Yesterday 12/29 I found a male Varied Thrush in Douglas-fir forest in the upper watershed of Massey Draw in the Ken Caryl Ranch foothills open space. [Note: there is no public access to this area]. The bird flushed up as I came nearby, paused on a branch for about 30 seconds, and then it flew on upslope. Later I heard a few of its fluted hum song phrases drifting down my way. A cooperative Nor. Pygmy-Owl was also noted on the same outing. An iPhone recording of the owl is uploaded to the eBird checklist below.
-- This morning 12/30 a flurry of bird activity around my home was brought to an abrupt end when a Prairie Falcon zoomed in at rooftop level and took a Red-winged Blackbird. A blackbird flock had been loitering on my neighbors roof and they flushed with the falcon's sudden appearance, and one was snagged. I'm thankful the falcon looped back around toting the blackbird so I could confirm the ID of the predator...it was all a blur in the moment of the kill. I've had Prairie flying over my home are a few times before, but this was the first I've had "down on the deck" much like an Accipiter.
Lesser Goldfinches continue in numbers at multiple spots in the Ken Caryl Valley, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets are still frequently in evidence. I had three RCKIs in my yard at the same time yesterday afternoon! They are attracted to the suet feeders.
David Suddjian
Ken Caryl Valley
Littleton, CO
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