Rocky Ford Christmas Bird Count

As posted by local birder Duane, the Rocky Ford Christmas Bird Count (CBC) that was held on December 15 produced 81 species even though there were only 2 birders conducting the count this year. This is one of the problems with holding CBC's in these rural areas that are distant from the Denver area.

Birds found during this count included 9 White-winged Doves (a species that has expanded into this area and is increasing in numbers), a number of Yellow-rumped Warblers (as I have indicated, these warblers are not uncommonly found throughout much of SE Colorado in the winter though the largest numbers occur from spring through fall), 14 Greater White-fronted Geese (a high number for this uncommon winter visitor in Colo) and 2 White-throated Sparrows.

SeEtta
(still in So Texas & posting some cool pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/smoss/sets/72157594438807900/ )

Spanish Peaks Christmas Bird Count

As reported by Brandon, an avid SE Colorado birder, the Spanish Peaks Christmas Bird Count (CBC) took place today west of Walsenburg. This higher elevation count produced 2 Black Rosy-Finches. This is a National Audubon Watch List species because the analysis that has been done thus far with Christmas Bird Count data seems to indicate a decline since the 1970's (yes, the CBC's are important for conservation monitoring).

The Spanish Peaks CBC also produced 2 Harris' Sparrows, another species on the National Audubon Watch List, also because the CBC data indicate a decline.

SeEtta

ps-I'm on an out of state trip and have been in So Texas for several days. I've gotten a few really good pics of So Texas specialties-Great Kiskadee and White-tipped Dove-that can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/smoss/sets/72157594438807900/
(be sure to enlarge these pics by double-clicking them to really see the feather details)

Pueblo Reservoir Christmas Bird Count

The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) at the Pueblo Reservoir, which was held last Saturday, produced a very high species count of 124. Per local Pueblo birder Brandon, this number is the second best number for this count. The highest for this count area, and the state record for any CBC, was 129.

The weather was very nice for this count with temps going up to the 50's. I took part in the count until 1:30 when I had to go finish getting ready for my trip to south Texas.

Again per Brandon, the following rarities were seen during the count: Least and Spotted Sandpipers, Glaucous Gull, Black Phoebe, Nashville and Savannah Warblers (rare to have any but Yellow-rumped Warblers here), and 4 Lesser Goldfinch (common during breeding season here).

Birds of special interest for our area that were seen during this count: 188 Scaled Quail, 1 Greater Roadrunner, 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 3 Juniper Titmice, 53 Townsend's Solitaire, 874 Mountain Bluebirds, and 61 Canyon Towhees.

SeEtta

Trinidad (Colo) Lake

Well, I didn't get snowed-in in Colorado. I made it into New Mexico and ran into an ice storm (worse)that stranded me in a tiny town (Vaughan) with no internet access. The ice was horrible--I was scared to walk out the door as there was ice everywhere. I was really relieved to drive far enough south to Carlsbad to get away from the storm that paralyzed much of New Mexico as well as Colorado.

Before I left Colorado, I birded Trinidad Lake (just outside of the town of Trinidad, not the island, but Colo). I saw 2 Common Loons on the lake as well as 35 Common Goldeneye, several Hooded Mergansers and other waterfowl. There was a very brown juvenile Northern Shrike on the shrubs surrounding the lake as well as more than 40 Mountain Bluebirds. A single adult Bald Eagle was eating on the ice on the other side of the lake. Bald Eagles really like to sit on the edge of the ice where they can easily see coyotes and launch after a fish in the nearby waters.

SeEtta

Pueblo Reservoir Christmas Bird Count

Today was the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) at the Pueblo Reservoir. This CBC had the high number of species several times in the past including last year's all-time state record of 129 species. This is due to the diversity of habitats withing the count circle including a major reservoir, pinyon-juniper habitat, some grassland, urban and riparian.

I participated for part of the day surveying in the Pueblo West area. Though this is a mostly residential area, there are places where it is possible to walk into a conservation area and State Wildlife area with a small wetland. This photo shows part of the reservoir taken from a pinyon-juniper hillside and with the Wet Mountains providing a great background.

Due to the good amount of pinyon-juniper, we saw 13 Townsend's Solitaire. There were lots of Dark-eyed Juncos, some White-crowned Sparrows (fewer than I expected), some Song Sparrows and a Lincoln's Sparrow. The grassland area has a lot of cactus, both tree cholla and prickly-pear, which produced 2 Curve-billed Thrashers with several Canyon Towhees. Also in this grassland area were more than 45 Scaled Quail. We saw 4 adult Red-tailed Hawks and only 1 American Kestral.

More than 25 participants surveyed birds for this CBC today with a preliminary total count of 124 species.

SeEtta

Christmas Bird Counts have begun

I just realized that I haven't post the Christmas Bird Count schedule for southeast Colorado. As can be seen below, there are a good number in various areas. SeEtta


Thurs: Dec 14: John Martin Reservoir, Duane Nelson compiler, leastern@centurytel.net
Friday: Dec 15: Rocky Ford, Stan Oswald, compiler, osrabc1@mindspring.com
Sat: Dec 16: Pueblo Reservoir, Mark Yaeger , compiler, radeaux@hotmail.com
Thurs: Dec 21: Salida, Sherrie York, compiler, sy@sherrieyork.com
Sun: Dec 24: Spanish Peaks , David Silverman, compiler, silvireo@hotmail.com
Sat: Dec 30: Westcliffe, Jane Pedersen, compiler, JaneLCSW@aol.com
Sun: Dec 31: Pueblo , Mike Ketchen , compiler, mrketchen@yahoo.com
Mon: Jan 1: Lake Isabel , David Silverman, compiler, silvireo@hotmail.com
Friday: Jan 5: Penrose, Mark Peterson , compiler, mpeterson33@yahoo.com

Pics of a Yellow-belled Sapsucker in Canon City

Today I was able to refind the female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker I found yesterday in Rouse Park. She was not terribly cooperative about getting her photo taken, but I did get the bottom pic that shows her wing and some of her back pattern resonably well.

The top photo shows the throat area that has not red and a little of the black breast patch. Even the part of the black malar stripe is visible on the edge of the facial area.

SeEtta

Red-naped & Yellow-bellied Sapsucker very close-ups

I cropped both one of my photos of the female Red-naped Sapsucker posted yesterday and the photo taken by Dave Leatherman of a female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker to really compare the details of their facial features. Actually some of the back plumage can also be compared in these two photos.

The Yellow-bellied is in the lower pic and the Red-naped (by the way, I was only about 15 feet away from the bird when I took this photo which may account for its better clarity in this enlargement) in the top. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has a totally white chin and throat (though a some birds can have a few red feathers or a reddish wash), and lacks red on her nape area (there are white feathers on her nape where there was a red patch on the Red-naped Sapsucker). It also has some brownish feathers in the white stripe across its face. The back has two longitudinal stripes of white feathers separated by a black striped down the middle ; however, the feathers in the white stripes are intersperced with black lines giving the appearance of a ladder which is distinctly different in these pics (and in my experience) from the back of Red-naped Sapsuckers. Both this species and the Red-naped have white patches on their wings and black breast patches.

Some field guides claim that Yellow-bellied have more diffuse white on their backs, but that is not my experience. I guess there is a possibility that many of the Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers found in Colorado are products of hybridization with Red-naped; however, I believe I have read about a Yellow-bellied seen in the Eastern U.S. that also had the more defined longitudinal white stripes down its back.

The Red-naped has more extensive red on crown but I believe this is just a matter of individual variation and not a species difference. Also, the Yellow-bellied has its crown feathers raised while the Red-naped does not--this is not a difference between species and I believe that the Yellow-bellied can likely raise her crown feathers also.

SeEtta

Recent Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Lamar

Dave Leatherman, a highly skilled Colorado birder and entomologist (so he knows a lot about the insects that birds eat) gratiously donated this photo he took of an adult female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker so it could easily be compared with my photos of the Red-naped Sapsucker (and have placed this photo at the bottom so the pics will be next to each other).

Dave birds the Lamar area not infrequently and found this bird at the south end of Willow Creek Park in Lamar. Willow Creek Park is a birding hotspot in that far southeastern town.

SeEtta

More on Canon City sapsuckers

Here are two more photos of the Red-naped Sapsucker I found in Canon City today. The top pic shot shows the red coloration on the nape quite clearly as well as the longitudinal stripes of white feathers separated by the black stripe down most of the middle of its back. It's funny, but in this photo the top of the sapsucker's head looks quite flat. The bottom photo just shows the bird from a different view, with it's head turned to the right, showing the red on the lower throat quite well.

Note the close-ups of the sap-wells (holes made by sapsuckers that often show some sap dripping from them, tho that isn't showing in the pics here or in the previous post)

SeEtta

A surprise--a winter Red-naped Sapsucker

Red-naped Sapsuckers breed in Colorado but migrate in south in the fall to southern New Mexico and Mexico. So I was quite surprised to find a one on our Holy Cross Abbey grounds (open to the public) this morning. There have been late sightings in the mountains until late November but in the lowlands they persist only until mid-November, which would put this bird a month later.

The "bible" of for birds in this state, Colorado Birdsby Andrews and Righter (sadly outdated as it was published in 1992), states, "The winter status of this species is unclear," though they have occurred regularly in the far southwestern portion of the state.

This sapsucker is a female. She has a white chin and upper throat with red on lower throat area and a red patch on nape, two white stripes on face framed by black stripes (the malar stripe is fairly wide and the red feathers do not invade it as often occurs in this species), back has two white longitudinal bands separated by a black stripe that runs down the middle of most of the back. Most of these field marks can be seen in the top photo.




This Red-naped female has all the characteristics of an adult (Definitive Basic plumage) with a black throat patch which is visible in the lower photo. This sapsucker also showed a little yellow wash on its breast which is slightly visible. This close-up views in these photos were made possible by the 12X zoom on my digital camera and then by cropping to enlarge the photos. I rarely do any editing other than cropping but I did brighten and add contrast to the lower photo as the bird was dark as it was shaded in this photo.

SeEtta

Another sighting of a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

In addition to the Red-naped sapsucker (posted separately), I also found a female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Rouse Park this morning. That bird also looked like an adult (Definite Basic, but might have been a Basic II which is a sub-adult). Though it may be a second Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, it is also possible that this is the same Yellow-bellied Sapsucker I found at Centennial Park (about 2 miles away as the sapsucker flies, a little far but probably not out of the question for these birds to commute). And since I didn't bring my camera with me when I found this bird, I don't have pics (a real shame cause I didn't see this sapsucker until I was standing only about 10 feet away so I could have gotten some real close-ups). A reminder to always bring your camera.

SeEtta

Northern Mockingbird at Pueblo Reservoir

Late yesterday afternoon on my way to Pueblo I stopped at the Pueblo Reservoir and found this Northern Mockingbird. This species is fairly common in southeast Colo including the Pueblo area from spring through fall. However, they are pretty rare in winter.

This photo isn't great, and I had to brighten it and add contrast to even get this--but it was 5 pm when I took it and it was between dusk and dark. But the lower photo I took of the reservoir with the Wet Mountains partially obscured by clouds in the background came out much better.

SeEtta

Yellow-rumped Warblers staying for winter

Today I birded the Lakeside Cemetery in Canon City. For those who haven't done a lot of birding, such places as cemeteries (often have a lot of trees and minimal disturbance), sewage ponds (lots of waterfowl frequent these) and trash dumps (gulls and other birds are found at these unusual locations) are common birding locations for those of us who are avid birders. Lakeside Cemetery usually hosts Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in the winter. I continue to see fresh sap wells in a few trees here but haven't been able to find the sapsucker who is drilling them.

However it was a very birdy place today. Lots of Western Bluebirds and Dark-eyed Juncos. And I saw 2-3 Yellow-rumped Warblers including the one in these photos. The top photo shows a front view of what an Audubon's subtype of the Yellow-rumped Warbler in winter or "basic" plumage-brownish features with pretty distinct eyering, streaks on sides, a little yellow in throat patch and yellow patch on sides.



The lower photo of this same warbler shows the distinctive yellow rump for which it is aptly named. This is the only field mark on winter (basic plumage) birds that is not subtle.

SeEtta

Canon City Sapsuckers

Canon City has hosted both Yellow-bellied and Williamson's Sapsuckers each winter for the past several years. We are also visited by Red-naped Sapsuckers. Though they are seen primarily during migration, it is still necessary to carefully identify Sphyrpicus sapsuckers seen in this area since Yellow-bellied and Red-naped are quite similar in plumage and there could be an overlap.

I began finding fresh sap wells over a month ago in the main three locations where they have wintered in past years but did not identify one until this morning. The bottom pic shows a ponderosa pine tree with fresh sap wells drilled by a sapsucker, possibly the one in the top photo I took this morning. Drops of sap that are dripping from the sap wells are visible by some of the holes drilled in the tree.



Unforunately this adult female was shy and was not cooperative about having her picture taken so my photo is just of her back and not close-up. However, it does show some field marks for discriminating Yellow-bellied from Red-naped. Red-naped almost always have red coloration on their napes , though sometimes it can be quite small (and Howell reported some without any red on their napes), while Yellow-bellied birds have white on their napes. The white feathers on the backs of Yellow-bellies are usually in two fairly-well demarcated stripes separated by black feathers down the middle which is easily seen in my photo, while Red-naped have more mottled white on their backs. Not visible in my photo is that this sapsucker has a totally white throat without any red which is a field mark for female Yellow-bellies.

SeEtta

American Kestrels-the pole sitters

It seems to me that American Kestrels are examples of how birds can adapt to human modifications of their natural environment. Many American Kestrels that I see are sitting atop a post, either fence post or an electric power line post. Since we humans have placed these at frequent intervals alongside roadways, it increases the chances that these birds will be seen.



This male kestrel was, indeed, sitting atop a fence pole along a county road near Penrose. I thought the pic of him looking straight into the camera was engaging. Their rufous colored feathers are nicely framed by the bluish gray wings and head. This bird was fluffed out a little as the temps were starting to fall from the high in the 40's.

SeEtta

Gas & oil drilling noise harmful to birds in forests

Gas & oil drilling has many impacts on birds and other wildlife including the ills associated with roads built to drilling areas and the heavy truck traffic on these roads (adding both noise and running over/into birds). A new study finds that the noise associated with gas & oil drilling, in this case, the noise from compressors (but drilling rigs make a lot of noise also) has been found to reduce pairing success.

"Loud ambient noise affects the sex lives of birds, a new study suggests. Man-made noise is increasing in the wild. Because birds communicate mainly by sound, loud environments interfere with their communications and reduces pairing by almost 15 percent. . . . . Bayne and colleagues compared the pairing success of ovenbirds, Seiurus aurocapilla—small birds named for building a domed nest with a side entrance—in noisy compressor stations with noiseless areas in the boreal forest region of Alberta, Canada. Compressor stations generate pressure in pipelines to keep natural gas and oil flowing from wells. Ovenbird pairing success was 92 percent in noiseless well pads but was reduced to 77 percent at compressor sites, the researchers note in the online early issue of the Journal of Applied Ecology."

This great photo of an Ovenbird that had been captured in a mistnet is from the Clinch River Environmental Studies Organization, a Tennessee organization, website (http://creso.acs.ac/FLORA&FAUNA/Birds.htm)




Overbirds, though fairly uncommon, are found in a number of areas of southeast Colorado. Read the full article

SeEtta

American Wigeon

I took these photos of a male and a female American Wigeon today at what is called "duck pond" at Centennial Park in Canon City. American Wigeon have become beggars for handouts in city parks just like abandoned domestic ducks, domestic/wild duck hybrids and Mallards.

Male American Wigeon are very distinctively marked with brilliant while females are less so. The green head stripes on the males is rather stunning when the sunshine hits them. They are a common species throughout southeast Colorado especially along the Arkansas River corridor.


SeEtta

Wild American Dipper

It seems like an oxymoron to use "wild" as an adjective describing American Dippers. Last evening at dusk, I was standing next to a building adjacent to the Arkansas River. I had heard and seen at least one American Dipper at this location this year and was hoping I might hear it's distinctive call tonight as they often call (and sometimes sing) at dusk. I got more than I bargained for.

An American Dipper came flying past me only a few feet away, calling as it flew around the building and past me. I heard it heading towards the river, then it shot around the building and flew so close to my arm that I could feel the small breeze it generated. It was so close I almost jumped as I thought it was going to collide with me.

The dipper flew past me and back around to the river, calling the whole time. Though it was getting dark, I can't believe that it couldn't see me. One possible explanation is that there might have been 2 dippers chasing each other as they often do. It has been my experience that birds chasing each other may not be as careful and come closer to humans than they usually would. Regardless of the reason, it was a most unusual experience.



I certainly didn't take this photo in the darkened conditions last night. I took it last spring in western Fremont County. I caught it just as it was landing on the rock.

SeEtta

Red-tail Hawks-the ubiquitous sky masters

Though most call them "common", I think there is very little common about Red-tailed Hawks. I prefer to call them ubiquitous as they can be found about everywhere in North America. Bald Eagles are also found throughout North America since their recovery but they are not seen in as many different types of habitat as are Red-tails.

And Red-tails have so many races (the races are Eatern, Wetern, Fuertes, Florida and Harlan's) and morphs (or subtypes) in addition to the usual individual variations that exist in most hawks that they provide a great deal of variety and sometimes challenge in identification.

The bird in this photo is a typical adult Eastern Red-tailed Hawk--it has a white throat, the wingtips fall short of the tip of the tail, the plumage on its upperparts are medium brown, whitish scapulars, with the rufous tail of an adult bird. Apparently this is an older adult as A Photographic Guid to North American Raptors states that these have dark brown eyes.


In this photo I took of the same hawk flying a belly band is visible as is the dark rufous of the uppertail feathers.

SeEtta

Western Bluebirds today

Today was a brilliantly sunny day with temps rising just above freezing. Though the snow was starting to melt, it was still quite beautiful as can be seen in the top photo. That is the famous Pikes Peak in the background. I took this photo from the start of the foothills just southwest of Florence. This is where the land starts rising above the Arkansas River valley around Florence into the foothills. As can be seen, this is pinyon-juniper habitat.

I returned to the location where I saw the Eastern Bluebirds yesterday, but they were not there. However, I found lots of Western Bluebirds south of Florence including the one in the bottom photo.




SeEtta

Be green thru the holidays-do it for the birds

Birds, butterflies and all other natural creatures will appreciate efforts to practice green-action during the holidays (historically a un-green season). It doesn't require making major sacrifices. National Audubon Society has some good ideas for gift giving, trees and trimmings, conserving paper and smart party planning.

SeEtta

Eastern Bluebirds, a western treat

Gosh, we had another snow storm today with totals amounting to another 5 inches on top of a lot of snow left from the other storm a few days ago. Again, not common for this area. There is something about snow that seems to bring the bluebirds out in numbers.

Though I saw around a hundred Mountain Bluebirds today, the real treat was a small flock of (photo from Roejan Library) Eastern Bluebirds). While Western Bluebirds are common and Mountain Bluebirds can be abundant here, are quite uncommon. Sadly, this attractive species has suffered serious declines. The reasons for this decline is thought to be due to the following reasons: use of pesticides, competition from other cavity nesters such as the introduced House Sparrow and European Starlign, and apparently severe winters in the eastern U.S.

Pesticide use is harming a number of bird species. Learn how to use pesticides responsibly.

SeEtta

Warm-up, sunny day

Ah, back to the more usual Colorado weather pattern with temps rising to 40 degrees and lots of sun to begin the snow melt. American Goldfinches were feeding actively. The snow does not impede their feeding behavior as they often eat seeds on trees in winter.

Dark-eyed Juncos working hard to find places where they can access the ground. These distinctive looking members of the sparrow family eat mostly seeds and arthropods and they forage on the ground and in leaf litter. With yesterday's cold temps much of the snow is still around making it difficult for the juncos to access the ground area so they have to seek out areas not covered by snow such as under thick vegetation or on the south side of structures. I put out some white proso millet for them in my yard.

Photo is of a White-winged Junco, a very uncommon subspecies of Dark-eyed Juncos, is from the Luther College website.

SeEtta