Productive morning around the Canon City area

This morning some friends from Pueblo, Clif and Pearle, came up to see the Dickcissels in the Canon City area. As there had been a 2nd sighting of the Hooded Warbler, I took them first to the west end of the Canon City Riverwalk to "chase" that rarity. On the way there I heard a Dickcissel singing from a field where I had not found them before.

Though we didn't find the Hooded Warbler, we saw a lot of colorful and vocal birds. The Canon City Riverwalk usually has a good population of breeding Lazuli and Indigo Buntings, and this morning both species were calling frequently. In addition to the "purebred" birds, we saw one of the Lazuli-Indigo hybrids in the area. Yellow Warblers and Yellow-breasted Chats, both abundant species here, were in good vocal form. Also calling a lot were Lesser Goldfinch in the tops of the tall cottonwoods.

We watched a pair of Eastern Phoebes flycatching. Several Western Wood-Pewees sallyed about in the area, calling frequently. Several Black-capped Chickadees and a few Common Yellowthroated Warblers added to the songfest. We also heard, but didn't see, several Plumbeous Vireos.

A treat was not only hearing but seeing at least 3 Gray Catbirds. This species has become fairly regular on the Riverwalk and may be increasing here.

In addition to birds, we also saw a Checkered Whiptail lizard, and lots of butterflies (hundreds of "white's", lots of Eastern Swallowtail Tiger Swallowtails, good numbers of Mourning Cloaks and several other species of butterflies and moths).

Then we drove to my friend's farm where Clif and Pearle saw/heard at least 6 Dickcissel and got killer looks at several. They also saw the pair of Black Phoebes that are on their second nesting.

SeEtta