COBirders-- For the wildlife this has been a difficult summer at our place, 9200 ft. up in the Sangre de Cristo range. Normally we enjoy watching several species of birds doing their best to fulfill the promise of the breeding season. Because of the drought, the grass has turned brown and the water courses are barely a trickle. Likewise the insect population is quite depleted.
The Mountain Bluebirds that have regularly nested in one of our birdboxes in past years built a nest in late May but gradually gave up on egg laying, sensing the lack of food for nestlings.
Also the Cordilleran Flycatchers never finished the nest they started in the usual place under our deck roof but have continued to sing occasionally from the trees up the hill. We doubt they have tried nesting elsewhere.
Many Broad-tailed Hummingbirds apparently were successful in fledging young although maybe in fewer numbers than usual. The first Rufous showed up June 28, just a tad early. He was not quite as docile and the first male Rufous migrants usually are, but the latest arrivals came in with the normal level of bellicosity for these little warriors.
We did get a sprinkle on Thursday and hope for some monsoon relief soon.
Leon Bright, rural Westcliffe and Pueblo
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