Impressive thunder clouds on the prairie during the drive going north from Lamar thru Last Chance yesterday. Looked like an evening in mid-summer in many ways, except for vegetation dominated by browns and yellows.
At Last Chance, not a whole lot but a few interesting things:
Eastern Bluebird (lone male)
White-throated Sparrow (on both sides of the intersection, usually with White-crowns)
Pine Siskin (small group, mostly near the post office box in wild sunflowers)
Western Rattlesnake (1 rank individual in the grass on the northeast side of the intersection, about 50 yards northwest of the bombed out motel, thanks Ms. Phillips for the heads-up - I was actually walking with a snake in mind and might have been careless had you not posted that picture!).
North of Last Chance a few miles on SR71 at around mp 144:
Merlin (possibly 'taiga' subspecies, gone when I went back for a second look)
Rough-legged Hawk (my first of the season)
Only at this time of year, and perhaps April, would both a rattlesnake and a roughed-leg be possible on the same day (but not nearly as amazing as Mr. Hopping and friends seeing both ptarmigan and tricolored on the same day!). Fall birding in CO, even in a comparatively slow year, rocks!
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
At Last Chance, not a whole lot but a few interesting things:
Eastern Bluebird (lone male)
White-throated Sparrow (on both sides of the intersection, usually with White-crowns)
Pine Siskin (small group, mostly near the post office box in wild sunflowers)
Western Rattlesnake (1 rank individual in the grass on the northeast side of the intersection, about 50 yards northwest of the bombed out motel, thanks Ms. Phillips for the heads-up - I was actually walking with a snake in mind and might have been careless had you not posted that picture!).
North of Last Chance a few miles on SR71 at around mp 144:
Merlin (possibly 'taiga' subspecies, gone when I went back for a second look)
Rough-legged Hawk (my first of the season)
Only at this time of year, and perhaps April, would both a rattlesnake and a roughed-leg be possible on the same day (but not nearly as amazing as Mr. Hopping and friends seeing both ptarmigan and tricolored on the same day!). Fall birding in CO, even in a comparatively slow year, rocks!
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
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