Hepatic Tanager, a nice surprise in 'Lamar Woods', Lamar,CO

This shy Hepatic Tanager was a nice surprise this morning in the 'Lamar Woods' migration hotspot in Lamar, CO. The winds, while not quite as horrendous as yesterday, were still very strong and this tanager stayed mostly in thickets. 

Seen in these photos are the blackish stout bill, bright orangie-yellow throat and forehead, and grayish auriculars grayish flanks that are field marks for this species that is rare in eastern Colorado. SeEtta

Broad-winged Hawk in Lamar, CO

I first saw this Broad-winged Hawk flying in strong winds this morning in Lamar, CO. A little later I spotted it fly in to a tree and perch.

With the terribly strong wind gusts (up to 63 mph today) in Lamar I can't imagine how difficult it is for this and other birds in this nasty windy weather. SeEtta

Green-tailed Towhee in my backyard

This morning I spotted this first of the year Green-tailed Towhee foraging under my thistle feeders. But it was very shy--though I was very careful opening my back door carefully, it flushed each time. So had to take these photos through the glass in my back door, not the way to get the best photos. And yesterday I had a first of the year Lazuli Bunting singing in my neighbor's tree. SeEtta

First Green Heron of the year in the Canon City area

Green Herons can be very shy birds so I was happy today to get this nice photo above. I took it from my car at a distance of about 75 feet from the bird with my dslr so the quality was good enough to crop it severely to get this enlargement.

This sequence of photos starting with the photo just above show the bird as it flushes from me--and I was sitting in my car about 80-100 feet away!

I didn't get out of the car, didn't open the door--but my dslr camera does make a mechanical noise when the shutter is depressed and the bird heard that. SeEtta

First House Wrens have returned to Holcim Wetlands

The House Wren in the top photo was just singing it's little heart out when I took the pic. It was one of two House Wrens that are first of the year birds for the Canon City area this spring. And had to include a photo of one of the Canada Goose with it's very young offspring. Also had a large flock of over a hundred White-throated Swifts stop-over to feed above this wetland and the adjacent river today. SeEtta

Avocets and Western Grebes, stop-over at Brush Hollow Reservoir

The small snowstorm that hit the Canon City area on Wednesday brought in some migrating American Avocets and Western Grebes for a stop-over at Brush Hollow Reservoir.

Missing were the several hundred Franklin's Gulls that came in with the snowstorm last Sunday. SeEtta

White-throated Swifts: video of hundreds foraging

Here is a video that shows some of the several hundred White-throated Swifts I spotted foraging over the Blue Heron ponds just east of Florence, CO. SeEtta

Migrating flock of more than 200 White-throated Swifts stop over to forage

This morning I stopped to check out the Blue Heron Ponds just east of Florence to see if any migrating birds were there. Soon I spotted a number of White-throated Swifts flying above the ponds, then more, then more---until well over 200 swifts came swooshing above as they consumed insects on the fly. The top photo has been severely cropped to provide a closer-up view of a few of the swifts.

I have previously observed White-throated Swifts stopping over in this area but never this large a number. There is a series of ponds in this location that are adjacent to the Arkansas River and the flock would feed for awhile over one of the ponds then rapidly move to another pond.

I watched this very large flock for more than 20 minutes as they foraged back and forth from one pond to the next. It was interesting to hear what I think was the sound of the wings when there were a large number overhead. I have some video that I will process and upload to my blog tomorrow. SeEtta

American Pipit foraging with dark ibis and Greater Yellowlegs

While looking at the Glossy Ibis foraging in a flooded field in Florence on Monday I spotted this little American Pipit working the edges of the flooded area. SeEtta

Flock of migrating Wilson's Snipe

Yesterday as I drove down MacKenzie Avenue I looked into a agricultural field that was partially flooded and saw some small objects. I turned around and returned to where I could look at them safely on this busy road and found some Wilson's Snipe foraging there. As I continued checking out that field with my scope I counted a total of 12 Wilson's Snipe, a species that does migrate in flocks. Below is a heavily cropped section that shows 3 of the birds closer up. SeEtta

Yellow-rumped Warblers foraging in major snow storm

The snow began falling yesterday afternoon and finally sticking to grassy areas and trees a few hours later. By the time I photographed these Yellow-rumped Warblers there was over an inch on most trees branches and the snow was still coming down in big flakes. The small group of 4-5 Yellow-rumped Warblers foraged actively in these tree branches that overhung water and must have had some continuing insect activity. Aw, spring in the Rockies. SeEtta

Glossy Ibis, rarish visitor to Colorado

Today I found a small flock of about 25 White-faced Ibis, first of the year birds here, in a flooded agricultural field in Florence. I always check each dark ibis to look for the rarish Glossy Ibis, more likely found in eastern U.S., which I usually find in large flocks of around a hundred or so. Surprise, I found not just first of the year White-faced but Glossy Ibis.

These photos show the bluish bare skin on it's face which are arranged as lines above and below the eye, and not going around the eye as with the bare skin on White-faced Ibis.

Though the third photo just above is not as sharp, it is good for showing the difference in facial features of Glossy and White-faced Ibis right next to each other.

The forth photo also shows the difference in these species though in a different perspective as they are loafing with heads resting on backs.

The bottom pic shows the flock feeding in the flooded agricultural field. SeEtta

Evening Grosbeak, Black Phoebes and Franklin's Gulls in Canon City

Thursday I found first this single Evening Grosbeak in Canon City-it was across the river from the Canon City Riverwalk so a long shot as about 300 feet away. As I walked along the bluff trail I found a flock of about 25 Evening Grosbeak in the trees near the top of the bluff-they had likely been visiting feeders just a few blocks over from where I live. I also found a Black Phoebe on the other side of the river from the Riverwalk about a mile east of the Sell's Lake trailhead and think I heard a second Black Phoebe calling in that area. Can't be sure if this is a different Black Phoebe than the one I found a few hundred feet east of the 9th Street bridge just over a week ago especially since I refound a Black Phoebe in that area Friday evening.

Friday evening as I sat on my deck I heard the distinctive calls of Franklin's Gulls--I spotted a flock of about 50 including those in this pic flying around on the south side of Canon City as they moved through during migration. SeEtta

Cattle Egret and Greater Yellowlegs stopover in flooded agricultural field near Canon City

Every spring migrating shorebirds and waterbirds stopover in the Canon City area in flooded agricultural fields. Today I found this Cattle Egret foraging in the wet vegetation around the flooded fields.

Also foraging on the edge of the flooded fields were these two Greater Yellowlegs. SeEtta

Black Phoebes begin nesting in and around the Canon City area

I found this Black Phoebe and it's apparent mate this morning. As I watched this Black Phoebe pulled a piece of nesting material off what looks like a dried reed in the photo below. It flew with this plant fiber to a nesting area where a pair (likely these) used last year and probably at least one year before.

The Black Phoebe in the bottom pic was near the MacKenzie Ave bridge over the Arkansas River. I have seen a second Black Phoebe at that location and these are another apparent pair. This is another site that has been used previously for nesting. SeEtta

A Lincoln's Sparrow under my nyger feeders, what a surprise

While Lincoln's Sparrows are not rare in south central Colorado, the are not very common with reports more of one or two birds seen more often than multiple birds. I usually find them skulking in vegetation near the Arkansas River as do others who report them on ebird. While I haven't done a thorough search, most of the reports seem to be from parks, ponds, reservoirs and rivers.

So I was quite surprised this afternoon to spot one under my nyger feeders and it appeared it was eating nyger seeds spilled on the ground. I watched it off and on for about 20 minutes as it foraged on the ground then retreated into the thick vegetation I provide near these feeders. I would note that I do have White-crowned Sparrows eating this nyger seed both on the ground under the feeders and also perching on the hanging feeders. Of relevance Birds of North America online states, "Can be attracted to ground feeders during breeding, where both mealworms (Tenebrio spp.) and millet are readily consumed."

Since we have been in very serious drought conditions for several years I wonder if this bird moved up to the residential area in which I live to find seed more common here as we irrigate than in natural areas. SeEtta

Bighorn sheep-oh, what beautiful brown eyes you have

I spotted this small herd of Bighorn sheep in the Bighorn Sheep Canyon west of Canon City this past week. Though their coats are often pretty rugged they have such beautiful brown eyes.

A little further down the canyon I spotted another small herd of Bighorn Sheep showing off, and practicing, their skills at traversing steep locations. SeEtta