[cobirds] Curve-billed Thrasher-Bobcat Ridge/Larimer County

All,

I hiked Bobcat Ridge today hoping to maybe nab the Lewis's Woodpeckers and Eastern Bluebirds that have been reported at Bobcat throughout this summer. I struck out on both but still saw some great birds and proceeded to kick my own butt in the process. For the record, turning 40 does not automatically make you wiser because I'm not sure I would have done that the way I did knowing what I know now. That hike was intense. I had not done the entire loop before. I said things under my breath that ranged from religious (Moses is holier than ever) to offensive (kiss your mother with that mouth?). It's probably better I didn't know the elevation gain prior to.

I completed a 9 mile loop with most of the good birds in the Mahoney "bowl" portion of the Ginny Trail where it meets the Power Line Trail. There were several Wilson's and Yellow-rumped Warblers with a single male Townsend's Warbler mixed in. A Gray Flycatcher aggressively chased a Dusky Flycatcher to and fro. One of each Kinglet species were mixing with a large flock of Chipping Sparrows. A single Warbling Vireo was there as well.

Best bird was a Curve-billed Thrasher hanging with a couple of Sage Thrashers on the Lower Valley Loop trail 100 yards south of where it meets up with the Power Line trail. I initially saw it on the ground right in front of me but flew off to the top of some rabbitbrush offering great views of the obviously longer and more dramatically curved black bill as well the drab breast with spots rather than the white streakiness of its nearby cousins. It disappeared before I could get my scope up for some pics.

I was blissfully unaware of the mega-rarity up north and though at one point I was convinced that I could give Hurricane Florence a run for her money on who was leaking more moisture, I was just happy to be enjoying some late summer evening birding and not be driving College Avenue for a few hours.

Bird is the word!

Josh Bruening
Fort Collins

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