areas

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Regarding the new license requirement at SWAs, Barb and I recently bought 
fishing licenses online. We keep them in the glove box of my car, so that 
when we bird at any Colorado SWA we can grab them and carry them, to avoid 
the eventual $139.50 fine. A "Resident Senior Fishing Annual License" cost 
us $9.85 each, so $19.70 for two. We’re happy to contribute this amount to 
the state to maintain Colorado’s beautiful SWAs.
 

The state says that the reason for this new license policy, effective 
today, is to reduce the number of visitors to Colorado SWAs. Too many 
people cause the wildlife to flee. The state says it wants to “protect and 
conserve” wildlife at these spots. (ready for harvest?) 
 

So far the state does not say that you have to only hunt or fish when 
visiting an SWA, just carry the annual license. I hope that does not 
change, which would ban birders from SWAs. Hmm. In that case, carry a 
collapsible fishing rod? Here is a map of Colorado’s 350 SWAs: 
https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/Pages/WildlifeAreaMap.aspx

 

BTW, on this map under the "Recreation" tab I checked "Bird watching" and 
the filtered map show only two SWAs. I assume that is an map error. 

Here is more info: 
https://theknow.denverpost.com/2020/07/01/colorado-state-wildlife-areas-hunting-fishing-license/241323/

 

Good birding,
Tom Wilberding

Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Tent camping in Baca County

[Tom Wilberding]

 
joining in. We had breakfast, took another walk, saw a couple of Bewick’s 
wrens and an indigo bunting. It was time to pack up the tent and start the 
long drive home. 

 

Barb said our 90-degree car smelled like a Waste Management garbage truck 
with compressed trash and dirty laundry. Oh well, pack it in, pack it out. 
Highlights on our way home were seeing a curve-billed thrasher in a field 
of cholla cactus and enjoying a chocolate sundae from the McDonald’s drive 
thru in La Junta.

 

It was a great adventure. Thanks to Barb for her love, sharp eyes, and 
logistical management. Glad to return home to a shower and bed.

 

Here is our route from Carrizo Canyon Picnic Area to where we camped at 
Cottonwood Canyon, called by Google Maps “Kim Reorganized 88.” Zoom out to 
see the whole area and state. Click on the 3D button to the right to see 
canyon walls. https://goo.gl/maps/E4KnWxanGAQ1HejA9

 

30 photos from our trip. Scroll down each photo a little for caption, and 
click right arrow for next photo: 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/twilberding/50041771501/in/album-72157714850044377/

 

Cheers,

Tom Wilberding

Littleton, Colorado

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[cobirds] Re: Rarity in disguise, Jefferson County

[Tom Wilberding]

Maybe becoming not so rare.  Here is an eBird breeding map for Hooded 
Merganser which shows reports from the front range of Colorado. 
https://ebird.org/science/status-and-trends/hoomer/range-map-breeding

These eBird maps for Hooded Merganser are interesting. Some hoodies spend 
the winter in Wyoming, others in southern states. Wyoming is a lot colder 
than southern states in the winter. Maybe there is a cold-loving 
subspecies. And a gravel reservoir sub-species?

Tom Wilberding

On Saturday, May 23, 2020 at 11:17:29 PM UTC-6, Tom Wilberding wrote:
>
> Hello birders,
>
> Yesterday afternoon Barb and I strolled three miles along Clear Creek 
> Trail in Jeffco near I-70, hoping to see a rare warbler, like the Mourning 
> Warbler photographed by James McCall on May 15. But most migrating 
> warblers, as you may have noticed, have already moved northward, except for 
> some Yellow Warblers in the process of nesting.
>  
>
> We were pleased to hear and see a couple of Spotted Sandpipers fluttering 
> along the bank, probably nest building. We noticed a few Mallards loafing 
> here and there. But then a strange sight: a female Merganser with two 
> chicks. Seemed to us very early for a duck with chicks, although there are 
> lots of Canada Geese goslings following their parents around in local parks.
>
> An expert birder friend pointed out that the merganser family was quite a 
> find. Not just early, but they’re not supposed to breed here, and certainly 
> not below a busy and vast construction site like the one on the south side 
> of Clear Creek.
>
> Per Cornell: “Hooded Mergansers breed in forested wetlands throughout the 
> eastern half of North America and the Pacific Northwest. They are most 
> common in forests around the Great Lakes.”
>
> Was this hoodie family a fluke, or are Hooded Mergansers staying in 
> Colorado to breed? I believe the state’s first documented breeding site 
> of the species was found at Quincy Farm at Cherry Creek last year. 
> Yesterday's 
> photo below.
>
>
> Cheers,
> Tom Wilberding
> Littleton, CO
>
> [image: _V6A5164.jpg]
>
>
>

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[cobirds] Crow Valley camping, Weld County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

I went to the Crow Valley website. It says closed for camping. No mention 
of when it might open. 
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/recarea/?recid=32173

But at the Recreation.gov website I made a reservation for camping at Crow 
Valley for two nights, June 9 to 11. They charged my VISA card $36. 
https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233845/availability

Barb and I are looking forward to birds, wildflowers, and stars out there 
in June while wearing masks. Or a refund. :-)

Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Welcome back, Trog. Jefferson County

[Tom Wilberding]

Regarding spring migration, most species range maps (Cornell, Sibley, 
Peterson) extend from Mexico to the Arctic. But eBird.org/science, thanks 
to international postings, recently offers very broad range maps, giving a 
fuller picture of the awesome movement of migrating birds.


For example, the lowly House Wren, very drab with a bubbly song, weighing 
less than ½ an ounce, is the most widely distributed bird of the Americas. 
Barb and I were happy to see and hear our firsts of the season yesterday at 
Bear Creek Lake Park, three new arrivals on different territories along the 
creek, singing their hearts out.

Here is an eBird animation of House Wren migration: 
https://ebird.org/science/status-and-trends/houwre/abundance-map-weekly. I 
find it amazing and humbling that this tiny bird eagerly moves so far every 
spring.

(Troglodytes Aedon was one of the two pets of King Friday the XIII in 
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Trog, as the King called him. )

Thank you, eBird, for these excellent maps.

Happy spring!

Tom Wilberding
Littleton, Colorado

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[cobirds] Re: Yellow-throated Vireo Pueblo County 4/22

[Tom Wilberding]

One reported recently in Jefferson County too, south fence line of Harriman 
Lake Park. 
Here is an interesting eBird range map that shows that this eastern species 
has a "Pre-breeding migratory season" in the front range of Colorado. I 
wonder why it flies out to left field briefly here in Colorado? What's our 
attraction?
https://ebird.org/science/status-and-trends/yetvir/range-map

Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

On Wednesday, April 22, 2020 at 7:20:13 AM UTC-6, Brandon wrote:
>
> The Yellow-throated Vireo is still here at Pueblo City Park, singing above 
> the Frisbee Golf Course creek area, on the west side of the park.
>
> Brandon K. Percival
> Pueblo West, CO
>
> Sent from my Android
>

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[cobirds] Snow Bunting yesterday, Jeffco

[Tom Wilberding]

Hi all,
Thursday the bunting made at least one appearance, at noon. I was 40 
minutes late, but there were compensations. With snow falling heard an 
American Dipper singing, which surprised a Swamp Sparrow and me. Said hi to 
some birders I know, met a birder I didn’t know. Saw a skittish flock of 
American Tree-Sparrows, lots of colorful ducks, and a guy in a t-shirt with 
no hat digging a hole in the middle of the creek. Also heard a nearby semi 
blow up and close the freeway. But the highlight was a dipper singing its 
heart out in the middle of winter.


Hope the bunting shows up today for birders looking for it.

Cheers,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Urban shorebirds, Denver County

[Tom Wilberding]

Friday afternoon I lugged my heavy camera and bins to Chatfield State 
Park’s S. Platte River inlet, Marina sandspit, and Plum Creek inlet. Long 
treks, very natural habitat, but just a few Killdeer at each place.


This afternoon Barb and I were strolling along the S. Platte River just 
south of the Cherry Creek Confluence, halfway between the aquarium and REI. 
No camera, no bins. City habitat. There were shorebirds on gravel islands 
in the South Platte, and I don’t think they were all Killdeer.

I hope these shorebirds stick around to be identified by peep-loving Denver 
birders.

 

Good birding,

Tom Wilberding

Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] The New Chatfield State Park, Jeffco and Douglas counties

[Tom Wilberding]

Driving around Chatfield today I wondered why are all the new roads, paths, 
and parking lots SO FAR from the water. Then I scrolled through the 
following maps showing the future water level, and see that it is very 
close to the new parking lots. 
https://chatfieldreallocation.org/project-map/

For example, the Plum Creek Day Use parking lot is shown about thirty feet 
from the water, not .67 miles as it exists now. When the water will be 
raised, where the additional water will come from, and how it will affect 
many trees which will be underwater, I don't know. 

I think Chatfield is still a work-in-progress. Hope the final product will 
be beneficial to birds.

Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Chico Basin Ranch, Pueblo County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello Birders,

Barb and I visited Chico Basin Ranch last week. Here are 18 photos. 
Wonderful to see birds in their best-dressed breeding plumage, all going to 
the spring ball. (If I goofed on any ID's, please fire away.) 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/twilberding/albums/72157680241783578

Tom Wilberding
Littleton, Colorado

P. S. Interesting background to Chico Basin Ranch: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chico_Basin_Ranch

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[cobirds] Re: American Three-toed Woodpeckers, Clear Creek County

[Tom Wilberding]

Thanks for the tip! Barb and I enjoyed seeing the Three-toeds today, male 
and female. Not a burn area, but some beetle-killed trees.
T Wilberding
Littleton, CO

On Thursday, July 26, 2018 at 7:09:57 AM UTC-6, Bob Andrews wrote:
>
> Hello all,
>
> On July 24, Michael Kiessig and I saw seven American Three-toed 
> Woodpeckers on the north side of Guanella Pass, Clear Creek County. Several 
> were along the dirt road leading to the Silver Dollar Lake trailhead from 
> the parking lots at the paved Guanella Pass road, and others were along the 
> lower portions of the Silver Dollar Lake Trail. None of the birds were seen 
> in the morning when we were hiking up; all were seen in the afternoon as we 
> were hiking back down. Four of the birds involved were two separate adult 
> males feeding single young birds following the males and being fed by them. 
> A third bird was seen near one of the male-fledgling pairs and may have 
> been the female parent. Two other single birds were also seen. A female 
> Hairy Woodpecker was seen in the same area, so woodpeckers need to be 
> checked carefully. The area was birdy, with many fledgling Yellow-rumped 
> Warblers, Wilson’s Warblers, Lincoln’s Sparrows, and White-crowned 
> Sparrows. Several Pine Grosbeaks were also seen and heard.
> Bob Andrews
> Yekepa, Liberia (currently staying in Highlands Ranch)
>

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[cobirds] Yellow-billed loon: Jeffco to Barrow

[Tom Wilberding]

Just got back from a bird photo workshop in Barrow, Alaska. Our group was 
fortunate to stumble on a Yellow-billed loon in breeding plumage. I could 
not help thinking about the YBLO at South Platte Reservoir in Jefferson 
County last winter. This species undergoes quite a transformation at 
breeding time—from drab and very shy to dramatic colors and a very 
confident attitude.

<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-60Sw0pv_dbk/Wy8fVBzKwsI/Aog/orV1t_DpZeUKoQVkMuqDV1fJeRyrLi5WACLcBGAs/s1600/_V6A2996.jpg>

 


Rest of the story, if you're interested. 
We spotted this loon while driving by Barrow’s sewage treatment pond at 2 
AM. (Sweet light all night in Barrow in late spring. Bird all night, sleep 
all day.) 


Our leader said that to photograph waterfowl at breeding time it helps to 
GET INTO THE WATER to get your camera lens at the eye level of the 
waterfowl. This calms the birds down and prompts them to approach you, to 
see why apes like you are kneeling and crouching in *their *pond. So for 
this workshop you wear chest waders.

In we go, dark icy water about 30 inches deep, then kneel down, place 
tripod in water, crouch as low as you can. BTW, air temp is 29 degrees. 
Fingers frozen. My lens is 420 mm versus everyone else at 600 or 800 mm. 
The good news—surprisingly no stink, and certainly no mosquitoes. The 
Yellow-billed loon slowly crosses the sewage pond toward us, gets closer 
and closer. Per the pop song, “Shy No More.”

First job back home--hose down chest waders.

Cheers!

Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Cranes, with music

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello, birders.

Here are 21 photos of Sandhill Cranes from Bosque del Apache, Lewellen, and 
Monte Vista.

>From page 1 of Peter Matthiessen’s book, *The Birds of Heaven*, about the 
15 species of cranes:
“The immortal cranes call, their cries sound from afar, their thoughts 
circle upward into distant skies. Below stands a man, above him the bright 
moon. The man wanders aimlessly, trailing after the Milky Way. The wind 
blows past him. I, too, think the man would like to be utterly free.” --Jiang 
Yi Ning,

https://goo.gl/hqovr2


Good birding!

Tom Wilberding
Littleton, Colorado

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[cobirds] February antidote

[Tom Wilberding]

It’s been observed that February is the slowest birding month in Colorado.. 
What to do? Some travel to Florida, Texas, or Arizona for a birding fix, 
others to Minnesota to see winter birds. If you can’t get away, it helps to 
simply think of spring. Here are three books about the slow seasonal turn 
from winter to spring.

*Prairie Spring* by Pete Dunne. His four month journey from winter to 
spring occurs in Colorado, starting at Crow Valley on February 2, Groundhog 
Day, 15 below zero.

*North with the Spring *by Edwin Way Teale*. *He and his wife start their 
winter to spring birding adventure in South Florida at the Everglades, and 
drive slowly up with spring to New England. BTW, If you simply want to 
savor winter, Teale’s *Wandering Through Winter*:is also very good.

*Spring in Washington* by Louis Halle. This winter to spring journey occurs 
in Washington, D.C.  Written by a State Department official during World 
War II, it is an escape to the real world of nature and man. “To snatch the 
passing moment and examine it for eternity is the noblest of occupations,” 
writes Halle. Tour guide Victor Emmanuel lives in Texas, but reads this 
book every spring.

How to glimpse spring in February in Colorado? Rather than head out on a 
warm, dry day, maybe better to head out the day after a snowfall, about 10 
am. The birds are hungry, out and about. I heard a red-wing blackbird’s 
*conk-eree 
*this morning. Tonight, back to winter.

 

Tom Wilberding

Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Re: SNOWY OWL being seen right now. On roof of Wayne Carle Middle School

[Tom Wilberding]

Here's a photo of the sleepy Snowy of Standley, Westminster. I took this 
from the sidewalk on 86th Parkway, south side of the lake, far from the 
bird, about 1 pm.

I heard that this immature Snowy Owl spent part of the morning on the roof 
of the middle school north of the lake. Two ravens evicted it, so it flew 
to the south shore, Standley Lake Regional Park, open to the public. It 
stood sturdily on the ground--looking like a white fire hydrant or R2D2.

Some birders left the sidewalk and crossed the park fence to get a closer 
look. Snowy kept a close eye on them, and perhaps was pleased that their 
shoes got very muddy!

Enjoyed seeing lots of birders, including CFO pals Doug Faulkner and Larry 
Modesitt.





On Wednesday, December 27, 2017 at 10:39:53 AM UTC-7, Joe Roller wrote:
>
> Peter Gent found the SNOW this morningand asked me to post this 
> information. The owl has been sitting there for the past 45 minutes.
> Message sent at 10:43, Wed AM, Dec 27.
>
> Yesterday Paul Hurtado mentioned that the school is "... about 200-300 
> yards left/southeast from the gated fence blocking access aling the top of 
> the dam."
> Wayne Carle Middle School
>
> Please update or correct this information.
>
> Joe Roller, Denver
>

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[cobirds] Rough-legged Hawks, Elbert and Lincoln Counties

[Tom Wilberding]

Barb and I were pleased to see 9 Rough-legged Hawks, all light morph, this 
afternoon in Elbert and Lincoln counties.


   - 3 south of Matheson on Elbert CR 149 to CR 66, spaced a couple of 
   miles apart.
   - 2 more, a male and a female, at the top of a tree east of that 
   junction, 149 & 66. (Seemed unusual for a solitary hawk species in 
   non-breeding season.)
   - 4 more along I-70 between Limon and Bovina, spaced a couple of miles 
   apart.
   
We also saw a Prairie Falcon, and two prairie Merlins, all spaced far apart.

It seems that during some winters Rough-legged Hawks are fairly common in 
Colorado, other winters not so much. They eat lemmings in the Arctic, so 
maybe their numbers fluctuate with the lemming population, like Snowy Owls. 
I wonder if anyone keeps an annual Colorado census of this sort? I wasn’t 
able to glean such data from eBird.

Horned larks were not abundant for us today, and no Lapland Longspurs 
despite many patches of freshly plowed earth.

More on Rough-legged Hawks from the internet, if you’re interested: 

As Swainson’s Hawks retreat to South America, Rough-legged Hawks descend 
from the Arctic tundra to take their place. *Buteo lagopus. “*Lagopus” is 
Greek for “feet like a hare’s”*. *Yep, they’re sort of furry, covered with 
feathers, like ptarmigan, another Arctic bird. John James Audubon called it 
Rough-legged Falcon. Wikipedia calls it Rough-legged Buzzard. 

They breed in the Arctic and Subarctic regions of North America and 
Eurasia, the only buteo that has a complete circumpolar distribution. Along 
with the kestrels, kites and osprey, this is one of the few birds of prey 
to hover regularly--we saw that activity today. There are three subspecies.

They have small talons and prey on small rodents, like lemmings and voles, 
but are also known to take young snow buntings *and Lapland longspurs*. 
(Yes, my excuse!) They can live 19 years in the wild.

Good winter birding!
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, Colorado


<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hyNVIMZ3nek/Wh-Mqw4OtUI/Amg/F5zTtpCD6zAD_ECSHrbqWyflk7B6SJLaQCLcBGAs/s1600/_V6A2208.jpg>


<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JEX1o50JRGE/Wh-MyI09wFI/Amk/KfK8skDd_XQpfzEkJCg-R83Je5urLStnACLcBGAs/s1600/_V6A2199.jpg>



<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KL7ght-LZyk/Wh-NCyj2XlI/Amo/O0haNY0DBDEqysBqcaEAi11g5wtWIbW9QCLcBGAs/s1600/_V6A2220.jpg>






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[cobirds] CBC and eBird counting tip

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Here's a tip from Pete Dunne in the current issue of *BirdWatching Magazine*. 
When trying to count a large flock of birds, it helps to count them in 
blocks of 100. What does 100 look like? Count out 100 beans (per my photos 
below) and try to remember what 100 looks like. You'll be ready.

Good birding & counting,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, Colorado

<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8w3P8RCM1O8/WhxJrO5CRGI/Alo/Aiq5haKY0GcHktkdlEZFdYmFUqVlDUjagCLcBGAs/s1600/DX7A5522.jpg>


<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Fq_oFsGylOs/WhxJvMJWO-I/Als/K8gjZRWq7fQqC4vh_SDhjA9R0fBI5nhVgCLcBGAs/s1600/DX7A5528.jpg>




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[cobirds] Tropics and tundra, Chatfield Reservoir, Douglas County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Enjoyed birding this morning at Chatfield with CFO Treasurer, Michael 
Kiessig. At the Marina sand spit we spotted a juvenile Sanderling. Then, at 
the first stump up the beach, Michael spotted an American Tree Sparrow. So 
there you have it--tropical bird and tundra bird together. November in 
Colorado is interesting!

As we returned from the sand spit Michael noticed a Western Grebe on the 
shore. "It appears to have health issues." He calmly walked up to the bird, 
noticed it was tangled in fishing line, so he took a multi-tool out of his 
pocket, knelt down, and proceeded to extricate the poor grebe from its 
nylon straight jacket. Michael is an experienced bander, and as such is 
good at extrication.

As CFO President David Gillilan wrote in his recent column in *Colorado 
Birds*, it is hard to say which is more fun being around--Colorado birds or 
Colorado birders. The answer is BOTH!

Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

P.S. On a more somber note, we noticed foresters painting the trunks of 
trees to be cut down near the shore at Chatfield. Tree removal will begin 
soon as part of Denver Water's 3 year project to raise Chatfield's water 
level 12 feet. If you want to see the old Chatfield, now's the time.

<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2taKTkgBrlE/WgPK5UirsfI/Ak0/MU7fS-31UjQPhl4JbVNhw_ZF2rOtkcb-gCLcBGAs/s1600/_V6A1766.jpg>

<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M3dssOF_BG8/WgPKxRmTw2I/Akw/iGXsvHqdrTo3-6dGHo1XFn19sWiTAND5gCLcBGAs/s1600/_V6A1767.jpg>



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[cobirds] Black-throated Blue Warbler, Jefferson County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Barb and I biked up and down Waterton Canyon today. Were pleased to see a 
Black-throated Blue Warbler. Location: https://goo.gl/maps/xJRUayKkJTn 
<https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fgoo.gl%2Fmaps%2FxJRUayKkJTn=ATOGIbEGmELJ29DrLQv-3t87riVlg_KQ3S1JJO4Ec0IDG_-ousLq3ykUnOn5ah3X9z4EVC5U_G8jyPPdjfjz5f9vvEumSPZ-JeqX0Ldo641sIXdLjHTkDCZR3MPYcoFtCCzKDsT0dvxuPWvtAeCOxJERR6e6tRzQBsXDl_5iW4yNBruxHBBG7WshNI5YweJxxtgh_1RcR3BFd7b_KCJKfrYaONG-WeeHyw3b2138YQTlpUhT_eAdLfan3I_vAd2RTR1SB7bI6iX3epkQikxSbuc5-UiCEsnCAWl2qqvSAg>
Also enjoyed the spring-like song of many Townsend's Solitaires, one 
tooting and singing about every 500 yards up the canyon road. Is this 
behavior about confused hormones or territory? I think winter territory, 
for juniper berries. Also, saw an American Dipper wander from Douglas 
County to Jefferson County--county line is the middle of the S. Platter 
River--a twofer!.

Cheers,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-00fcrEU_scs/Wel1n-b8QpI/Aj0/sc7KplgLYRgQC69BWv683DTJUEEQcVYAgCLcBGAs/s1600/_V6A1229.jpg>


<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-csvvrZhaSRA/Wel2JFtAhOI/Aj8/GP1rV2V5__UQ3WJmkiaNb7IE-aGZz6RtwCLcBGAs/s1600/_V6A1416.jpg>





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[cobirds] Last Chance comeback. Washington County

[Tom Wilberding]

As you may recall, the birding hotspot, Last Chance Rest Area, was 
destroyed by a prairie fire in June, 2012. All the trees were killed, along 
with the grass and bushes. CFO’s Joe Roller organized a band of volunteers, 
both birders and the local community, to plant trees and shrubs, along with 
drip irrigation in November, 2012. But in August 2013 a 100 year 
rainstorm/flood damaged much of that. It looked like Last Chance had run 
out of chances.

But nature often bounces back, fortunately. Barb and I stopped there on 
Friday, and saw many of the 21 bird species reported at Last Chance on 
eBird in June--including orchard oriole, brown thrasher, a bunch of nesting 
yellow-headed blackbirds, and many nesting red-wing blackbirds.

Some of the young poplar trees are now are about half the height of the 
dead snags. The pond looks good, and the valley toward the north is a thick 
jungle of plants, including a lot of gooseberries. I think we planted 
flood-proof gooseberries in November, 2012!

I just called the Kleinschmidts, who live in the house just south of the 
rest area, and spoke with Mary. She said Jim keeps the rest area tidy for 
the Lion’s Club, and recently sprayed for thistle, so visitors wouldn’t get 
stung. Mary said they keep their bird feeders full, which attracts birds to 
the rest area. She said rainfall has been decent this year, and they hope 
for some more after the wheat is harvested. Jim maintained garden hoses to 
water the new plants in 2013, but has not had to do that this year. Mary 
thinks that in a couple more years Last Chance Rest Area will be back to 
its old self. (Maybe hosting rare warblers as in the past.) I thanked Mary!

So it seems that Last Chance is joining Lazarus and the Phoenix in an 
encouraging comeback.

Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Re: McCown's Longspur, Chatfield SP, Douglas County

[Tom Wilberding]

Magic explained. Dave Leatherman replied from Lamar that he wrote an 
article about this for Colorado Birds back in 2011 or 2012. I found 
it--April, 2011, volume 45, number 2. Here's an excerpt:

"Many years ago at Crow Valley Campground near Briggsdale in Weld County, I 
first wondered why so many migrating passerines, mostly Orange-crowned 
Warblers in late April, were frequenting the flowers of plains cottonwoods 
(Populus deltoides, Fig. 1). My initial assumption was that they were 
primarily feeding either on the flowers themselves, as Cedar Waxwings and 
House Finches sometimes feed on the petals of crabapples, or on the bees, 
wasps, and flies that pollinate the flowers. Some years later, after 
noticing that the cottonwood catkins along the Poudre River in Fort Collins 
were attracting many birds, I collected several dangling flowers. To my 
surprise the catkins contained the same insect, over and over. It was a 
whitish beetle larva, very similar to the pine bark beetle larvae found 
under the bark of dying pines, but smaller. I placed a few infested catkins 
in a jar in my “lab” (a.k.a. my kitchen) and waited. What emerged weeks 
later were gray, long-snouted weevils in the genus Dorytomus (Fig. 2). 
Since then, my investigations of the known “birdy” cottonwood sites in 
Colorado, including the Lamar Community College Woods and Bonny Reservoir, 
have consistently produced the same result: Dorytomus larvae in the 
cottonwood catkins. I propose that the catkin-infesting larvae of Dorytomus 
weevils are an underappreciated source of food for many bird species in 
spring migration, wherever cottonwoods grow in Colorado"

http://cobirds.org/JournalArchives/2010-2019/2011%20Vol%2045/CB_2011_45_2_Apr.pdf

Some pics of Dorytomus weevils: http://tiny.cc/g0roky 

Thanks, Dave!
Tom Wilberding


On Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 5:00:52 PM UTC-6, Tom Wilberding wrote:
>
> Hello all,
>
> Enjoyed a morning of early spring birding with Michael Kiessig at 
> Chatfield today. Thomas Holub found a McCown’s longspur at the Model 
> Airplane Field yesterday; seems the the bird is still there. Saw American 
> pipit at the swim beach, various yellow-rumped warblers, the eastern phoebe 
> near the Kingfisher Bridge concrete outhouse, Swainson’s hawks, turkey 
> vultures, house wrens, vesper sparrows, Say’s phoebes, and Franklin’s gulls.
>
>
> Michael yesterday noticed a very productive (magic) plains cottonwood near 
> the swim beach. It attracts starlings, flickers, robins, and many 
> yellow-rumped warblers. I believe it is a male tree with catkins just 
> turning red. Lots of birds there again today. Do insects like those red 
> catkins? Dave Leatherman, can you explain the magic?
>
> Finally, Michael noticed a renegade-looking red-tailed hawk, photo below. 
> Anybody know what it is?
>
> 14 photo slideshow with audio here: https://goo.gl/77dVp5 
>
> Cheers!
> Tom Wilberding
> Littleton, Colorado
>

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[cobirds] McCown's Longspur, Chatfield SP, Douglas County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello all,

Enjoyed a morning of early spring birding with Michael Kiessig at Chatfield 
today. Thomas Holub found a McCown’s longspur at the Model Airplane Field 
yesterday; seems the the bird is still there. Saw American pipit at the 
swim beach, various yellow-rumped warblers, the eastern phoebe near the 
Kingfisher Bridge concrete outhouse, Swainson’s hawks, turkey vultures, 
house wrens, vesper sparrows, Say’s phoebes, and Franklin’s gulls.


Michael yesterday noticed a very productive (magic) plains cottonwood near 
the swim beach. It attracts starlings, flickers, robins, and many 
yellow-rumped warblers. I believe it is a male tree with catkins just 
turning red. Lots of birds there again today. Do insects like those red 
catkins? Dave Leatherman, can you explain the magic?

Finally, Michael noticed a renegade-looking red-tailed hawk, photo below. 
Anybody know what it is?

14 photo slideshow with audio here: https://goo.gl/77dVp5 

Cheers!
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, Colorado

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[cobirds] Re: Waterton Canyon, Jeffco & Douglas

[Tom Wilberding]

Correction: I read this in Sibley’s about Say’s Phoebe: “Uncommon in 
expansive open areas such as prairies, tundra, farmland, and playing 
fields.” That’s where I have seen them in the past, *one at a time*; 
however, I neglected to read Sibley’s next sentence: “In summer associated 
with nesting sites in crevices on cliffs, rock outcrops, buildings, 
bridges, etc.” That’s where I saw *a pair* yesterday. Lesson learned.
TW

On Friday, April 7, 2017 at 9:04:40 PM UTC-6, Tom Wilberding wrote:
>
> Hello all,
>
> Today Barb and I biked 6.5 miles up Waterton Canyon alongside the South 
> Platte River, sometimes on the Jefferson County side, sometimes on the 
> Douglas County side. Our first time there, loved it. Wild plum, very 
> fragrant, in bloom along the river. Siberian elms green with samaras. Saw a 
> pair of Say’s phoebes (what were they doing in a canyon?), golden eagle, 
> Western bluebird, Townsend’s solitaire, belted kingfishers, lots of spotted 
> towhees, heard canyon wrens. And lots of bighorn sheep, including rams with 
> BIG horns. And fly fishermen, who knew exactly what flies were hatching out 
> of the river today.
>
> Enjoyed close views of several pairs of common mergansers, a.k.a. 
> goosander, saw tooth, *mergus merganser*. I’m used to seeing this species 
> in big flocks on large reservoirs. Surprising to see them on a narrow river 
> in a mountain canyon. “Do they have enough room to take off?” One male 
> sailed through whitewater like a kayak. The pairs were all on large rocks 
> mid-stream, looking rather cozy and romantic.
>
> Wikipedia says: “Nesting is normally in a tree cavity, so it requires 
> mature forest as its breeding habitat. In places devoid of trees (like 
> Central Asian mountains), they use holes in cliffs and steep, high banks.”
>
> Lots of cliffs and steep, high banks in Waterton Canyon. Do they nest 
> there?
>
>  
>
> Cheers,
>
> Tom Wilberding
>
> Littleton, CO
>
>
>
> <https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sKY6N3--Lqg/WOhSmf4u-6I/Ahg/3X_v0rr-9r8fFT-iXseAfNDinH5DRXZfQCLcB/s1600/_V6A2660.jpg>
>
>
> <https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IXdQsu-l1N0/WOhS-l5Ev7I/Ahk/Z5H0rPWdLuoieSCQyVzT1Vhp3KycWlzFgCLcB/s1600/_V6A2560.jpg>
>
>
> <https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QYZjuvVqzJw/WOhTC12ZkvI/Aho/YY-WkMT3JBAS3bnR_IhCWNWrH3ibIVsiQCLcB/s1600/IMG_8071%2B%25282%2529.jpg>
>
>
>

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[cobirds] Re: Waterton Canyon, Jeffco & Douglas

[Tom Wilberding]

Correction: I read this in Sibley’s about Say’s Phoebe: “Uncommon in 
expansive open areas such as prairies, tundra, farmland, and playing 
fields.” That’s where I have seen them in the past, *one at a time*, all 
alone; however, I neglected to read Sibley’s next sentence: “In summer 
associated with nesting sites in crevices on cliffs, rock outcrops, 
buildings, bridges, etc.” That’s where I saw *a pair* yesterday. Lesson 
learned.
TW

On Friday, April 7, 2017 at 9:04:40 PM UTC-6, Tom Wilberding wrote:
>
> Hello all,
>
> Today Barb and I biked 6.5 miles up Waterton Canyon alongside the South 
> Platte River, sometimes on the Jefferson County side, sometimes on the 
> Douglas County side. Our first time there, loved it. Wild plum, very 
> fragrant, in bloom along the river. Siberian elms green with samaras. Saw a 
> pair of Say’s phoebes (what were they doing in a canyon?), golden eagle, 
> Western bluebird, Townsend’s solitaire, belted kingfishers, lots of spotted 
> towhees, heard canyon wrens. And lots of bighorn sheep, including rams with 
> BIG horns. And fly fishermen, who knew exactly what flies were hatching out 
> of the river today.
>
> Enjoyed close views of several pairs of common mergansers, a.k.a. 
> goosander, saw tooth, *mergus merganser*. I’m used to seeing this species 
> in big flocks on large reservoirs. Surprising to see them on a narrow river 
> in a mountain canyon. “Do they have enough room to take off?” One male 
> sailed through whitewater like a kayak. The pairs were all on large rocks 
> mid-stream, looking rather cozy and romantic.
>
> Wikipedia says: “Nesting is normally in a tree cavity, so it requires 
> mature forest as its breeding habitat. In places devoid of trees (like 
> Central Asian mountains), they use holes in cliffs and steep, high banks.”
>
> Lots of cliffs and steep, high banks in Waterton Canyon. Do they nest 
> there?
>
>  
>
> Cheers,
>
> Tom Wilberding
>
> Littleton, CO
>
>
>
> <https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sKY6N3--Lqg/WOhSmf4u-6I/Ahg/3X_v0rr-9r8fFT-iXseAfNDinH5DRXZfQCLcB/s1600/_V6A2660.jpg>
>
>
> <https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IXdQsu-l1N0/WOhS-l5Ev7I/Ahk/Z5H0rPWdLuoieSCQyVzT1Vhp3KycWlzFgCLcB/s1600/_V6A2560.jpg>
>
>
> <https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QYZjuvVqzJw/WOhTC12ZkvI/Aho/YY-WkMT3JBAS3bnR_IhCWNWrH3ibIVsiQCLcB/s1600/IMG_8071%2B%25282%2529.jpg>
>
>
>

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[cobirds] Waterton Canyon, Jeffco & Douglas

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello all,

Today Barb and I biked 6.5 miles up Waterton Canyon alongside the South 
Platte River, sometimes on the Jefferson County side, sometimes on the 
Douglas County side. Our first time there, loved it. Wild plum, very 
fragrant, in bloom along the river. Siberian elms green with samaras. Saw a 
pair of Say’s phoebes (what were they doing in a canyon?), golden eagle, 
Western bluebird, Townsend’s solitaire, belted kingfishers, lots of spotted 
towhees, heard canyon wrens. And lots of bighorn sheep, including rams with 
BIG horns. And fly fishermen, who knew exactly what flies were hatching out 
of the river today.

Enjoyed close views of several pairs of common mergansers, a.k.a. 
goosander, saw tooth, *mergus merganser*. I’m used to seeing this species 
in big flocks on large reservoirs. Surprising to see them on a narrow river 
in a mountain canyon. “Do they have enough room to take off?” One male 
sailed through whitewater like a kayak. The pairs were all on large rocks 
mid-stream, looking rather cozy and romantic.

Wikipedia says: “Nesting is normally in a tree cavity, so it requires 
mature forest as its breeding habitat. In places devoid of trees (like 
Central Asian mountains), they use holes in cliffs and steep, high banks.”

Lots of cliffs and steep, high banks in Waterton Canyon. Do they nest there?

 

Cheers,

Tom Wilberding

Littleton, CO


<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sKY6N3--Lqg/WOhSmf4u-6I/Ahg/3X_v0rr-9r8fFT-iXseAfNDinH5DRXZfQCLcB/s1600/_V6A2660.jpg>

<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IXdQsu-l1N0/WOhS-l5Ev7I/Ahk/Z5H0rPWdLuoieSCQyVzT1Vhp3KycWlzFgCLcB/s1600/_V6A2560.jpg>

<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QYZjuvVqzJw/WOhTC12ZkvI/Aho/YY-WkMT3JBAS3bnR_IhCWNWrH3ibIVsiQCLcB/s1600/IMG_8071%2B%25282%2529.jpg>


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[cobirds] Eastern Phoebe, Jefferson County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello all,

Here is a photo I took today of an Eastern Phoebe at Chatfield Farms, 
Denver Botanic Gardens, across Wadsworth from Chatfield State Park, where 
same species reported recently. This bird, constantly wagging its tail, was 
at Deer Creek, north of the Children's Play Area.
The cottonwoods were all bare today, but the willows are leaving out. 
Welcome signs of spring!

Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tcvt9oXlp1c/WOGyR7A5-FI/Ag0/Q-FxsbHzIb8nM64onibZWr_JYhLGQ4rkwCLcB/s1600/_V6A2437.jpg>

<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mYK94WDrEaI/WOGyYJa_14I/Ag4/oeznXHdUR3AvKVhcVahw7QO7566aHCj0QCLcB/s1600/_V6A2465.jpg>


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[cobirds] South Platte River, Adams County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Biked the South Platte River Trail today from 64th to 104th and back. Saw 
three well-hidden Black-crowned Night-Herons at the sewage cascades near 64
th and York. Along Sand Creek at the Suncor Refinery noticed two cabbage 
white butterflies, first of the year for me. At about 86th street saw a 
male Barrow’s Goldeneye. Some beautiful ducks still on the river, including 
my favorites Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, and Green-winged Teal. 
Glorious weather today--industrial Denver never looked so good!

Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO


<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kbcZH1eANEc/WKT54sikQsI/Ad0/EDP0tvslY1AImdit66sU6bMyyCSRp_TeQCLcB/s1600/20170215_120040.jpg>

<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DikoJiJvsB4/WKT597FQ0cI/Ad4/nnR8PDCSyfYhLTvOemA0oP3gUsV62QnbQCLcB/s1600/_V6A0936.jpg>

<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VZ91CGLAD64/WKT5nhklgcI/Adw/MAAio5bfTsgzQ6PBFbMG4uAivxTAs_v4QCLcB/s1600/_V6A0964.jpg>


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[cobirds] Winter owls

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

COBird rules say it's okay to link to an out-of-state trip. Barb and I 
recently traveled to northern Minnesota. Here is a slide show, including 
Snowy and Great Gray Owls.
32 photos, 3+ minutes: https://goo.gl/LNzQZ3

Cheers,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Re: Dunlin - Interspecies friendship?

[Tom Wilberding]

Here is a link to photos of many interspecies friendships:  
http://tiny.cc/bkc5iy
"One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives." Euripides

Cheers,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO


On Thursday, February 9, 2017 at 11:13:54 AM UTC-7, Gregg Goodrich wrote:
>
> The Dunlin at  McLellen continues to hangout with the Killdeer. This is my 
> third trip and each time they have been together. Is their a mutual benefit 
> to this relationship? I would think they could both easily find food 
> without the other. There are coyotes at the lake. See photo in checklist. 
> Maybe 2 pair of eyes are better that one to help alert to danger.
>
> Then there is the Brandt and the Greater White-fronted Goose that seem to 
> always be together at the Lone Tree golf club. Certainly there are plenty 
> of other geese to sound an alarm.
>
> Maybe it is just a need for companionship. And since their same species is 
> not around, they have found another species. Other examples of interspecies 
> friendships? 
>
> Gregg Goodrich 
> Highlands Ranch 
>
>
> eBird Checklist – High Line Canal Trail--McLellen Reservoir periphery, 
> Colorado – Thu Feb 09, 2017 – 11 species 
> http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S34260006
>

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[cobirds] Lapland Longspurs, Kit Carson County

[Tom Wilberding]

Barb and headed east to the prairie today, to find and photograph Lapland 
Longspurs, as Mark and Glenn did, per Glenn’s January 6 post to CFO 
Facebook. But instead of their 675,000, we managed to see ONE. But glad we 
didn’t dip.


This eBird Occurrence Map seems to indicate that the best time to see 
Lapland Longspur in Colorado is November. By January they fade fast. (Wait 
for the map to cycle through the months): 
http://ebird.org/content/ebird/occurrence/lapland-longspur/
I think Mark and Glenn witnessed a huge exodus.


Some beautiful writing about Lapland Longspurs, from the 2002 book, *Land 
of Grass and Sky,* by Colorado’s Mary Taylor Young:

“Two other longspur species, the Chestnut-collared and the McCown’s, call 
the Colorado prairie home. These birds, more southerly in their range and 
less intrepid perhaps than the Arctic-nesting Lapland, visit primarily in 
summer. Only the Laplander, a bird of the polar north, considers the 
shortgrass a milder winter environment. At home in open and treeless lands, 
Lapland Longspurs migrate in fall 2,500 miles south to pass the winter on 
our hard prairie.

“……Why do Lapland Longspurs choose to pass winter here, on the prairie? Why 
don’t they migrate further south, to warmer places? Why does the rancher 
stay on in this land of extremes? These small drab birds find what they 
need in this hard land, making their living on the open country just as the 
rancher who calls these prairies his own. Kindred spirits share this 
prairie. For the Longspurs as much as for the rancher, it still comes down 
to what the prairie will give.”

 

Cheers,

Tom Wilberding

Littleton, CO


<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d1IvrKI18ik/WHsD9kfPf6I/AdE/RkqsBhSK5KYLNRkWDMmu_AHW1q6yOg4FQCLcB/s1600/20170114_145954.jpg>


 

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[cobirds] Love Doves, Douglas County

[Tom Wilberding]

Yesterday, on the 13th day of Christmas, Barb pointed out to me no French 
hens, no partridge in a tree, but she did point out seven “turtle doves” on 
the roof of a house at 10766 N Sunshine Dr, Littleton, south of Chatfield 
State Park. My guess is that they were released at a wedding or funeral, 
went AWOL, and are now sticking together, ready to breed and populate 
Colorado and beyond. Collared-doves, watch out.


What were we doing there? Temporarily lost while looking for another 
all-white bird, Joe Roller’s recent Trumpeter Swan, which we managed to 
find later, after correcting our errors. Thank you, Joe.

BTW, if you want to own your own Love Doves, here is a place that sells 
them very young, called “squeakers.” 
http://www.whitepigeonsales.com/about_our_birds

Cheers,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Colorado county lines

[Tom Wilberding]

For all you COBird county listers, here is a useful website I did not know 
about, just discovered. http://www.mob-rule.com/gmap. Type the location in 
the box, then click on "Load"  and you get a Google map showing county 
lines. Zoom in or out as needed. Click on the location and you see the 
county name in the white area.

 

Pretty helpful for the Chatfield SP area with three counties in close 
proximity. Also for DIA, Denver, and Broomfield, a real maze of counties.

 

Best,

Tom Wilberding

Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Colorado birds, painted black

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,
 

Various birding magazines lately show bird heads surrounded by black. These 
portraits seem to me stark and nocturnal-looking, stripped of context, but 
interesting nonetheless. (Doesn’t work too well for blackbirds!)

I gave it a try. Below is a slide show, with music, of ten Colorado birds 
I’ve photographed, newly edited in this way.
10 pics here: http://goo.gl/huO6wm

 

How to do it? Here’s one way, using Photoshop Elements: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbKfDzBzRK0

 

Cheers!

Tom Wilberding

Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Colorado conservation easements

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

My three year old grandson, Charlie, likes to work on kiddie jigsaw 
puzzles, while saying, “This is how you do it.” And “This is how you NOT do 
it.”
Colorado conservation easements have been in the news lately.
Click here for "how you do it." 
<http://www.denverpost.com/news/local/ci_29701589/colorado-land-preservation:-racing-to-save-nature-amid-growth>
 
Click here for "how you NOT do it." 
<http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_21549053/-colorado-conservationeasement-scheme-allegedly-began-with-a-family-affair>
Conservation easements can be great for birds and people if done right, 
quite a mess and counter-productive if done wrong.

Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Monte Vista pics, southern Colorado

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,
Here is a slideshow with music, of Monte Vista birds last week. 
http://goo.gl/pOlqjG
(I inserted a 20 second video amid the photos.)

Good birding and happy Easter!
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Horned grebes, Chatfield Res, Jeffco

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

This afternoon around 3 pm Barb and I saw three horned grebes here: 
https://goo.gl/maps/EgNPQVP8F1s

(I inserted the two jpgs below from my computer by clicking on the blue 
photo icon in the posting line that has font size and other icons. Pretty 
easy. Thanks, David, for making this allowable.)

Signs of spring? A couple of dandelion blooms, but no sounds of frogs yet. 
Many fly fishermen on the South Platte River just south of Chatfield 
Reservoir. One of them explained to us that trout are moving upstream from 
the reservoir to spawn in the river. One fisherman seemed to get carried 
away--abandoned his rod for a hand held net. He missed. 

So not much evidence of spring, but some evidence of spring fever.

Good birding,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

 

<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sS01B_AnfsA/VuNyrkQPrsI/ALU/npx4yEhxcisdg-lmD_AQw_RgWgXIz7VqA/s1600/_V6A7023-2.jpg>


<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Nze9Flt2Gs8/VuNy1zeF66I/ALY/vqGPovrS6u8sI3XxQRtZUC0HgGhUXzKfg/s1600/_V6A7023.jpg>



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[cobirds] Sandhill Cranes, travel and pics

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,


Many of us enjoy seeing and hearing Sandhill Cranes, a species that’s been 
around for millions of years. To me Sandills are a sort of feathered 
pterodactyl, as well as an exciting herald of the changing seasons. Here 
are a few places Colorado birders visit to see lots of cranes:

   - Bosque del Apache NWR near Socorro, New Mexico, 540 miles from Denver, 
   November to January, where Yellowstone cranes winter. *Crane Festival 
   November 17* 
   - Monte Vista NWR in southwest Colorado 225 miles from Denver, in March, 
   where Bosque cranes rest on their way back to Yellowstone. *Crane 
   Festival March 11* 
   - The Rowe Sanctuary, near Kearney, Nebraska, 374 miles from Denver, in 
   March. *Crane Festival March 17* 
   - The Old Bridge, just northeast of Colorado in Lewellen, Nebraska, 214 
   miles from Denver, in March. More info: 
   http://www.themostunlikelyplace.com/birding.html Boulder Audubon’s 
   Alison Holloran is leading a group to the old bridge *March 24*, 
   reservation needed. 


I drove to the old bridge in early April, 2014, an extended loop from 
Boulder to Lewellen, then northwest up the Oregon Trail to Scottsbluff, 
then south to Boulder. First night stayed at the friendly Gander Inn Motel 
in Lewellen, second night in Scottsbluff. Weather started out sunny, but 
the next morning a spring blizzard left me alone with the cranes and 
Nebraska.
A brief slide show, mostly scenic: http://goo.gl/xHb27I


Best,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

 

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[cobirds] Two Buttes Reservoir SWA, Baca County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

 

The news here is water, lots of it. The reservoir is usually dry, but 
yesterday seemed completely full. Surprised a covey of about 15 scaled 
quail near the boat ramp.

The beautiful oasis below the dam had the usual canyon wren. A Townsend’s 
solitaire flew in to check out Barb and me. The surfaces of the reservoir 
and ponds were about 90% frozen, despite the 61 F degree temperature 
outside. Delightful, sunny weather for January.

This will be a wonderful destination during the upcoming CFO convention in 
Lamar this May. The parking lot, ditches, and road below the dam have been 
re-graded lately. Red cliffs, sapphire water, gray willows—what a gem, even 
in late January. And Harold Holt wrote, “Two Buttes can be spectacular in 
migration.”

Today headed southeast across the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles to Norman, 
Oklahoma to search for Smith’s longspur, a nemesis bird for me. Flushed a 
bunch from a field late this afternoon, but “better view desired,” so will 
try again tomorrow. Barb is a good sport!

Cheers,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Aythya diving ducks, Boulder County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,


I posted a short video to CFO’s Facebook page yesterday. For you 
non-Facebook holdouts, it is below on YouTube.
As Ted mentioned recently, the ice is closing in at Erie Lake/Reservoir, 
which is near the northeast corner of Arapahoe and highway 287—trailhead on 
the east side of 287. So it’s fun to see the waterfowl close up. Yesterday 
afternoon I saw a lot of genus Aythya diving ducks—ring-necked, canvasback, 
and redheads—looking like a conveyor belt or carnival shooting gallery. 
(They also reminded me a little of participants at a CFO convention buffet 
line: “Line up, don’t shove, come back for seconds.”)

Is this activity about eating, pecking order, or “irrational exuberance?”

https://youtu.be/6j8cJJcTLAc

Cheers,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Pics from Ira’s house & Red Rocks, Jeffco

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,


Here are some photos I took today and a week ago. Thanks to Ira for his 
hospitality to all of us, and also thanks to those putting out birdseed at 
Red Rocks.

Ira’s front yard feeders at 314 Defrance Court in Golden featured Common 
Redpoll, Lesser Goldfinch, Harris’s Sparrow (on the front porch), and 
others.
Ira’s back yard deck table, via right side of garage, featured a flock of 
Rosy-Finch at eye level. (I dipped on Black.)
Slide show with music: http://goo.gl/yXNmbk 

BTW, Barb and I recently moved from Boulder to Littleton, to be closer to 
our daughter, Clara, who lives in Denver. Littleton’s pretty nice, but no 
McGuckin Hardware!

Good birding,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] DIA OWL LOOP PICS

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Thanks to Bill Hutchinson for finding & sharing the Snowy Owl. Barb and I 
reached 114th Ave. east of Trussville Street at 9 am today. We saw a truck 
south of us on 112th . (112 and 114 both dead-end dirt roads in this area.) 
What is he looking at? After a lot of searching we noticed a little bump of 
snow in a snow-filled ditch far away. No, could it be? The top of the lump 
moved slightly. Bingo! But how did he ever find that?

We drove south on Trussville to 112 and joined a growing group of vehicles 
parked on 112 looking north across the field at the Snowy Owl, a white R2D2 
a long way off. In my scope I could see that’s it’s head was bent down as 
if eating a mouse. Finally it looked up and squinted at us. Soon a Denver 
police SUV joined us with a cheerful woman officer inside. Bill H. acted as 
unofficial Master of Ceremonies to make sure “everyone behaved.” We all 
did, staying on the road, keeping quiet despite our exuberance.

Barb and I traveled to Alaska a few years ago, where we did NOT see a Snowy 
Owl. Who needs Alaska to see a Snowy Owl?

Here are 12 pics from our outing today. http://goo.gl/0LInxh

Cheers,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Owl feeding

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Here’s a controversial topic: Is it okay to feed a Snowy Owl to get a 
better look, get a better photo? Seems cruel to throw live mice toward an 
owl, at least for the mice. And obviously one should not feed an owl a 
poisoned rodent. But apparently there are arguments on the other side, 
because the ABA’s Recording Standards and Ethic Committee has not ruled one 
way or the other, as far as I know. Here’s from the October, 2015 “Birder’s 
Guide to Listing & Taxonomy.” Nick Block of the RSEC said, “….Another issue 
concerns the feeding of owls, particularly wintering Snowy and Great Gray 
owls. As you may know, the debate over this practice is a giant can of 
worms, but it may be one the at RSEC needs to open. We shall see.”


I don’t plan to feed or bait a Snowy owl. Regarding an owl near DIA, I 
don’t think anyone should encourage it to stay near the airport by feeding 
it. Airport managers don’t want them around.

I think we can all agree that it is wrong to flush any owl by approaching 
too closely. Let’s give Snowy Owls as much room as they want. If the owl 
stirs, back off. And of course, stay off private property.

Best,

Tom Wilberding

Boulder

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[cobirds] Sage grouse news, good or bad?

[Tom Wilberding]

I just got Boulder County Audubon’s newsletter, that mentioned the 
following:

“On Sept. 22, 2015 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared that the 
Greater Sage-Grouse was no longer in need of Endangered Species Act 
Protections, provoking deep apprehension among conservation 
scientists……Important conservation organizations like the National Audubon 
Society are expressing grave concerns.”

Not so fast. Yesterday I got the November *Audubon* magazine, that included 
an editorial by CEO David Yarnold that Audubon was very pleased with this 
decision, and had a big part in getting it done. His editorial is titled 
“Commonsense Conservation. A collaborative plan means a real future for the 
Greater Sage-Grouse.”

The American Bird Conservancy says this about the controversy: “Federal 
authorities have decided not to list the Greater Sage-Grouse as an 
endangered species, based on new federal conservation management plans 
being put in place protecting grouse habitat on over 67 million acres of 
public lands. Right now, the federal plans need to be given a chance to 
work.”

What about Gunnison Sage Grouse?

A year ago the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “determined that the Gunnison 
sage-grouse, a ground-dwelling bird found only in southwestern Colorado and 
southeastern Utah, requires the protection of the Endangered Species Act 
(ESA) as a threatened species.”

That was greeted with either support or condemnation by various birding 
organizations.

Many birders, especially Colorado birders, are concerned about sage grouse. 
One grouse not protected, the other protected, both in trouble. I believe 
there are good arguments on both sides about when and how to use the 
Endangered Species Act for conservation, but defer to experts to sort them 
out. The important thing is that efforts are made. In the words of FDR, “It 
is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly 
and try another. But above all, try something.”

Like many of you, I continue to be a member and supporter of Boulder 
Audubon, National Audubon, Colorado Field Ornithologists, Bird Conservancy 
of the Rockies, the American Bird Conservancy, and a few other groups 
concerned about the conservation of birds. These groups do not always speak 
with one voice, but they’re all trying.

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Red, white bluebirds

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,
Last Independence Day I posted this whimsical slide show of Colorado birds 
with patriotic music—many liked it, so one more time: http://goo.gl/LfSVgs

Happy 4th of July!

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Longspur ptarmigan pics

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Visited last week by a couple of old birding pals from Michigan. Their 
first trip to Colorado. Robert gave me a list of lifers they needed. Gulp, 
pressure was on. We spent one day on the northern grasslands, another day 
at Rocky Mountain NP. We enjoyed hearing  seeing birds skylarking on the 
prairie one day, tundra the next.

Found a few interesting species, thanks to recent eBird postings and good 
luck. Thank you eBirders, you made me look good!

 

Here is a 14 pic slideshow of my photos from our outings. 
http://twilberding.zenfolio.com/p779349016/slideshow 

 

Where exactly did we see the longspurs? My camera’s GPS 
got accidentally turned off for the longspurs, so not sure what road, but 
around Weld County 114 and 37. I heard the 
chestnut-collareds first--sounded a little different than the many lark 
buntings everywhere. Later saw a couple of McCown’s on the road alongside 
horned larks, so we stopped and followed them onto the open prairie for 
better pics.

 

The ptarmigan at Rocky NP northeast of Medicine Bow Curve, about half-way 
out the trail.

 

Good birding  luck,

Tom Wilberding

Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Poncha Springs, Chaffee County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

 

Saw one Saturday afternoon along the Arkansas River at the Poncha Springs 
Frisbee park, a sort of mini-Hutchinson Ranch. The RBGR was intently 
combing Gambel oak flower tassels with its beak, gleaning insects I 
suppose, singing between bites. (Sorry, should have posted this to eBird, 
but got busy with convention chores.}


Per eBird only two previous sightings in the area in the past five to eight 
years, both by CFO’s excellent artist  Salida local, Sherrie York. 


After taking a photo of the Rosie, I moved a few feet to get a different 
perspective, and saw in my camera’s viewfinder a Black-headed Grosbeak. A 
sudden morph? No, but what were these two cousins doing so close? Probably 
competing for the Gambel oak grove and its insects. 

Two photos: http://bit.ly/1HY70jI

Cheers,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, Colorado

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[cobirds] Oriole sweet tooth, Boulder County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

At Walden Ponds this afternoon in a light rain--it’s common knowledge that 
Baltimore Orioles like grape jelly, so I shouldn't have been surprised to 
see a Bullock’s oriole chomping on the blossoms of a hawthorn shrub. In the 
same shrub was a fat cedar waxwing, both oblivious to my snooping, as long 
as I didn't try to steal some of their blooms. The hawthorn blossoms 
smelled unpleasant, but must have nectar to attract these birds.

Also at Walden, yellow-rumped and yellow warblers, four American white 
pelicans, spotted sandpiper, American avocet, tons of swallows, lots of 
house wrens, a calling pied-billed grebe, and of course the huge chorus of 
red-winged blackbirds who own the joint.

A few rainy pics: http://twilberding.zenfolio.com/p732899274

Tom Wilberding
Boulder County

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[cobirds] Eastern Phoebe Audubon, Boulder County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Reports of an Eastern Phoebe at the 75th Street bridge, Heatherwood 
Trailhead area, brings to mind John James Audubon. From Garrison Keillor’s 
“Writer’s Almanac” April 26, 2015:

 “Today is the birthday of the man who once wrote, 'I feel I am strange to 
all but the birds of America': ornithologist and artist John James 
Audubon.Fascinated by all the new American birds he saw, he began to 
study them more closely. He found some Eastern Phoebes nesting in a cave. 
He had read that they returned to the same spot to nest every year, and he 
wanted to test that idea. For days, he sat in the cave with them and read a 
book, until they were used to him and let him approach. He tied string to 
their legs to identify them, and sure enough, the next year the same birds 
were back in the cave. It is the first known incident of banding birds.”

I don’t think John James Audubon ever visited what became Colorado, but 
he’s remembered everywhere in North America. A late happy birthday to him!

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Boulder pelicans in the news

[Tom Wilberding]

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_28007847/hungry-pelicans-credited-gobbling-thousands-goldfish-infesting-boulder
*A wonderful bird is the pelican http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelican,**His 
bill will hold more than his belican,**He can take in his beak**Enough food 
for a week**But I'm damned if I see how the helican!*--Dixon Lanier Merritt


Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

 

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[cobirds] Re: FW: [wsbn] condor at Mesa Verde (Montezuma Co.) news story

[Tom Wilberding]

In Sept 2014 the ABA loosened its rules about counting a California Condor. 
http://listing.aba.org/reintroduced-indigenous-species/
The key question whether to count a California Condor, assuming you follow 
ABA rules, seems to be, Does this bird belong to a condor population that 
has successfully hatched young in the wild?
At the above website the ABA lists four condor populations that have such a 
confirmed wild hatching. If N8, the recent Colorado find, belongs to one of 
these populations, I believe it is ABA countable.
I searched the *California Condor North American Studbook* (
http://tiny.cc/ctq7wx) and cannot find N8, so am at a dead end. Perhaps the 
CBRC will pursue this and let us know what it finds. Will California Condor 
become number 499 on the Colorado list?

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

On Friday, April 17, 2015 at 12:37:28 PM UTC-6, Joyce wrote:

 California Condor is not currently on the state list.
 Joyce Takamine
 Boulder
  
 --
 To: ws...@yahoogroups.com javascript:
 From: wsbn-n...@yahoogroups.com javascript:
 Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2015 07:07:26 -0600
 Subject: [wsbn] condor at Mesa Verde (Montezuma Co.) news story

   
  

 http://cortezjournal.com/article/20150416/NEWS01/150419855/The-Lost-Condor:-Man-finds-rare-Grand-Canyon-bird-near-Cortez
  


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[cobirds] Re: Sharp-shinned Hawk, Boulder Co,

[Tom Wilberding]

Good job, Paula. That Sharpy was no doubt from New York City: 
http://tiny.cc/2cievx
Also, no doubt the local prairie dogs were cheering it on. 

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

 

On Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 1:02:16 PM UTC-6, redstar...@gmail.com wrote:

 A Sharpy swooped over my yard apparently trying to nab one of my small, 
 albino ferrets!!  The hawk was giving a fast kik-kik-kik call, which was 
 higher pitched than that of the Cooper's.  I was there standing guard! 

 Paula Hansley 
 Louisville 

 Sent from my iPhone

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[cobirds] Re: Counting Upland Game Birds in Colorado

[Tom Wilberding]

Nick, thanks so much!

It’s a rather complicated situation. Should eBird allow only posts that 
conform to ABA listing rules? I don’t know, but in the case of a tough call 
like this Northern Bobwhite, I would like eBird to err on the inclusive 
side, so the data is out there for each of us to examine and judge for 
ourselves.

Here is another factor in considering this interesting “cover-bird”. (I was 
going to write “cover-girl” but that is another analysis.) Since naturally 
occurring Northern Bobwhite generally do not move more than a mile from 
where hatched: is there a game bird collector within a mile radius of the 
East Boulder Rec Center? Paula Hansley emailed me yesterday that there is 
such an address. From a lister’s point of view, it would be helpful if all 
such game bird collectors were required to post their address online, like 
convicted sex criminals. (:-) Hey, just kidding!) But in the absence of 
that data, I think a lister has to research the natural range of the bird, 
observe the bird’s behavior (is it shy or does it seem accustomed to 
humans?) then use his or her own judgment whether to count the bird. eBird 
is one good source of information about status and distribution, but not 
the only one, and I would not rely on just one source. Again, this is all 
from one lister’s point of view. I don’t presume to speak for more 
knowledgeable field ornithologists and their broader point of view. 

Tom Wilberding
Boulder

On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 9:51:48 AM UTC-7, Tom Wilberding wrote:

 Hello, birders, 

 If you’re interested in ABA listing, read on; the rest of you are excused. 
 :-) However, even if you are not a lister, the listing game does expose you 
 to more serious field ornithology--namely status and distribution. So you 
 non-listers are welcome to eavesdrop here. 

 The recent cover of Colorado Field Ornithologists’ quarterly magazine 
 *Colorado 
 Birds* shows Peter Burke’s beautiful photo at the East Boulder Rec Center 
 of a Northern Bobwhite, “of questionable provenance.” (Didn’t get the 
 magazine? Join CFO: click here. http://cobirds.org/Default.aspx) 

 If I had been lucky enough to see that bird, would I count it? 

 ABA rule 3. says: “The bird must have been alive, wild, and unrestrained 
 when encountered.” So was this Northern Bobwhite “wild?” More excerpted 
 from the ABA: “Wild” means that the bird’s occurrence at the time and 
 place of observation is not because it, or its recent ancestors, has ever 
 been transported or otherwise assisted by man for reasons other than for 
 rehabilitation purposes. A species observed far from its normal range may 
 be counted if, in the observer’s best judgment and knowledge, it arrived 
 there unassisted by man. A bird that is not wild and which later moves 
 unassisted to a new location or undergoes a natural migration is still not 
 wild. For the complete ABA recording rules, click here. 
 http://listing.aba.org/aba-recording-rules/ 

 Why would anyone question whether this Northern Bobwhite were wild? Well, 
 many companies sell game birds, to shoot them like self-propelled skeet, or 
 to train hunting dogs with them, or just to keep in your collection. From 
 this company you can buy Northern Bobwhite birds, chicks and eggs, and many 
 other upland game birds, not to mention swans and flamingos. Click here. 
 http://www.gamebirdfarm.net/index.php Another online source click here. 
 https://www.purelypoultry.com/other-fowl-c-257.html (A pair of Spruce 
 Grouse for $749?) 

 Colorado wildlife law “generally prohibits the importation, live 
 possession, sale, barter, trade, or purchase of any species of wildlife 
 native to Colorado, except that up to 25 live ring-necked pheasants, 
 Gambel's quail, scaled quail, bobwhite quail, chukar, grey partridge or 
 mallard ducks may be possessed for up to twenty-five (25) days without a 
 license. Such wildlife shall be accompanied by a receipt showing that the 
 wildlife have been lawfully acquired, to include the source and the 
 purchase or acquisition date. These birds may only be hunted on the day of 
 release and the number of birds taken cannot exceed the number of birds 
 released. All released birds not taken by hunting on the day of release 
 shall become property of the state. All hunting must occur on private 
 property. No birds held under the authority of this section may be released 
 and hunted during any season established for that species.” 

 So what is the normal distribution of naturally occurring Northern 
 Bobwhite in Colorado? Bob  Bob (*Colorado Birds* © 1992) on page 96 
 mentions it is a year-round resident on the eastern plains, primarily west 
 to Morgan and Pueblo counties. Habitat is primarily lowland riparian 
 forests, but also occurs in smaller numbers in adjacent agricultural areas 
 and sandsage grasslands. Their range map shows the eastern quarter of 
 Boulder county shaded for Northern Bobwhite. This wonderful book is, as I 
 type

[cobirds] Counting Upland Game Birds in Colorado

[Tom Wilberding]

 it. You? I don’t think you should. :-) 

More seriously, I asked Steve Mlodinow about this situation, and he 
observed, as a field ornithologist, “…a game bird in a people-full place, 
out-of-habitat, that allows its photo to be easily taken has very little 
chance of being of wild provenance.” 

The same advice for other game birds: check Bob  Bob, Atlas I, and eBird 
for the species’ natural range, and go from there. A Chukar in Weld County? 
I would not count it; too far from its Bob  Bob range in western Colorado, 
probably escaped from a game ranch like this one: click here. 
http://www.gamebirdhunts.com/HuntingLocations/ColoradoPheasantHunting/tabid/83/ctl/View/mid/413/Id/1003/Ankeny-Ranch.aspx
 

But wait, not so fast. Get a load of this: click here. 
http://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/CM-Chukar.aspx Colorado Parks and 
Wildlife is releasing hundreds of Chukars near Fort Collins to establish a 
population for the benefit of northern front range hunters. 

Hunters and birders are allies for the conservation of certain bird 
species. But allies like gardeners and botanists, or the United States and 
France, uneasy at times, with different languages. Should Colorado habitat 
be peppered with exotic birds for the benefit of hunters? Well, that’s been 
going on a long time all over the world, and probably will continue, and 
will continue to be debated. 

Good birding and listing,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder

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[cobirds] Boyd Ponds, R.I.P. Morgan County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello, birders,

Sorry if this is old news, but was a surprise to me and maybe to you: Boyd 
Ponds SWA in Fort Morgan is kaput. The State sold it to a private 
individual who put up a shiny six foot high chain link fence all round it, 
locked up tighter than a drum. Disappointed to see this gem on the South 
Platte now off limits. Used to offer us birders Trumpeter Swan, Rusty 
Blackbird, Greater Yellowlegs in February, Snow Bunting, Northern Bobwhite, 
and Winter Wren. Why did the State sell it? From the web: The Boyd Ponds 
State Wildlife Area (SWA) will close permanently Aug. 29, 2014. Colorado 
Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has sold the property to a private entity. Boyd 
Ponds, a 176-acre wildlife area, has been available as a day-use hunting 
and angling site for many years. However, due to continued development in 
the area, it has outlived its designation as wildlife habitat providing 
recreation opportunity.

Barb and I did enjoy the rest of our day in Morgan County today--got up to 
66 sunny degrees. The southeastern third of Jackson Reservoir is still 
frozen, but the northwestern two thirds is open with a lot of waterfowl, 
more Mallards than I have ever seen in one place, about 4,999 give or take 
one. A few Bald Eagles, a few of the  usual passerine species by the 
Visitors Center. Riverside Park in Fort Morgan had a Greater White-fronted 
Goose along with a lot of Cackling Geese. Rather quiet bird-wise today, but 
a few early signs of spring--grass getting slightly greener here and there. 
Red-wing Blackbirds shooting up over the marsh before dropping down to 
hide. A couple of Song Sparrows hopping around the cattails tentatively. 
Some American Robins tut-tutting, not quite ready to sing. Ready to sing: 
Western Meadowlark, never shy.

Best,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

  

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[cobirds] Re: Greater Yellowlegs, Cottonwood Marsh, Boulder

[Tom Wilberding]

Early migrants or Colorado over-wintering? Always great to see a shorebird 
in winter. Bob  Bob, *Colorado Birds* © 1992, mention GRYE as “occasional 
in winter.” Killdeer rated “rare in winter.” The only other shorebird with 
a winter mention is Wilson’s Snipe, “local in winter.”

But for the past two January's there have been quite a few eBird sightings 
of GRYE in January, particularly Boyd Ponds in Fort Morgan and Barr Lake. 
Open water is probably key. Prior to 2013 the only January GRYE sighting 
was at Wheatridge Greenbelt in 1988, 27 years ago. Click to see the eBird 
January map here 
http://ebird.org/ebird/map/greyel?neg=trueenv.minX=-107.36977274481012env.minY=39.400237272041736env.maxX=-102.09633524481012env.maxY=41.230426848658965zh=truegp=falseev=Zmr=onbmo=1emo=1yr=all.
 
What to conclude? A couple of unusually warm winters, or evidence of 
serious climate change, for better or worse? Gulp.

Anyway, gotta love this shorebird with anti-freeze.

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

On Sunday, February 8, 2015 at 10:43:02 AM UTC-7, Peter Burke wrote:

 COBirders,
 Early migrants? There were two Greater Yellowlegs on the marsh Saturday, 
 actively feeding and making their distinctive, high-pitched flight call. 
 It's not often this bird shares scope-views with Common Goldeneye!

 There are decent numbers of both diving and dabbling ducks out there. Also 
 a cooperative Northern Shrike on the west side of Duck pond.

 Good birding,
 Peter Burke
 Boulder, CO 

 Peter Burke

 Editor, *Colorado Birds*

 *Colorado Field Ornithologists*

 935 11th St. Boulder, CO 80302

 (973) 214-0140

 CFO http://www.cfobirds.org/  Flickr 
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/pgburke/   LinkedIn 
 http://www.linkedin.com/pub/peter-burke/5/788/a62



 

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[cobirds] Mute Swan, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Adams County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello, birders,

Barrow’s Goldeneye continuing this warm, sunny afternoon, same locations as 
previous posts by Palin Saturday and Deardorff two weeks ago. 

Barrow’s female, just upriver from the South Platte River Trailhead at 88th 
St.  Colorado Ave. in Thornton. Map here. https://goo.gl/maps/Lrz1p

Barrow’s male and female and many other ducks much farther upriver, 
opposite the two big water tanks, map here. https://goo.gl/maps/B0aw2

Beautiful Green-wing Teal doing a lot of toot-tooting. Some handsome 
Northern Pintail and Lesser Scaup. One Common Merganser in the foamy rapids.

 Barb  I saw a Mute Swan in a pond next to the north side of 88th St. on 
our way to the trailhead, but on our way home it was gone. Will Mute Swan, 
national bird of Denmark, get added to the Colorado State List? Maybe 
someday. (Hans Christian Anderson votes Yes!)

Four photos here. http://bit.ly/16vFAHb

Best,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] American Woodcock, Larimer County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello, birders, 

Today, Monday, there were 12 of us birders at 12:30 pm, looking from the 
road in front of the ranger's house for the American Woodcock. Up and down 
the road we paced, looking down at the stream. Barb and I heard leaves 
rustling, probably just a mouse. After 40 minutes I had that sinking, 
dipped feeling, when suddenly keen-eyed Pat Baldridge of Windsor said those 
magical words, I've got it! 

Soon we all saw the Woodcock, hiding in a tangle of sticks and vines on a 
steep bank, a few feet from the stream. We got a good look at him and he at 
us. After a few minutes he seemed to shrug his shoulders and started 
bobbing, perhaps to scare up a worm. 

Aristotle thought certain birds hibernate. The Poorwill does, as observed 
in 1804 by Merriweather Lewis in North Dakota. This Woodcock seems to 
follow Aristotle's theory, as it disappears into the leaves to take a long 
winter's nap, as Larry Griffin observed. (Actually, today felt more like 
summer, a sunny, glorious 70 degrees.) 

What a strange bird, often a challenge to find. Hope it sticks around for 
as long as it enjoys Bobcat Ridge's worms and leaves, maybe for weeks to 
come. 

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] eBird Status and Distribution

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello, birders,

Recently was curious about Common Crane, *Grus grus*, so looked it up at 
Wikipedia. A distribution map shows it all across Siberia. click here. 
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Verbreitungskarte_des_Kranichs.png
 
One showed up in Roswell, NM in December. A birder down there dubbed it, 
“Dumb Ivan.”

I also looked at an eBird Species Map for this species, click here 
http://ebird.org/ebird/map/comcra?neg=trueenv.minX=env.minY=env.maxX=env.maxY=zh=falsegp=falseev=Zmr=1-12bmo=1emo=12yr=allbyr=1900eyr=2015.
 
No Common Crane in Siberia? More likely no eBirders in Siberia.

Moral of the story: take eBird Species Maps with a grain of salt. They 
provide a lot of helpful information, but are not the end of the story.

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Red Rocks North, Boulder County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Luckily saw the Golden-crowned Sparrow at Teller Farms No. 5 parking lot 
around noon today. As I left I tossed some bird seed, like Red Rocks, into 
some nearby shrubs. But this Northwestern sparrow and its White-crowned 
buddies seem to be doing pretty well without bird seed, thanks to a 
barnyard nearby with lots of scattered seed, including some already 
half-digested by the horses and cows. 

What Teller Farms needs, to be a contender, is White-throated, Harris’s, 
and Fox Sparrows, along with all five Juncos. Maybe next week! 

Walden and Sawmill Ponds were quiet except for a coyote, several 
Black-billed Magpies, and a good assortment of hawks. Beautiful sunny, 
winter-wonderland sort of day.

Golden-crowned location, lurking in shrubs and junipers north side of 
parking lot. Click here. https://goo.gl/maps/bVT6E
Two  pics of same: Click here. http://bit.ly/1JVJOGT

Cheers,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Common Crane, Roswell, NM

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello Birders,

http://www.KOB.com/article/stories/s3658842.shtml
Road trip!
Well, not me, but good luck. Catch the Zone-tailed on the way.

Best,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] YB Loon pics, 12/11/14, Larimer County

[Tom Wilberding]

Not great pics, but as a point of reference for Chatfield loon. Guessing 
same bird.
Thanks, Joey, and WELCOME BACK, YB!

http://bit.ly/1sqUK4o

Tom Wilberding
Boulder,CO

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[cobirds] Rare bird resource at CFO

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Here is a tip, in case you didn't know. Say you read Steve Mlodinow’s post 
yesterday afternoon about his great find of a Yellow-billed Loon at Boyd 
Lake State Park. My reaction was, “Hmm. That sounds like a rare bird. 
I wonder how rare?


   - Go to cobirds.org
   - Click on Colorado Bird Records Committee
   - Click on Reports from the data
   - Click on Reports by species
   - Type in Yellow-billed Loon, and there you have it: only 25 
   approved records since 1944, the most recent 6/29/2010 in Gunnison County. 
   That’s rare. Click on the camera icons to see photos. Click here. 
   http://coloradobirdrecords.org/Reports/SpeciesDetail.aspx?id=59
   
Isn’t that neat? Thanks to volunteer Rachel Hopper, to CFO’s contractor Ann 
Johnson, and to many other CBRC volunteers over the years for this great 
resource. You can support this by joining CFO or renewing your membership.

Barb and I enjoyed seeing the YP Loon this morning here on the map: Click 
here https://goo.gl/maps/dmdu2.  Hope it sticks around and you have a 
chance to see it.

To learn more about a Colorado rarity, I often check the species out at 
Wikipedia, and also at Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Here is a beautiful 
little video about the YP Loon on its arctic breeding ground: Click here 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyRTu-VJM1Q. What a great bird!

Thanks to Steve and all the generous birders who share their sightings with 
us at COBirds.

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Mysterious laughing scoter pics, El Paso County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Nothing new to report, but Barb  I did see two scoters yesterday at 
Prospect Lake, Colorado Springs.

The weather forecast 60 mph winds for Boulder on Tuesday, so Barb  I drove 
south to Colorado Springs, where the weather was much more mild, with winds 
of only 55 mph. Oh well, surf’s up! Good scoter weather, but a bit dark for 
photos. When we arrived about a third of the lake was frozen, but something 
seemed strange: Canada Geese were standing on the ice but moving east at a 
steady clip as if on a glass boat. The gale-force winds were pushing the 
thin ice onto the eastern bank, and in no time the lake was ice-free and 
the geese up on the grass.

Each scoter could be found by looking for a big, solitary, dark duck being 
harassed by a Ring-billed Gull, no doubt looking to steal a crayfish. We 
had no luck finding all three scoters, the trifecta, but we did enjoy 
seeing two. One had a white patch on the nape, so Surf Scoter, right? The 
other had a black nape, so White-winged, right? Looking at my photos, I now 
think they are both Surf Scoters due to common bill shape. What do you 
think? At one point one of the scoters seemed to be having a big 
laugh--what for? Eluding the gull? Having eaten its 20th crayfish for the 
day? Practicing a mating call? Too funny.

On our way home we stopped at Red Rocks Trading Post in Jefferson County, 
spread some sunflower seed, and briefly saw the handsome Golden-crowned 
Sparrow, but I was unable to get a photo. Apologies to Art Hudak. J

16 pic slideshow here: http://bit.ly/1vkTrbR 

Happy Thanksgiving!
Tom Wilberding
Boulder County

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[cobirds] CFO holiday gift ideas

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Here are some holiday gifts for your friends and family, and to give 
yourself, too:

   - A $25 gift membership to CFO, which includes a subscription to *Colorado 
   Birds*: http://cobirds.org/CFO/Gift.aspx 
   - A donation to help CFO study and conserve Colorado birds. This year 
   CFO gave over $10,000 in various grants and scholarships to very worthy 
   causes in Colorado. Help us do it again in 2015: 
   http://cobirds.org/CFO/Donate.aspx http://cobirds.org/CFO/Donate.aspx 
   - Some nifty CFO logo items like shirts, caps, mugs and more from our 
   new store at Zazzle.com http://zazzle.com/, which will pay CFO 10% of 
   your purchase: http://www.zazzle.com/cfo_merchandise 

Thanks for supporting Colorado Field Ornithologists, and good holiday 
birding!
|
Tom Wilberding
Treasurer

*Colorado Field Ornithologists *P. O. Box 643
Boulder, CO 80306-0643
cfotreasu...@gmail.com

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[cobirds] Eastern Bluebirds, Weld County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Dipped on Scoters, but as a consolation prize Barb  I saw about a dozen 
Eastern Bluebirds fraternizing this afternoon with a bigger flock of 
European Starlings, near the entrance of Union Reservoir, Longmont, 2 pm. 
County Road 26. 
Both species interested in insects in the ditches along the road, and the 
sunny ditch bank where the snow had melted.
Google maps says this ditch is called “Oligarchy Ditch.” Hmm, I will 
refrain from making a political comment, other than to say I’m glad Eastern 
Bluebirds know a good spot!
Two very back-lit pics, right into the sun: http://bit.ly/1A4Smry

Also, five swans at Boulder Reservoir 3 pm. I presume Tundra, but they were 
far off.

Cheers,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Snowy Hummingbird, Boulder County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Saw the amazing hummer today at 7 am on Adam Jack’s snowy deck, my second 
try after she took a powder for four hours last Sunday. Thanks to Adam for 
his directions, tips, generous hospitality, and for being such a talented 
observer of wildlife, to be able to discover this obscure hummingbird in 
the first place. Adam and his wife have a spectacular mountain home and 
deck. Saw two Golden Eagles fly over the ridge to the east, one motionless 
for the longest time, tacked to the sky. Adam mentioned that Gross Dam Road 
and Flagstaff Road are open on the weekend, so I took the scenic route 
home, stopping at Gross Reservoir and hiking the sunny 5.2 mile Myer’s 
Gulch Trail.

Will our doughty hummer end up like explorer Roald Amundsen, first to the 
South Pole, or his unlucky rival, Robert Falcon Scott, never to return to 
warmer climes? In either case she has earned the name  Magnificent, “doing 
great deeds.”

She is also pretty patient with that Hairy Woodpecker who acts like a 
sapsucker, lapping up her sugar water. While he was on her feeder, she flew 
behind him and hovered, as if to say, “Get off my feeder, Peckerwood!” Then 
she flew to the center of the deck and stared at me, as if to ask, “Why 
don’t you get up and scare him off my feeder?” I didn’t move. They had to 
work it out.

Four photos: http://bit.ly/1skUq5X  

Cheers!
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] NE CO shorebird photos

[Tom Wilberding]

11 pics recently: http://bit.ly/1uKdQ7j

Cheers,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder County

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[cobirds] Re: Black-crowned Night Heron seen floating on water, Wash Park, Denver. Who knew?

[Tom Wilberding]

Very interesting, Joe, and thanks for the naturalist info. I've never seen 
a swimming BCNH, but here is a Google image of one, looking very duck-like. 
http://ronreznick.photoshelter.com/image/Ix5z8Qm2fQlk

Good find!
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

On Sunday, September 7, 2014 12:53:34 PM UTC-6, Joe Roller wrote:

I have been stopping by Grasmere Lake, the southern water body in 
 Washington Park, at Downing and Louisiana, almost daily for a couple of 
 weeks, counting American White Pelicans as their numbers grow - from 4 to 
 21, now plateauing around 19-21.

 While there this morning I saw an adult Black-crowned Night Heron 
 (hereafter BCNH) floating on the water!

 It took me a while to figure out what family this bird was in, let alone 
 species. It was somewhat loon-like, but the thick dagger bill, black crown 
 and gray wings convinced me otherwise. The body was held horizontally, the 
 bill parallel to the water.  I watched it for a minute, as it floated, not 
 fishing or swimming. I ran around the south end to get a better look, and 
 by that time it had resumed its normal vertical or hunched position on 
 branches at the water's edge near it's 3 or 4 off-spring. I looked it up:

 This from the *Florida Natualist,* Fall, 1973, James Kushlan:

 Five feeding methods have been previously described for the species: 

 Stand and Wait* 

 Walk Slowly being the most common; 

 Bill-vibrating, standing in shallow water while rapidly vibrating the bill 
 at the surface, (Stone, 1937; Drinkwater, 1958); 

 Hovering, flying in place above the surface and catching prey without 
 settling into the water (Meyerriecks. 1960); and 

 * Swimming- feeding, alighting on the water and catching prey while afloat 
 (Wetmore, 1920). *

 In this article, Kushlan describes plunge-diving from the air as a 6th 
 feeding behavior.

 Has anyone observed the floating or swimming behavior of Night-Herons?

 Intriguing,  I thought.


 * Milton - They also serve who only stand and wait. 


 Joe Roller,

 Denver



   

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[cobirds] Some Sterling convention photos

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Barb and I had a great time at CFO’s 52nd annual convention in Sterling. 
Thanks to all who made this fun and educational event possible:

Bill Kaempfer--convention chair and field trip organizer
Jon Dunn--keynote speaker, field trip leader, teacher, and superb 
storyteller
Christy Carello--paper session organizer and young birder mentor. Thanks 
very much to all paper session contributors
Joe Roller—awards and welcome committee
Larry Modesitt—exhibitors. Thanks to all of Larry’s exhibitors for coming 
to Sterling
Christian Nunes--“Jeopbirdie” ID contest
Lisa Edwards--t-shirt design and sales, Welcome Picnic/registration greeter 
and answer person
Brenda Linfield and David Gillilan, online registration management, website
Ted Floyd--promotion, field trip coaching, paper presenter
What did I do? Preliminary scouting, local contacts, nametags, recording 
income  expenses
An excellent roster of expert, volunteer field trip leaders
Private property hosts--Peggy and Kent Swedlund, Skip Dines of Riverside 
Reservoir, and The Nature Conservancy’s Fox Ranch
Mayor Dan Torres, Jr., who welcomed us to Sterling at Thursday’s picnic
Steger BBQ for the Welcome Picnic and Ramada Inn for the banquet
Our 180 registrants, including about 25 from out-of-state
Many others—forgive my forgetfulness but thanks to all of you

 Here are some convention photos Barb  I took. I hope other photographers 
will post more pics of Sterling soon.
http://bit.ly/1qxRfdj
See you next year in Salida, June 4th to 8th.

Cheers!
Tom Wilberding
Treasurer, Colorado Field Ornithologists

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[cobirds] Congrats, Paula Hansley!

[Tom Wilberding]

Colorado birder Paula Hansley has been awarded Boulder County Audubon’s 
*Lifetime 
Achievement Award*. Congrats, Paula, and thank you for helping so many of 
us know, enjoy, and conserve Colorado birds. Here is a link to the recent 
BCA newsletter--see page 3 for a great tribute of appreciation for what 
Paula has done for us over 50 years as a leading Colorado birder. 
http://www.boulderaudubon.org/pdf/e-OTW_Sep14.pdf

I would like to add my particular admiration for Paula’s bravery in 
speaking up for birds. If she sees a situation where birds are stressed she 
goes immediately to work, whether it is a road crew upsetting breeding 
hawks, or cattle disrupting Coal Creek nesting birds, or excessive use of 
tapes during breeding season. Paula defends birds in her gentle, smiling 
way, even if that ruffles a few human feathers.

One example. Last July Paula noticed a dark-morph Swainson’s hawk nesting 
in her neighborhood, quite a find. Then she noticed a big, noisy asphalt 
paving crew mobilized to replace the street below the nest, the next day. 
(Years ago I used to hire such companies and know that they are tough and 
impatient. Stopping them at the last minute is like trying to stop General 
George S. Patton from crossing the Rhine.) Paul stopped them in their 
tracks! I gave her my informal “Tiananmen Square Award for Bravery in the 
Face of Heavy Machinery.” The hawks successfully fledged a couple of 
chicks, and the road got replaced later in the summer. We love you, Paula. 
Keep up your good work!

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, Colorado

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[cobirds] Pied-faced Grebes, Boulder County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders, 

Over at the very full Teller Lake No. 5 are a few juvenile Pied-billed 
Grebes with their striking black and white facial patterns. Most juvenile 
birds look drab and camouflaged, for good defensive reasons. But 
Pied-billed Grebe juveniles are an exception, along with Masked and Ruddy 
Ducks. Any others? Must be an evolutionary reason for this, but whatever 
the reason, snazzy-looking young Pied-billed Grebes seem to be enjoying 
their first summer before turning into drab adults. “Summertime is always 
the best of what might be.” --Charles Bowden.

Here are they are, plus a few others from Sunday: http://bit.ly/Vg8Ifb
Here’s where Teller Lake No 5 is: https://goo.gl/maps/Vi9Mh

Cheers!
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Prairie shorebird pics, Logan and Weld counties

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders, 

I had to run an errand to Sterling Wednesday afternoon, stayed the night, 
then drove east Thursday morning to Red Lion SWA. In the small ponds either 
side of CR 95 saw a few interesting shorebirds, and right next to the road 
on a post a confiding Red-headed Woodpecker keeping the shorebirds company. 
(A car is always a good bird blind.) Then headed to Crow Valley Recreation 
Area, finally north to Adams and Bunker Reservoir No. 1 on CR 124 for more 
shorebirds on the way home. 

The prairie has never looked more verdant thanks to all the rain this year. I 
suspect this has increased insects. For example, there were about 20 
zooming Common Nighthawks inhaling insects in the sky over Crow Valley, but 
thankfully not many mosquitoes at ground level. No hip waders needed to 
cross Crow Creek, dry now except for some mushrooms and smartweed. All the 
foot paths on the south side of the creek bed are overgrown, almost 
invisible for lack of use. The “magic juniper” yielded a Least Flycatcher, 
but it could have been something else, you know how magic is. Blue jays 
raucous throughout the area, which made me think there must be some owls 
around—saw one briefly as it flew away. 

A good year for Lark Buntings--flocks of juveniles escorted my car down all 
the back roads. At Murphy’s Pasture a Sage Thrasher insisted on leading me 
along. It was walking, running, always looking back, refusing to let me 
pass. As my second-grade school teacher used to scold, “Bold as brass.” 
Seeing all the green grass on the Pawnee I felt like saying, “Come back, 
Dust Bowl farmers, all is forgiven. Plant some corn out here, plant 
anything you like! Hard times gone this year.”  

17 photos from my day out east, an appetizer for the upcoming CFO 
convention: http://bit.ly/1ncCc3Y


*Buon appetito! *Tom Wilberding
CFO Treasurer

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[cobirds] Southeast Colorado drought

[Tom Wilberding]

Per New York Times map, Cheyenne Wells to La Junta region look very dry 
past four months. Rest of Colorado not so bad.
http://tiny.cc/ggeijx

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Re: Two possible birds for CO

[Tom Wilberding]

Good ones! I'm dreaming about White-tailed Kite for Colorado. Per eBird, 
seen in Lincoln County, Nebraska, 7/1/2008, and in Las Vegas, New Mexico, 
4/15/2010.
What else for drooling?

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO


On Monday, July 14, 2014 4:43:23 PM UTC-6, Bob Righter wrote:

 Hi all 

 Because we are in the Dog Days of summer gives us an opportunity to 
 dream about rare birds we could see in Colorado during this fall migration. 

 The recent Western Birds  has fanned the flames for potential new birds 
 for Colorado. Here are just two possibilities to drool about. 

 The Purple Sandpiper has now been documented in Utah, November, 2012, 
 Iowa, Oklahoma, Calgary, Alberta 
 The Topical Kingbird has now been documented in Provo, Utah, September, 
 2012 

 Bob Righter 
 Denver CO 

 Sent from my iPad

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[cobirds] Re: Two missing birds for CO.

[Tom Wilberding]

Gary,
I went birding at Brainard  Long Lakes Saturday in the Indian Peaks 
Wilderness with David Dowell's group (excellent trip!), and we had no 
trouble finding Gray Jays and Clark's Nutcrackers despite (because?) lots 
of people on the trails. Brainard Lake is not far south of Rocky, but maybe 
a bit lower. The Ruby-crowned Kinglets were having a fit, plenty of red 
crests showing, chasing the much bigger Gray Jays. Why? My guess is that 
the Gray Jays were busy trying to eat the kinglets' eggs and hatchlings. 
I saw very little beetle kill there, everything healthy and lush. Maybe 
that means more seed crop for the Nutcrackers, compared to Rocky.
We found three or more Three-toed Woodpeckers, one confiding one perched 
right near the asphalt road north side of the Brainard lake. They seemed to 
like the snags and insects at Brainard  Long Lakes, but no fire damage 
visible. 
Side note: four male moose with big racks lounging in the willows southwest 
corner of Brainard.

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO


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] Holiday Colorado birds

[Tom Wilberding]

Red white  blue—2:40 minutes: http://bit.ly/1vz2wdp

Happy Fourth!
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Congrats, Brenda Linfield, record first!

[Tom Wilberding]

Big congrats to recently retired CFO Board member and accomplished 
webmaster, Brenda Linfield. On June 20, 2014 she became the first woman to 
join the very special Fourteener-400 Club. http://www.fourteeners400.com/
Also kudos to her husband Roger who joined this Olympian group October 2, 
2012.
Who will be the second woman to join? Lynne Miller knocked off all the 
fourteeners years ago and will hopefully reach 400 bird species soon.
I am one Colorado birder who really admires and looks up to this group of 
stalwarts. Way to go all eight of you!

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Some like it hot...Routt County

[Tom Wilberding]

Barb and I recently enjoyed a few days in the Steamboat Springs area, 
following tips in the old 1997 ABA book *A Birder’s Guide to Colorado* by 
Harold R. Holt. (NOTE: ABA has a spiffy, new edition by CFO’s own Ted Floyd 
available here: http://www.buteobooks.com/product/ABAFGCO.html 

From Boulder we headed north through Poudre canyon to Gould’s Moose Visitor 
Center where we saw a male Williamson’s Sapsucker near the parking lot. We 
enjoyed the Arapaho NWR driving loop and Walden Reservoir, seeing most of 
the birds reported recently. In Steamboat we really enjoyed their number 
one summer tourist attraction, Fish Creek Falls, with the usual birds of 
that area and a spectacular waterfall. Later we visited Steamboat’s Core 
Bike Trail and Botanic Garden. Harold Hold recommended Strawberry Park Hot 
Springs north of town for good birding. After a dunking in the very hot 
pool, the “Goldilocks” pool, then the ice-cold pool, I was too parboiled 
and wobbly to see many birds, but Barb and I noticed this sign on the way 
out: “After sunset no one admitted under 18 years of age. Swimsuits 
optional.” Hmmm. Sounds like fun owling!

From Steamboat we headed north to Steamboat Lake State Park, where a ranger 
mentioned that she hears Western-Screech-Owl from time to time near the 
campground. We camped at Hahns Peak Lake campground and really froze in our 
tent despite wearing all the clothing in our car. Missing hot springs! Next 
day we climbed Hahns Peak, serenaded by a series of Hermit Thrushes to 
timberline, but no grouse toward the top. 

Yesterday we drove up to Crane Park near Wyoming where Sandhill Cranes have 
nested. We didn’t see any but heard a couple landing at Hahns Peak Lake 
later that night as it grew dark.

Today we headed home through Rocky Mountain National Park. At Parshall we 
noticed a Lewis’s Woodpecker at a feeder at 3092 and 309 streets. At 
Medicine Bow Curve we hiked out the path northeast and beyond to the drop 
off with snow bank. There we found a couple of White-tailed Ptarmigan 
hiding from the gale-force cold winds. Back in Boulder it was 83 degrees. 
Barb exclaimed, “Blessed heat!”

Good birding,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] USPS Songbird stamps

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

For those of us who still send paper mail from time to time, the Post 
Office, starting today, is selling Songbird stamps online, first class 
forever.
Why do I mention this on COBirds? Well, some of these beautiful stamps show 
Colorado birds, so I’m in the clear. Enjoy!
http://uspsstamps.com/stamps/songbirds

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Scaup pics, Jefferson County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Went to Wheat Ridge Greenbelt this sunny, cold afternoon to try to relocate 
Paula Hansley’s possible flycatcher, but the wind was gale force, so that 
bird is probably now in Kansas. I did hear a Virginia’s Rail next to the 
new boardwalk south of Bass Lake, which is south of Tabor Lake. Like last 
spring there are Double-crested Cormorants nesting on the island in Tabor 
Lake. On Prospect Lake there were both Lesser and Greater Scaup—hope I 
labeled them right.

Here are 8 pics: http://bit.ly/1f391kl
And a map: http://goo.gl/maps/Mzhdc
April? Come she will…

Tom Wilberding
Boulder County

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[cobirds] Re: Some JeffCo birds, and one Arapahoe sighting

[Tom Wilberding]

In response to Art's comment, relax, Art! David Suddjian is a renowned, 
expert birder from California. Per Google: http://tiny.cc/2w0ddx
Welcome to Colorado, David, and thanks for sharing your very helpful 
sightings and observations with COBirders.
Some birders are more skilled than others; they see more and hear more. 
That can be a bit frustrating at times for less-skilled birders (like me), 
but BRAVO to the pros!

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO


On Wednesday, March 26, 2014 5:17:32 PM UTC-6, David Suddjian wrote:

 Mar 22

 CEDAR WAXWINGS had been regular near St. Mary Church the previous couple 
 of days, but this date a flock of about 190 waxwings was many more than I'd 
 seen otherwise this year.

 Mar 24

 At Ken Caryl Valley my 1st TURKEY VULTURE of the season was tilting into a 
 cold north wind. Also newly arrived there were WESTERN BLUEBIRDS, and there 
 were some nice flocks of MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS. I saw a FERRUGINOUS HAWK and 2 
 BALD EAGLES flying north. A SAY'S PHOEBE was at Mann Reservoir in South 
 Valley Park.

 Mar 25

 A pair of WOOD DUCKS was on a small pond on Massey Draw in Ken Caryl 
 Valley.

 I walked up Waterton Canyon and had my first of season CANYON WRENS (5), 
 and ROCK WREN (1), and WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS (4). I found AMERICAN DIPPERS 
 at three areas between the Great Blue Heron and Mountain Lion rest areas, 
 small flocks of BUSHTITS in a few spots, and one RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. 

 At Ridge Road off Pleasant Run Road in the upper Deer Creek watershed I 
 had 4 RED CROSSBILLS, 2 WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKERS, and a NORTHERN GOSHAWK. A 
 pair of WESTERN BLUEBIRDS up there at 8,600' surprised me a little for 
 March, but I'm not clear yet on the distribution of spring migrants and 
 probably they are not unexpected there.

 May 26

 Early this morning a male and female BLUE-WINGED TEAL were at Mann 
 Reservoir at South Valley Park.

 David Suddjian
 Littleton




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[cobirds] Re: Carbondale birds (and, off-topic, Snow Leopards)

[Tom Wilberding]

Dick,
Thanks for posting a link to your beautiful, elegant photos, all National 
Geographic quality. Snow Leopards then Arctic birds. What a collection. 
Stunning! 
Congrats.
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, Co

On Friday, March 14, 2014 1:29:06 PM UTC-6, Dick Filby wrote:

 Hi all

  

 Our yard Harris’s Sparrow continues this afternoon, and Pinyon Jays too, 
 by the score..  visitors welcome

  

 Please email me if you want to visit

  

 All spotted whilst editing Snow Leopard pics from last week’s trip.. 

 See my first couple of pics of this amazing, beautiful, elusive cat here.. 
 (and I will upload more over the next few days..)

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/77502316@N05/

 we saw at least 6, maybe 8 different Snow Leopards!

 Now, I’m already planning my next trip to see them...

  

  

 Dick Filby

 Carbondale, CO

 


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[cobirds] Trumpeter Swan photo, Morgan County

[Tom Wilberding]

From Ft. Morgan's Boyd Ponds yesterday.
http://bit.ly/1bsH7yN

Best,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Re: NE Colorado

[Tom Wilberding]

Thanks for the tip, Joey. I stopped by Boyd Ponds today and found
Trumpeter Swans, check
Greater Yellowlegs, check
Goose hunters with dogs, check. (Goose season ends Sunday.)
Flat tire, check. What's with that? Second one in recent weeks. I getting 
good at changing tires.

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO


On Saturday, February 8, 2014 10:19:11 PM UTC-7, Joey Kellner wrote:

 Today's DFO trip out NE not only produced a number of raptors, but a few 
 other goodies.  Specifically we found two Greater Yellowlegs and two 
 immature Trumpeter Swans at Boyd Ponds SWA (Location: Log Lane Village 
 (Fort 
 Morgan) Exit 79 I-76, take Elm St. in Log Lane Village north to the 
 parking 
 lot near the river.  From the parking lot walk the road east and cross 
 the 
 canal.  Head further east along the canal.  The swans were in the open 
 water 
 of the pond on the south side of the canal. The yellowlegs were together 
 and 
 in the canal itself a little further east.  In addition, several Northern 
 Bobwhite were also seen here. 

 Glenn Walbek took some great photos of the swans.  See the photos at: 
 http://www.pbase.com/gwalbek/image/154428380 

 At Lower Latham Reservoir, lots of Northern Harriers and (oddly) 
 Rough-legged Hawks at the Lower Latham marsh (south side of Latham along 
 Weld County Road 48), but no Short-eared Owls. 

 Joey Kellner 
 Littleton, Colorado 





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[cobirds] Cottonwood Marsh, Boulder County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Beautiful snowscape at Walden and Sawhill Ponds this cloudy and cold 
afternoon. Some smart visitors wore snowshoes, others cross country skis, I 
made do in hiking boots. The marsh had that unusual quiet after snowfall, 
muffled and peaceful. The scenery was completely monochromatic—a distant 
Tundra Swan blended into the black, white, and gray scenery. Also present 
were nine other species of waterfowl, a Blue Jay, Northern Flicker, two 
Black-capped Chickadees, and a Prairie Falcon. At the usual location I 
thought I briefly heard a whispering Winter Wren, but not sure, couldn’t 
find it after that, maybe wishful thinking. 

Before it all melts, “Come see the north wind’s masonry….the frolic 
architecture of the snow.”
Five pics: http://bit.ly/1aRaF95

Best,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder County

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[cobirds] Rosy-Finch, Boulder County

[Tom Wilberding]

Greetings birders,

This afternoon my wife, Barb, and I drove up to Allenspark, where at the 
Fawn Brook Inn we saw some Brown-capped Rosy-Finch, one Black Rosy-Finch, 
as well as a few Evening Grosbeak and Cassin’s Finch. Also the regulars: 
Pine Siskin, Pygmy Nuthatch, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Steller’s Jay, 
Dark-eyed Junco, White-breasted Nuthatch, and American Crow. Allenspark now 
has a public restroom on highway 7 between the Fire Station and the Old 
Gallery—a new, clean outhouse, very welcome in a town with no MacDonald’s. 
:-) 

We then drove up highway 7 to beautiful Wild Basin and hiked for an hour or 
so. (Hiking boots work fine on the Wild Basin roads— only light snow 
today.) We were on the lookout for American Three-toed Woodpecker, but no 
luck. The Forest Service recently cleared almost all the snags and dead 
wood from the basin, piling the debris into countless large teepees, which 
I guess they will burn when conditions are safe.

Beautiful drive home as we watched the sun set above the mountains and its 
opposite eastern version with beautiful blues, grays, and pinks in the 
winter sky. So ended the auld lang syne,  the good old days, of 2013. 
Wishing you all a happy 2014. 
BTW, please join Colorado Field Ornithologists, or renew your membership, 
to ensure a *very* happy new year in the study, conservation, and enjoyment 
of Colorado birds.

14 recent pics: http://bit.ly/1clBbkw 

Best,
Tom Wilberding
Treasurer, CFO
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Re: Marston Lake

[Tom Wilberding]

Thanks, Joe, for very helpful spots to view Marston Lake in Jefferson 
County.
Here is a map showing Joe’s five places. Zoom in or out as needed: 
http://goo.gl/maps/90PGL 

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

On Friday, December 27, 2013 5:16:36 PM UTC-7, David Suddjian wrote:

 Late this afternoon (12/27) gull flocks at Marston Lake included an adult 
 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL at the northeast side, and 2 THAYER'S GULLS (adult 
 and juv.) at the northwest side. Three BALD EAGLES, and 1 GOLD EAGLE were 
 looking on. Also 5 REDHEADS. 

 David Suddjian
 Littleton


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[cobirds] Local bird pics

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Here are a few photos from yesterday and today, including

--Prothonotary Warbler, thanks to Art Hudak. (Red bill from berries, not 
lipstick)

--Long-tailed Duck, Union Reservoir, thanks to Bill Kaempfer.

--Lesser Yellowlegs, Walden Ponds.

http://bit.ly/1cIvYWa

Best,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Wild Turkeys, Boulder County

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Barb and I headed to the mountains today in search of winter birds. Didn’t 
see much in Ward, but in Allenspark at the Fawn Brook Inn we enjoyed seeing 
a flock of about 30 Evening Grosbeaks. Also present were Steller’s Jays, 
Clark’s Nutcracker, nuthatches, chickadees, house finch, and a murder of 
crows. Thought I heard rosy-finch at one point but could not find them. 
Then in strolled a group of eight Wild Turkeys to eat bird seed in a wooden 
tub set out by Hermann and Mieke Goicher, owners of the inn. Turkeys are 
not known for their intelligence, but to stroll up to a restaurant five 
days before Thanksgiving—come on guys! We said hello to Hermann and donated 
to his generous bird seed and hummer sugar-water budget. 
http://www.fawnbrookinn.com/

The road from Boulder to Ward is finally open after the September flood, 
but one lane dirt in spots—they’re still repairing it. We saw a couple of 
old school buses tossed helter-skelter next to a creek-side cabin, one of 
many ruined structures. On our way home we drove down the Big Thompson road 
between Estes Park and Loveland, just opened Thursday. (More vulture 
tourism.) The devastation was extensive. Many condemned houses by the 
river--tilting, undermined, collapsed, all marked by a red x.

One minute slideshow here: http://bit.ly/1bLDTA4

A safe and happy Thanksgiving to all!

Tom Wilberding
Boulder County

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[cobirds] Magee Marsh, Ohio

[Tom Wilberding]

Greetings COBirders,

COBirds rules of the road: “….If you want to share your trip lists/reports 
from other locations, please post them on your personal website and then 
send a single message to COBirds directing subscribers to that location.”

Come May if you think you will need an eastern warbler fix, plan ahead for 
Magee Marsh, Ohio: http://tiny.cc/jr5g6w

Best,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Unusual goose, Boulder County

[Tom Wilberding]

Greetings COBirders,

At Longmont’s Boulder County Fairgrounds pond, northeast corner of S. Hover 
Rd. and Boston Ave, Tim Smart spotted a few interesting geese, previously 
reported by Scott Severs. Here are 5 photos, including an Eared Grebe we 
saw at Chatfield. http://bit.ly/1azutXe

Best,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Bay-breasted pic

[Tom Wilberding]

Thanks to Alan Contreras!
One photo: http://bit.ly/16MX1iH

Tom Wilberding
Boulder, CO

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[cobirds] Brandt pics, Larimer County

[Tom Wilberding]

 

Here are 4 photos few from today: http://bit.ly/170JMgL.

I had trouble finding Houts Reservoir from its east side, crowded with 
office buildings and apartments, but discovered an easier way from its west 
side. Exit 257 on I-25, then go west on highway 34 to Boyd Lake Avenue, 
turn right or north and travel 0.9 miles to an unmarked dirt road on your 
right or east side. On maps it is called Medford Rd. This road is south of 
37th.. Wooden utility poles line its south side. Just drive east to Houts 
and parking, right where I saw the Brandt, thanks to Jon Rouse, who spotted 
it in the meadow north of the parking area. The Brant soon walked to the 
water for some paddling with two Canada geese and an Eared Grebe. It took a 
bath by doing a complete forward somersault; looked pretty frisky. If this 
is a new subspecies I nominate the name *Branta bernicla mlodinowii*.


Tried for the Little Gull at Terry Lake but believe I saw, looking into the 
sun, three or four Bonaparte’s Gulls on the spit by the private property 
with house, east bay. Dark ear spot but no cap. They all looked little, but 
if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

Best,
Tom Wilberding
Boulder CO

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