Spotted Sandpiper chicks getting bigger

I continue following the Spotted Sandpiper parent and when possible it's chicks. Over the week-end the parent, who gives warning calls for the chicks to hide when it is concerned, allowed one of it's chicks to come out from the heavy vegetation to learn how to walk along the edge of the river and forage there. I stood very still about 35-40 feet from where the chick was located to get these pics with my long zoom lens.

And the chicks have certainly grown taller since I last saw them just 4 days before. Nevertheless the parent bird stayed nearby clearly watching over it's offspring.

The pic just above shows the sparse feathering where a tail is growing--they just look like fuzzy-butts.

The bills on the chicks are also growing quite a lot both in length and width though clearly much smaller than the parent's bill.

And finally yesterday both chicks were out from the thick vegetation and I got the bottom 3 pics of that chick (they are the same size and look just alike).

This little guy practiced the one legged bird stand.

And another fuzzy-butt shot. SeEtta

Silver-spotted Skipper

Another critter I photographed at Florence River Park, this member of the skipper family of butterflies ["Skippers have large eyes, short antennae (often with hooked clubs), stout bodies, and three pairs of walking legs"] was perched near their wetland area. Though the descriptions of this Silver-spotted Skipper state that the patch on it's hindwing is silver or silver-white from which it gets it's name, it looked whitish in the field just as it does in this pic. SeEtta

Band-winged Meadowhawk, female dragonfly

I photographed this female dragonfly, a Band-winged Meadowhawk, at Florence River Park this week. "This meadowhawk is named for the band of amber color near the base of the wings." (from http://thedragonflywhisperer.blogspot.com/2013/09/band-winged-meadowhawk.html). The males are red and females like this one are yellowish.

Band-winged Meadowhawks are approximately 1- 1.5 inches in body length with wings about 2 inches across (from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Band-winged_meadowhawk). SeEtta

Spotted Sandpiper Chicks, 3 more days older

Two days when I went to check on the Spotted Sandpiper family at Florence River Park I thought they had likely perished--there were two men engaged in gold panning right where the parent sandpiper had been and they had dug some of the sand from the bank where I last saw the sandpiper chicks. Arggh, I was afraid that all this activity, plus a large off leash dog with these people, would have scared the parent away and even if the chicks were successful in hiding in the vegetation they would not survive without a parent at their young age. What a surprise when I returned that evening for one last check to be accosted by the parent sandpiper calling loudly and challenging me by walking right towards me (and my dog). It took awhile for the parent to settle down and for one of the chicks to walk in some grass where I could spot it--the parent had moved the chicks about 150 from the river into an area with a lot of vegetation. I returned day before yesterday and refound the parent and chicks back near the river where I had first spotted them--that is when I took these pics. They are 3 days older than the first pics I took.

After I took these pics I was able to observe the location where the chicks went into the vegetation by the river, with the parent nearby guarding, from my car. As I sat in my car checking my phone messages 2 men with large off leash dogs arrived and started towards the location where the chicks had gone. I couldn't handle watching these dogs possibly find the chicks so I explained the situation to the men and asked them not to let their dogs just run free in that location--I was pleasantly surprised that they were agreeable and they took their off leash dogs to another part of the park. Arggh, next came a girl with a horse she brought over to the vegetation near where the chicks had gone as she looked for grass to feed her horse. Fortunately she decided the grass there wasn't sufficient and took the horse elsewhere. Geese, there are a lot of dangers for young sandpiper chicks. I had to leave so hoped the parent was moving the chicks to a less active location. When I returned yesterday the parent had moved further from away from the parking lot and where more people access the river. It called vigorously and came towards me as before. I did not have time to look for the chicks but given the parents behavior I expect they are ok. Same for tonight-parent guarding the area same as yesterday. SeEtta

Red Canyon Park: Gray Flycatcher carrying food and more

I drove up to Red Canyon Park this evening as I have not been up there for a month or so. I spotted several Gray Flycatchers, the specialty bird species here, but they were very shy. This one with what looks like a dragonfly in it's bill would not deliver this food to it's offspring with me around. I walked 50 feet away but it did not budge so I left. I suspect the others still have babies in the nest or fledglings they are taking care of.

There were several Lazuli Buntings singing near the park entrance and more by Four Mile Creek near the park entrance. Also Blue Grosbeak singing in that area. Plus I found a likely pair of Evening Grosbeak (two adults perched together in breeding season) in the park. Not bad for early evening in July. Arggh, but the nasty gnats were out in force, had to stuff pieces of a paper napkin in my ears to keep them out of that sensitive location. SeEtta

Just fledged Yellow Warbler and dad

Summer is such fun with all the newly fledged youngsters that look so little like the adults of their species to add a lot of challenge to identification. Fortunately if one can locate the parent doing the feeding as I did for this recent fledgling the identification is obvious--these Yellow Warbler fledglings followed their dad from tree to shrub, begging to be fed. The male bird was very busy finding food for them and also getting them to follow him to a safer location off the main river trail of the Canon City Riverwalk (actually I stood guard for awhile to let these birds move across the trails to further from the trail as many walkers coming by had large dogs that could if nothing else step on one of the young birds). SeEtta

Video clip: Protective parent Spotted Sandpiper

Agitated Spotted Sandpiper from SeEtta Moss on VimeoThis is the parent Spotted Sandpiper that gets agitated as I try to walk the trail past where it's chicks are hidden. Unlike Killdeer it does not try to track me away from the chicks but comes right towards me. At the end of short clip it gets even closer as it flies past me. Once it flew past I walked on away from the area. SeEtta

Tiny Spotted Sandpiper chicks

I had to sneak up and sit, partially hidden from the parent, about 35 feet from where I watched the Spotted Sandpiper chicks in order for the parent bird to let these chicks come out from inside the vegetation where I could watch and photograph them. The parent continued in a state of alert and called the chicks back into hiding several times when other park users walked by. I was able to see two chicks together at one point but not sure if there may have been more as otherwise I only saw one at a time, and then usually at least partially obstructed by some vegetation.

I was surprised to see such young chicks already doing the Spotted Sandpiper teetering. I am more amazed to read in Birds of North America (BNA) online that this begins within 30 minutes of hatching-these are indeed a precocial species.

As I watched the chicks spent a lot of time in the cover of vegetation but when in view they would peck on the ground. BNA says they begin feeding themselves about 2 hours after hatching. Like other shorebird chicks they are cute little downy critters. This is the first time I have found young Spotted Sandpipers or other evidence of their breeding along the Arkansas River in my area though I have looked for breeding here for some years. More on the parent bird tomorrow. SeEtta

Very agitated Spotted Sandpiper

I walked the trail around Florence River Park this morning for the first time in awhile. Not only have I not been able to take this on but this park was closed for much of the past few months due to the extensive rains and river flooding in the area. As I walked the trail alongside the Arkansas River I heard a Spotted Sandpiper call. I stopped to look for it--unnecessary as this bird came flying close and calling in a very agitated manner. Clearly not the normal Spotted Sandpiper actions I expected this was an indication the bird had a nest nearby. This sandpiper was so agitated and aggressive for this species, flying within 8 or 9 feet of me, I retreated a distance to watch. That took a little while as this bird was quite suspicious and even flew back onto the trail looking to see if I was still around (wow, never would have thought s Spotted Sandpiper would stalk me). It took a full 10 minutes for the bird to decide it was safe and it went into some vegetation near the water and surprised me with a tiny chick. SeEtta

Male Dickcissel keeping company with female Dickcissel

So as I watched the Dickcissels flying frequently around the hayfield yesterday it seemed that something was clearly different from previous days with less flying activity. One obvious difference was my observing female Dickcissels on 3 separate occasions yesterday when I had not seen any females on previous days. Each time I observed a female she was in close proximity (usually with a foot or two) to a male Dickcissel.

These two not-so-good pics show one of the occasions when I observed a female Dickcissel and with a male perched close by. Interestingly Birds of North America (BNA) online discusses how males behaves around females as follows: "Male begins almost continuous singing as soon as he is on territory, and when a female settles on his territory, he spends most of his time accompanying her as she forages and inspects nest sites. This close attentiveness persists through nest-building, egg-laying, and incubation, but wanes rapidly after hatching. " [Temple, Stanley A. 2002. Dickcissel (Spiza americana), http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/703]

So it seems plausible that the difference I observed was because the females had just arrived and the males were, like the ones I observed with the females, engaged in accompanying them flying around the field as she 'forages and inspects nest sites.' Note today I was not able to get out to watch them until later this evening so add any additional observations at this time. I do hope the females pick sites near the fence or other locations that will not be mowed as there is no way they will have time to nest before this field is cut down. SeEtta

Dickcissel both close up and out in the hayfield

I have spent at least a little time each day checking on the Dickcissels I found in Canon City last week-end but stayed over an hour this evening as there was a lot of action. The Dickcissels were singing maybe a little more than usual and definitely flying around a lot more than I had previously observed. I saw at least 4 territorial or sexual chases [Birds of North America BNA online defines sexual chases as "Sexual chasing is a rapid flight by male in pursuit of a female that ends abruptly on ground, where male makes physical contact with her and may pull her feathers."]--the chases were fast and too distant for me to tell if both males or male and female involved (I did observe one or more female Dickcissels today so at least one is present in this hayfield).

And the birds were coming to near the roadway to perch in the tall trees that line the fenceline so I was able to get the close-up pic above from about 20 feet away (handholding my camera). I think this close-up shows most all of the field marks for male Dickcissels (from BNA again): "Adult male has a streaked grayish head, a yellowish supercilium, white chin, thin lateral throat-stripe, black throat-patch, bright-yellow breast, light-gray belly, brown streaked back, blackish tail and wing, and chestnut shoulder."

The pic above shows a male Dickcissel singing from a perch on a tall forb out at least 60 feet into the hayfield. Even at this distance it's yellowish supercilium is fairly visible. More tomorrow about the female Dickcissels. SeEtta

Holcim Wetlands flooded by Arkansas River

The Holcim Wetlands have been flooded for the second consecutive year, this time by flooding of the Arkansas River which has reached above it's banks due to big rains and lots of snowmelt. As can be seen in the bottom pic (outlined in grey) the bank has totally been demolished in one section so that the river is just running right through the wetlands and the wetlands are no longer separated from the river in that area. Due to the flooding it is closed and will be for some time. Very unfortunate as this is has a history of some very rare birds including previous breeding Least Bittern. SeEtta

Singing Dickcissel

As Canon City is at the western edge of the breeding range for Dickcissel we do not get this species every year. A few did show up and right at the same time as when I had them in 2013. However they have not been cooperative in perching close to the road so I can photograph and video them. The above is the only pic that was reasonable and the video clip below is very short (and shaky as it was breezy)--but Dickcissel are fun to listen to.

Dickcissel singing from SeEtta Moss on Vimeo.

SeEtta

Stunning videography of both bees and flowers in this kickstarter project "The Solitary Bees"

The Solitary Bees from Team Candiru on Vimeo. This is a fantastic video with not just stunning but amazing close up videography of a number of solitary bees. It is long so it is for those who are truly into bees and nature but worth it. I had trouble with the HD version but the regular is beautiful. SeEtta

Scaled Quail family-video clip and pics

A friend of mine here in Canon City lives in an area with a lot of Scaled Quail. She feeds the birds and the Scaled Quail come into her yard not only to eat but to rest in a safe location. The Scaled Quail in the pic above is a male sunning himself.  The tiny chicks below were 30 feet away-used a long lens and also cropped to provide very close views.

In the pic above the mother quail is lying in the grass while her offspring explore nearby.

While I observed from distances no closer than 30 feet away and from inside my car the mother quail was always quite close to the chicks as shown below. I used a long camera lens to get close appearing views.

And the male quail was nearby, standing guard as shown in the pic below.

The mother quail brought her offspring to a feeding area provided by my friend where they are eating seed fallen from a feeder above.

Below is a brief video clip in which both the Scaled Quail parents are seen escorting their very young offspring to below a feeder where the seed has fallen on the ground. A Curve-billed Thrasher photo bombs the video clip. These young quail are just way too cute. SeEtta

Scaled Quail parents with very young offspring from SeEtta Moss on Vimeo.

Singing Bobolinks video clip and photo of female Bobolink

A few days ago as I birded in Florence, CO, a little town near Canon City, I was surprised to find 5 male and at least 1 female Bobolink. Though I have seen Bobolink in this hay field previously it has been a number of years.

And I was delighted to photograph this female Bobolink as they are not always easy to find.

The best though was the very brief video clip of the two male Bobolink singing their bubbly song. SeEtta

Bobolinks singing from SeEtta Moss on Vimeo.

Eastern Bluebirds to Western Tanagers

While many neotropical migrants apparently found a clear sky sometime last night to continue on their migration, there were still lots of bird diversity around the Canon City area. I found both these Eastern Bluebirds (fairly rare here though this species has bred here in the past) and the Western Tanager below at Pathfinder Park--we do often get both eastern and western species. In fact I saw Eastern, Western and Cassin's Kingbirds at that location today. Also an Ash-throated Flycatcher, a continuing Olive-sided Flycatcher, several remaining Wood-pewees (most now identifiable as Western Wood-pewees as they are singing), a few Yellow-rumped and Yellow Warblers. And from some cliffs on the other side of the river from Pathfinder Park I could hear a Canyon Wren singing it's song. More in other areas next. SeEtta

Olive-sided Flycather video clip with it calling and singing

This is one of more than a dozen Olive-sided Flycatchers I have seen in the Canon City area over the past 3 days while rainy and overcast weather conditions brought this and other neotropical migrants down and effectively grounded them here. This was way more than I have ever seen during migration in the past (usually no more than a couple of them).

The top pic shows well the large head and 'vested' appearance that is a significant field mark for this species while the second pic shows the short tail but does not show the white tufts on the sides of it's rump that I saw in the field. I think that third pic best shows the large bill found on this species.

While I heard the 'quick 3 beers/free beer' song from several of these flycatchers this one sang it's 'free beer' song and gave it's 'pip,pip,pip' call frequently that I picked up in this short video clip. Interestingly 'Birds of North America' online indicates they sing when they get to their breeding territory and that their song is 'occasionally heard during non-breeding season'. They do not breed in my part of Colorado (Fremont County) they are just on the other side of the continental divide from their coniferous breeding habitat in Western Colorado.
The bottom video clip does not have any singing or calling but great close up views of this bird as it checks out it's surroundings in search of food. SeEtta Olive-sidedFlycatcher-a2-PathfinderPark from SeEtta Moss on Vimeo.
Olive-sidedFlycatcher from SeEtta Moss on Vimeo.

Chestnut-sided Warbler today

Though I have seen a lot of common warblers this is the first rare neotropical migrant I have spotted this spring. I was happy to get this photo as I not only spotted this bird from inside by car but followed it as it made very rapid moves in the canopy then photographed it out my open window. I have only seen one other Chestnut-sided Warbler in my county and that was a female in first winter plumage in the fall of 2012. And there have been less than 10 reported this spring in Colorado. I also saw a number of Wood-pewees (mostly silent so I was hopeful one might be an Eastern) and 2 Olive-sided Flycatchers--but I will post about those tomorrow. SeEtta

Big bull snake laying across road that I moved out of danger

The first pic shows this 3 1/2 foot long bull snake that I had to swerve to miss in the road from Florence to Williamsburg. It gets a bunch of traffic and it was just laying soaking up the sun in the road where it was in danger of being either hit accidentally or on purpose so I turned around and moved it off the road. Lucky it did not like the sound/vibration of my car being near it so I didn't have to get out and use a long stick to encourage it to move as I usually have to do. All native snakes are important to our ecosystem and should not be killed (actually bull snakes will keep rattle snakes away from one's house). SeEtta