Finally found a Cassin's Kingbird nest in pinyon tree

Having seen several Cassin's Kingbird pairs in the Breeding Bird Atlas-IIblocks I am surveying, I have been frustrated that I hadn't spotted where any were nesting. This species "nest predominately in pinyon/juniper (12 of 17 occurrences)" according to the Colo Breeding Bird Atlas I. So I was pleased to find this nest just a few miles southwest of Canon City.

This pic shows off nicely the highly contrasting white throat that is one of the field marks that differentiates Cassin's from Western Kingbirds (though it takes considerable experience to reliably identify a Cassin's by this field mark, and it's always best to use several field marks such as their distinctive call and tail feathers). I couldn't get a better photo of the nest because the parent bird was distressed with my being 35 feet away and I don't think it's ethical to stress nesting birds just to get a better pic. I was able to see the nestlings from my car (80-90 feet away and with me in my car at this distance the parent birds were not distressed) using my scope.

Though the Colo Breeding Bird Atlas-I noted that Cassin's Kingbirds "tend to nest in dense riparian creek habitat", this pair was in a dry hillside.
SeEtta

Yellow Warbler mom on nest with hatchling

After I got the pic in yesterday's post, I left the area so I wouldn't delay the parents returning to feed the hatchling. Parent birds are often reluctant to return to a nest with a potential predator (they can only be concerned that humans are predators) in the vicinity. On my way back to my car I passed the nest again and found both the adult and hatchling together in the nest.

As these pics show, the Yellow Warbler is hunkered down in the nest with a very young hatchling asking to be fed. This is the mom since females do the brooding, this is a female. Since they usually lay 4-5 eggs, she is likely incubating several eggs. Again, I took my pics and got away from the nest so the hatchling can be fed without interruption by me.

The bottom pic shows what I shot with my digital camera on full 12 X (approx 430 mm on non-digital camera). I was 8-10 feet away from the nest (not right on top of it as the close-up appears). I am always as quiet as possible when I am near a nest so as to reduce disruption as much as possible. The top pic is the same as the bottom pic only enlarged by cropping to show details.

Ironically, this nest is locate at the Texas Creek BLM Recreation site in western Fremont County. This site has heavy ATV and dirt bike use which are destructive to bird (and other wildlife) habitat (and birders since it is important to hear birds call and sing, not easy with those machines that sound like lawnmowers amplified by megaphones). However, this Yellow Warbler was nesting in a tree near the Arkansas River in a location that is fortunately difficult for these loud machines to access.
SeEtta

Oriole Nests, the hanging cribs

Aw, yes, another absense--I had an Audubon Colo board meeting on the west slope and didn't have internet access. But, I'm back. On my drive over to the west slope of Colorado, I birded a little. At one location in Western Fremont Co where I stopped, I parked inadvertantly under this oriole nest.

This is nest of a Bullock's Oriole, the common oriole throughout almost all of the western U.S. plus part of Mexico. However, other orioles of North America such as Baltimore, Hooded and Orchard all make similar nests (thought the nest of the Orchard Oriole is not as pendulous). Both pics are of the same nest, but the top pic is an enlargement. It is amazing just how strong these nests are, surviving swinging in strong winds.
SeEtta