Tues/Wed three of us visited Otero County spots Vogel Canyon, Picketwire Canyon, and Higbee Valley Road. Weather was good, we worked it extensively early to late both days. We went a week or so later than I usually do and there was much more migration activity than I typically experience down there. It seemed drought-ish everywhere, in Vogel Canyon some usually watery places were dry, the one wet spot was attended by close to 60 birds (mostly American Robins). And almost no raptors either day seemed to equate to lack of food source. All areas had a very low number of Dark-eyed Juncos which is the case everywhere I've been this winter.
Signature birds for the overall area were 44 Canyon Towhees, 27 Sage Thrashers, Chihuahuan and Common Ravens, Juniper Titmouse, Loggerhead Shrikes, Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Rock and Canyon Wrens, 119 Mountain Bluebirds, and migrating American Robins everywhere (351). In Picketwire there were a couple Rufous-crowned and Black-throated Sparrows, least I've heard/seen in several years. 4 White-throated Swifts there, and a loudly singing Northern Mockingbird on Higbee Valley Road were highlights, along with two flocks of (low) flyover Sandhill Cranes on the prairie, we observed that they were possibly going in the direction of John Martin Reservoir : ) Dan Stringer Larkspur, CO -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/87810805-f2c5-43b4-bea6-fe5639426d61n%40googlegroups.com.
