Mountain Plover pair engaged in breeding behavior

Yesterday was a gorgeous spring day with temps up to the 70's in SE Colorado and I had to be in a meeting in Pueblo until 2 pm. As my meeting was on the east side of Pueblo I decided to make a quick trip to the area north of Rocky Ford & La Junta to check the lakes and look for Mountain Plover. The winds increased so many birds were hard to find. There were white-headed gulls, waterfowl and American White Pelicans at Lakes Meredith, Henry, Holbrook, and Cheraw. Of note were 2 Horned Grebe still in Basic (non-breeding) plumage at Henry and a single Greater Yellowlegs at Holbrook.But finding a pair of Mountain Plovers that engaged in breeding behavior that I was able to photographically document made my day and this trip well worthwhile. I spotted the Mountain Plovers in a field adjacent to Lake Henry. By the time I turned my car around and parked, the male had mounted the female. I was amazed that they remained in this position (the only behavior was the female shifting around with the male shifted around to balance on top) for 8-10 minutes before they copulated! I have to admit I was perplexed by this and used to my spotting scope just to make sure that I was not somehow missing the fact they were copulating but they clearly were not. I have since read in Birds of North America(BNA)online that "Male remains mounted from 46 s to >13 min before coition." The second photo shows the male mounted on the female prior to copulationThe third photo (just above this paragraph)shows them as they engaged in copulation which took 30 seconds or less. This photo shows how they position their tails to facilitate copulation. And the forth photo (just below this paragraph) shows the male as he is dismounting.
After they completed copulation the male walked away from the female and, as noted on the last pic, he assumes the "horizontal threat position" which BNA says occurs after copulation (or when the female doesn't crouch) while the female calls (may have to double click on the pic to enlarge it to see her beak open and throat/throat feathers inflated). SeEtta

Western Screech-Owls

I located a pair of Western Screech-Owls in a small grove of cottonwoods and was privileged to listen to them sing to each other for about a half hour. The male called first with the "bouncing ball" call, then the female responded with a higher-pitched, short and sweet sounding "kew" call (this did not sound like an alarm call as described in Birds of North Americaonline, but a soft sound).

The female called from a tree several hundred feet from the one in which the male perched. After exchanging calls for 5-10 minutes, the female flew into the male's tree and they continued calling. Later the male flew out and the female followed, then calling ceased.

I was able to get this pic at dusk without risking disturbing the owl with a spotting light or a flash. Remember that I have a long zoom lens on my camera so I was not as close as this pic would indicate. However, there was some disturbance as they stopped singing while I took several pics (maybe the sound of the digital SLR or my presence). When I realized they stopped singing, I moved away quickly and they resumed singing. I once followed a mother and her recently fledged offspring for over a month. Indeed, this species can tolerate humans but we still need to exercise caution as we can disturb them. SeEtta

Correction-Satyr not Eastern Comma Butterfly

3-23-08 CORRECTION--This is a Satyr Comma not an Eastern Comma butterfly (my butterfly identification skills are pretty basic).

In each of these pics the butterfly seems to hold it's head up at an angle--I don't know why it would. However, this position reveals it's striped jaw-area (not called a jaw on butterflies). The middle pic shows well a "comma" for which this species is named. It also shows how this butterfly blends into the leaf litter when it's wings are closed. SeEtta

Another Great Horned Owl on the nest

Yesterday I re-checked two locations where Great Horned Owls had successfully nested last year. I had checked these previously without success. At the first nest, one that is inside a tall stump, I found the Great Horned Owl in these pics. I want to admit that I took these pics closer than I would usually do and that is because this stump is only about 50 feet from a well-used trail (though I took these pics from about 80-90 feet away and with my telephoto lens). So this owl has accomodated to humans fairly nearby.

Nevertheless, I left my dogs in the car and was very quiet so as not to disturb her. As these pics show, she continued to rest with her eyes almost closed (I don't think it's possible to ascertain if she was sleeping) and she did not move about (these pics were from different angles). As can be seen, this owl blends in to the stump quite well, thus avoiding detection. I also want to note that I was very careful to not let others see me watching the owl or taking pictures. Why? If many people know she is there, there is a good chance that a nest failure could occur when people unknowingly approached too close disturbing her. And there is also the chance that some less nice people might intentionally harass or try to harm her (people still shoot owls). So I believe that the first rule of birding (and of bird photography) is to do no harm; and with nesting raptors that includes not revealing their location.

The other nest site was vacant but I found an occupied nest about a quarter mile away. I listened to this female and her partner sing to each other, and duet (sing overlapping songs) a little. SeEtta

Killdeer, common but striking

Killdeer can be found throughout North America and are quite common in many locations. They are so common that they are dismissed by many birders who focus on rarities. I think they are uncommonly striking in their appearance as these two pics demonstrate. SeEtta

Picture-perfect covey of Scaled Quail

Yesterday I did some birding in the Rockvale, a very small town just a few miles southeast of Canon City. There I found an immature Harris Sparrow, but it was not cooperative about it getting it's picture taken.

However, a covey of Scaled Quail were not only cooperative, but they sat atop a large rock as though intentionally posing for the top pic. They are so cute anyway, but this was a fun shot to take. Their preferred habitat for this area is in the background--tree cholla, which provides great cover from predators. I enlarged the bottom pic to give more detail of this neat-looking birds. SeEtta

Increases in Cassin's Finch

Cassin's Finch is a another mountain species that comes down to Canon City in the winter, and this year they seem to be here in increased numbers. In the past few weeks I have seen small groups of them in Rouse Park, along Temple Canyon Rd, and along the Canon City Riverwalk. Most I have seen have been females, though I don't know why that might be.

I have also had one Cassin's Finch, though only one, a few times in my yard coming to my feeders. This female fed mostly on thistle seed though she also tried some safflower seed. These pics show the pale eye-ring, weak (but clear)face pattern, crisp streaking and very long primary projection (where the primary tips project beyond the tips of the tertial feathers). In the top pic a safflower seed is visible inside the bird's mouth. Both pics enlarge nicely to give very close-up views so double-click on each pic. SeEtta

Breeding Owls

In the last month I have been checking a number of areas for breeding owls and have found Great Horned Owl on the nest plus I have heard several other Great Horned Owls, Western Screech Owls and Northern Pygmy Owls calling. This owl is this photo is using a nest that was occupied last year by a Red-tailed Hawk. Owls usually use nests built by other species like this.

An owl like this sitting on a nest, especially since I saw her on it a week ago, meets the criteria for "confirmed" breeding for updating Colorado's Breeding Bird Atlas which is underway. Please note that I took this pic from 300-400 feet away with my 70-300 mm Canon zoom lens with a 1.4 extender (making it about the equivalent of a 420 mm lens). Never get close to an owl or other raptor on their nest as this can cause a breeding failure. SeEtta

DFO trip & Brown Creeper

The Denver Field Ornithologists brought a group of birders to Canon City two days ago to try for the rare Golden-crowned Sparrow and bird at some of Canon City's great birding areas. I accompanied the group for the first half of their trip including birding at the Tunnel Drive area where the Golden-crowned Sparrow was seen by all participants. Then I brought them to the Canon City Riverwalk which was very birdy with a number of Cassin's Finches, a species fairly uncommon here.

We also had great views of this Brown Creeper that was first intent on probing the tree bark for nuggets of invertabrates, then stopped to groom. The cinnamon feathers on the bird's rump are visible in both pics. Though the top pic loses quality when enlarged, the bottom pic really shows feather details well enlarged so do double-click on it. SeEtta

Wintering Yellow-rumped Warblers

Each winter several Yellow-rumped Warblers winter in several areas of southeast Colo including Canon City. Today I found 3 Yellow-rumped Warblers in a local park in Canon City that is just about a half mile from where I live. We received about 3 inches of snow today, and it was snowing when I was taking pics (which creates problems with lighting). All three birds were foraging actively, flitting around a group of evergreen trees, chipping loudly.

I also found several Cassin's Finches, including one male, in the same park. Though Cassin's are usually uncommon here, I had one female Cassin's Finch at my feeders and found several more females on Temple Canyon Rd on the far west side of town. Other birds on Temple Canyon Road were both Mountain and Western Bluebirds and one Northern Shrike. SeEtta

Post note--I forgot to note that both of these pics will enlarge for more detailed views by double-clicking on each one.

Pretty prairie Merlin

This little beauty has been frequenting a black walnut tree at my friend's farm just east of Canon City. I think that Merlin's have sweet-looking faces. A member of the falcon family, they are accomplished in making abrupt turns when pursuing prey. SeEtta

Waterfowl beginning to move

It's March and buds are forming on trees, owls are sitting on nests and waterfowl are beginning to move. Cinnamon Teal have showed up in several areas including the Canon City are in the past week. I wasn't able to get a cooperative male Cinnamon Teal to let me get a good pic, but this American Wigeon in it's colorful splendor did. All the male waterfowl are vividly colorful in the plumage their acquired since last fall's eclipse plumage. SeEtta