[cobirds] Baird's Sparrows in Larimer County and Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (lengthy read)

Hey all,

I've seen some recent discussion regarding where to find Baird's Sparrows here in Larimer County so I'd like to give you all some good directions on where to find them as well as some info about what Bird Conservancy of the Rockies is doing regarding Baird's Sparrows in Colorado.  

If you just want location information without the context, skip to the bolded sentences below.

For the 7th year in a row, Baird's Sparrows have been found during the breeding season at Soapstone Prairie Natural Area, a City of Fort Collins owned property north of Fort Collins, along the border of Wyoming.  Bird Conservancy has been able to a limited and varying amount of monitoring of these birds each year, but along with our full survey of Soapstone in 2019, we also heavily monitored them and searched for them at previously unknown sites on Soapstone, as well as many locations on neighboring Meadow Springs Ranch, owned by Fort Collins Utilities.  That year we discovered a new site used by Baird's Sparrows, inaccessible to the public, and confirmed breeding there.  We also confirmed breeding on Meadow Springs Ranch, also inaccessible to the public.

We have not been able to monitor them as close since 2019, but have opportunistically searched for them as part of some new research taking place at Bird Conservancy related to migration of grassland birds.  We're building out a large scale network of Motus Wildlife Tracking System stations across the Great Plains and Chihuahuan Desert to study the migratory and movement behaviors of declining grassland birds, including the Baird's Sparrow.  See this link for more info about that: https://www.birdconservancy.org/over-the-airwaves/.  Our first station we installed was at Soapstone.  We have been capturing birds at Soapstone (with all the proper permits and permissions, of course, in 2020 and 2021.  We've also been targeting Grasshopper Sparrows, Thick-billed Longspurs, and Lark Buntings.

On the 7th of July, after several visits with no detections, we heard our first 2 Baird's Sparrows of the year while on a banding excursion to Soapstone.  We were able to capture, band, and deploy a Motus tag on 1 Baird's Sparrow that day.  This took place at the traditional site where people can view Baird's on Soapstone, the Jack Springs Ranch gate (just south of point Z on this Soapstone map).  

The "Jack Springs" site is accessible to the public by bike, hike, or by horseback, by taking the Pronghorn Loop Trail from the south parking lot.  Exact location is here: https://goo.gl/maps/xAo1pkM37reFH5Tc8. Birds are typically far into a wet pasture east of the trail, but can be heard and sometimes seen directly from the gate.  Use the specific Jack Springs eBird hotspot if you enter anything here!

Just over a week ago, we received word from City of Fort Collins biologists doing butterfly surveys that there were 3 more Baird's Sparrows in a different site.  Bird Conservancy biologists Erin Youngberg and Erin Strasser(I was unable to go, unfortunately) went up on Friday (July 23) and were able to capture, band, and tag the 3 Baird's Sparrows at that location.

This site is currently accessible to the public by bike, hike, or horseback, along the Plover Trail (which is open now!  It's closed from April to July 15).  The birds were able to be heard and sometimes seen from the road itself, but were captured in a wet meadow south of the road, just west of the Ranch Managers Home after the road jaunts a bit to the north and continues west.  Exact location is here: https://goo.gl/maps/jF5fanixKKhNSnmt5.  Please use the general "Soapstone Prairie Natural Area" eBird hotspot if you enter anything here, and feel free to add comments about exact locations.

AS ALWAYS, please respect all regulations and remain on trails despite the urge to get a better photo by just stepping off trail a bit!  There is a lot of sensitive and endangered vegetation at both of these sites, not to mention the possibility that these birds are currently breeding!  In 2019, we found a Baird's Sparrow nest well into August, so it's possible!

We will be doing another complete survey of the property in the coming years, which could result in new sites that Baird's are using.  Each year is different, and we still don't really know what they're doing or why they're here (though we all have our own theories!)  Here's a publication that Bird Conservancy biologists published in 2019 regarding Baird's southward range extension: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecy.2872.

If you are unsure of trail conditions or closures, check out the natural area website here: https://www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/finder/soapstone.  

If you have any questions, or would like more information about our work with Motus, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at matt.webb@birdconservancy.org.

Thanks,

Matt

Matthew M Webb

Avian Ecologist and Motus Wildlife Tracking System Coordinator

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

Motus project #281

970.482.1707 x36 (office)

970.405.7155 (mobile - use this number!)

www.birdconservancy.org

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[cobirds] "Lafayette Birds!" outing, Sun., Aug. 1

Hey, all.

I hope you'll come out for the monthly "Lafayette Birds!" outing, which gets underway this coming Sunday, Aug. 1, at 1pm MDT.

As usual, we'll bird in small, socially distanced groups. Because of the surging Delta variant, masking is recommended.

All are welcome, no experience necessary. Children and curiosity-seekers especially welcome. Bring binocs and a camera if you have them.

The event is free and open to the public. No RSVP necessary; just show up!

Hope to see some of you on Sunday!

Ted Floyd

Lafayette, Boulder County

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Re: [cobirds] eastward range extension of foothill/mt species

Mourning Doves (initially one of the most regular species in my yard), Collared Doves, and Coopers Hawks have been in an epic battle in my yard for the better part of a decade now. The Collared Doves originally arrived sometime around 2012, 2014ish and aggressively drove the Mourning Doves away. There was a while when Collared Doves perched on every street light along Independence and would gather in groups up to a dozen at a time.

The hawks noticed soon enough and for a couple of years I'd see a Coopers Hawk several times a week, often eating a dove right in the middle of my yard.

The Collared Doves have thinned out now and Coopers are uncommon again around here. This year I even had a regular pair of Mourning Doves in the yard daily. I suspect the struggle will continue since the Collared Doves are still around and still aggressive. This has to have influenced other bird populations too.

Jennifer Powell

Jeffco, east of Standley Lake

On 7/30/2021 9:58 AM, MARK CHAVEZ wrote:

Do you think there is a correlation with the increase of smaller mountain species nesting along the front range (especially the western areas), and the explosion of Cooper's Hawks in the same areas?  It was an uncommon occurrence to have Cooper's appear in my yard until the expansion of Eurasian Collared Doves. The increase in food supply has these hawks nesting everywhere!  The once very common summer species in my neighborhood like Blue Jays, Grackles, Orioles, Flickers, Robins and even Mourning Doves have disappeared.  Now that the predators (Cooper's prey) like Blue Jays, Grackles, and Scrub Jays have decreased, the smaller birds like hummingbirds (Black-chinned was rare 10 years ago), nuthatches, bushtits, goldfinches, and chickadees are increasing. The Cooper's don't seem that interested in the smaller prey. The last two years, I have had Cordilleran Flycatchers successfully nesting under the eaves of the house. When the uncommon Blue Jay shows in the yard, the flycatchers get upset with these nest predators. I am seeing a huge decrease in Eurasian Collared Doves in my neighborhood.  Will the balance eventually return??  I must admit, I'm excited when the Cooper's finish nesting in mid-August and leave our neighborhood.  By this time, the flycatchers and others have finished nesting and the mentioned species return.  Just my thoughts...

 

 

Mark Chavez
Lakewood-Green Mtn
http://jaeger29.smugmug.com/

On 07/27/2021 9:50 AM Ira Sanders <zroadrunner14@gmail.com> wrote:

 

 

In reply to Dave's posting about Cordilleran Flycatcher, there have been at least 2 birds in my neighborhood since spring calling and I presume nesting.  I have put them on eBird lists several times.

 

On a side note, hummers arrived in some numbers this morning including BCHU along with the usual BTHU and RUHU that have been here for a week or so.  I haven't seen Calliope yet.

 

Ira Sanders

Golden

On Fri, Jul 23, 2021 at 12:53 PM DAVID A LEATHERMAN < daleatherman@msn.com> wrote:

Over the past 45 years or so of visiting Fort Collins' Grandview Cemetery and also spending a lot of time on the eastern plains at places like the Pawnee Grasslands and Lamar, the occasional and seemingly increasing presence of foothills/lower mountain species at low elevation has intrigued me.

 

I have mostly attributed this to maturation of the "urban forest", especially Colorado Blue Spruce but certainly other conifers and many deciduous trees, as well.

 

Species with the bulk of their breeding habitat in the foothills and lower mountains that sometimes breed in Grandview Cemetery include: red-breasted nuthatch (of late, every year), broad-tailed hummingbird (of late, every year), western wood-pewee (of late, 2 out of every 3 years), chipping sparrow (of late, every other year), ruby-crowned kinglet (of late, every third year), red crossbill (ever(?), once), western tanager (ever(?), once).

 

Now I am beginning to wonder about cordilleran flycatcher.  In the last couple weeks there have been reports of this species at the prairie-foothills interface from several locations along the Front Range on COBIRDS.  Last weekend I can add another from the River's Edge Natural Area in Loveland (Big Thompson River near the softball complex at the old fairgrounds).  The Loveland bird was a male giving the characteristic territorial "squeek-itt!" call.  Other recent reports have mentioned detection via this same vocalization. 

 

I have questions.  BBAII accounts indicate one nesting cycle and attribute late nests to renesting after early nest failures.  The "Birds of the World" account for this species mentions the likelihood of two nesting cycles in Oaxaca, MX.  Do the recent reports represent second-try nesting at lower elevation?  Do they represent second nestings at lower elevation after a successful nesting higher up?  Do they represent post-breeding dispersal, with the individuals simply vocalizing in the lower elevation area they moved to as if on territory?  Does the "new normal" of fires and smoke in the mountains of the West have anything to do with what appears to be a shift to lower elevations at this time of year?

 

We birders need to keep reporting our presence/absence and behavioral observations of all species, including common ones, and I still maintain COBIRDS is a good place to do that.   Thanks to everyone who makes the effort to post to COBIRDS, especially if that means extra effort because you also did an eBird checklist or posted to some other media.  There is no such thing as "excessive" communication.

 

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins 

 

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"My mind is a raging torrent flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives."

 

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Re: [cobirds] eastward range extension of foothill/mt species

Do you think there is a correlation with the increase of smaller mountain species nesting along the front range (especially the western areas), and the explosion of Cooper's Hawks in the same areas?  It was an uncommon occurrence to have Cooper's appear in my yard until the expansion of Eurasian Collared Doves. The increase in food supply has these hawks nesting everywhere!  The once very common summer species in my neighborhood like Blue Jays, Grackles, Orioles, Flickers, Robins and even Mourning Doves have disappeared.  Now that the predators (Cooper's prey) like Blue Jays, Grackles, and Scrub Jays have decreased, the smaller birds like hummingbirds (Black-chinned was rare 10 years ago), nuthatches, bushtits, goldfinches, and chickadees are increasing. The Cooper's don't seem that interested in the smaller prey. The last two years, I have had Cordilleran Flycatchers successfully nesting under the eaves of the house. When the uncommon Blue Jay shows in the yard, the flycatchers get upset with these nest predators. I am seeing a huge decrease in Eurasian Collared Doves in my neighborhood.  Will the balance eventually return??  I must admit, I'm excited when the Cooper's finish nesting in mid-August and leave our neighborhood.  By this time, the flycatchers and others have finished nesting and the mentioned species return.  Just my thoughts...

 

 

Mark Chavez
Lakewood-Green Mtn
http://jaeger29.smugmug.com/

On 07/27/2021 9:50 AM Ira Sanders <zroadrunner14@gmail.com> wrote:

 

 

In reply to Dave's posting about Cordilleran Flycatcher, there have been at least 2 birds in my neighborhood since spring calling and I presume nesting.  I have put them on eBird lists several times.

 

On a side note, hummers arrived in some numbers this morning including BCHU along with the usual BTHU and RUHU that have been here for a week or so.  I haven't seen Calliope yet.

 

Ira Sanders

Golden

On Fri, Jul 23, 2021 at 12:53 PM DAVID A LEATHERMAN < daleatherman@msn.com> wrote:

Over the past 45 years or so of visiting Fort Collins' Grandview Cemetery and also spending a lot of time on the eastern plains at places like the Pawnee Grasslands and Lamar, the occasional and seemingly increasing presence of foothills/lower mountain species at low elevation has intrigued me.

 

I have mostly attributed this to maturation of the "urban forest", especially Colorado Blue Spruce but certainly other conifers and many deciduous trees, as well.

 

Species with the bulk of their breeding habitat in the foothills and lower mountains that sometimes breed in Grandview Cemetery include: red-breasted nuthatch (of late, every year), broad-tailed hummingbird (of late, every year), western wood-pewee (of late, 2 out of every 3 years), chipping sparrow (of late, every other year), ruby-crowned kinglet (of late, every third year), red crossbill (ever(?), once), western tanager (ever(?), once).

 

Now I am beginning to wonder about cordilleran flycatcher.  In the last couple weeks there have been reports of this species at the prairie-foothills interface from several locations along the Front Range on COBIRDS.  Last weekend I can add another from the River's Edge Natural Area in Loveland (Big Thompson River near the softball complex at the old fairgrounds).  The Loveland bird was a male giving the characteristic territorial "squeek-itt!" call.  Other recent reports have mentioned detection via this same vocalization. 

 

I have questions.  BBAII accounts indicate one nesting cycle and attribute late nests to renesting after early nest failures.  The "Birds of the World" account for this species mentions the likelihood of two nesting cycles in Oaxaca, MX.  Do the recent reports represent second-try nesting at lower elevation?  Do they represent second nestings at lower elevation after a successful nesting higher up?  Do they represent post-breeding dispersal, with the individuals simply vocalizing in the lower elevation area they moved to as if on territory?  Does the "new normal" of fires and smoke in the mountains of the West have anything to do with what appears to be a shift to lower elevations at this time of year?

 

We birders need to keep reporting our presence/absence and behavioral observations of all species, including common ones, and I still maintain COBIRDS is a good place to do that.   Thanks to everyone who makes the effort to post to COBIRDS, especially if that means extra effort because you also did an eBird checklist or posted to some other media.  There is no such thing as "excessive" communication.

 

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins 

 

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Ira Sanders

Golden, CO

"My mind is a raging torrent flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives."

 

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Re: [cobirds] Re: Unknown juv bird

Thanks to all who replied.  I'll pass on all replies.

Ira Sanders 

On Thu, Jul 29, 2021 at 7:46 AM Adam Johnson <adamjohnson.2386@gmail.com> wrote:

Yep, mourning dove.

On Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at 8:09:03 PM UTC-6 Ira Sanders wrote:

Birders 

Does anyone know or have a good guess what this is? Found at Cherry Creek SP.  

Grackle?

Ira Sanders 

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Ira Sanders

Golden, CO

"My mind is a raging torrent flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives."

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[cobirds] Re: Unknown juv bird

Yep, mourning dove.

On Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at 8:09:03 PM UTC-6 Ira Sanders wrote:

Birders 

Does anyone know or have a good guess what this is? Found at Cherry Creek SP.  

Grackle?

Ira Sanders 

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Re: [cobirds] Unknown juv bird

Mourning Dove

On 7/28/2021 8:08 PM, Ira Sanders wrote:

Birders 

Does anyone know or have a good guess what this is? Found at Cherry Creek SP.  

Grackle?

Ira Sanders 

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Re: [cobirds] Unknown juv bird

Merlin "says" Purple Martin or Starling, I disagree.  Bill shape IMO is that of a Rock Pigeon. I don't think it is a nightjar, bill is wrong for that too. 

Bez Bezuidenhout

Arapahoe County. 

On Wed, Jul 28, 2021 at 8:09 PM Ira Sanders <zroadrunner14@gmail.com> wrote:

Birders 

Does anyone know or have a good guess what this is? Found at Cherry Creek SP.  

Grackle?

Ira Sanders 

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|)__)

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[cobirds] Re: Unknown juv bird

Don't know for sure, but it looks like a nightjar.

On Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at 8:09:03 PM UTC-6 Ira Sanders wrote:

Birders 

Does anyone know or have a good guess what this is? Found at Cherry Creek SP.  

Grackle?

Ira Sanders 

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[cobirds] Unknown juv bird

Birders 

Does anyone know or have a good guess what this is? Found at Cherry Creek SP.  

Grackle?

Ira Sanders 

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[cobirds] Blue parakeet at CCSP, Arapahoe County

Hi all,

If anyone has lost a blue parakeet, there is one perched on a tree branch at the east end of the Lake Loop at Cherry Creek State Park.

Mary Keithler, Arapahoe County near CCSP

Sent from my iPhone

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[cobirds] White-winged Dove/Weld

Hi all

Our regularly visiting Eurasian-collared Dove flock brought with them a White-winged Dove this morning! Probably the sixth one over the years in our yard.

Photos: http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org/albums/view/25/my-yard-nunn

Thanks, Gary Lefko, Nunn

http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/birds-and-more-of-the-pawnee-national-grassland

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[cobirds] Re: eastward range extension of foothill/mt species

Spotted Towhee is another.  Some 10  years ago one started wintering in my yard, 10 miles from the foothills. This year I saw fledglings. 

On Friday, July 23, 2021 at 12:53:46 PM UTC-6 Dave Leatherman wrote:

Over the past 45 years or so of visiting Fort Collins' Grandview Cemetery and also spending a lot of time on the eastern plains at places like the Pawnee Grasslands and Lamar, the occasional and seemingly increasing presence of foothills/lower mountain species at low elevation has intrigued me.

I have mostly attributed this to maturation of the "urban forest", especially Colorado Blue Spruce but certainly other conifers and many deciduous trees, as well.

Species with the bulk of their breeding habitat in the foothills and lower mountains that sometimes breed in Grandview Cemetery include: red-breasted nuthatch (of late, every year), broad-tailed hummingbird (of late, every year), western wood-pewee (of late, 2 out of every 3 years), chipping sparrow (of late, every other year), ruby-crowned kinglet (of late, every third year), red crossbill (ever(?), once), western tanager (ever(?), once).

Now I am beginning to wonder about cordilleran flycatcher.  In the last couple weeks there have been reports of this species at the prairie-foothills interface from several locations along the Front Range on COBIRDS.  Last weekend I can add another from the River's Edge Natural Area in Loveland (Big Thompson River near the softball complex at the old fairgrounds).  The Loveland bird was a male giving the characteristic territorial "squeek-itt!" call.  Other recent reports have mentioned detection via this same vocalization. 

I have questions.  BBAII accounts indicate one nesting cycle and attribute late nests to renesting after early nest failures.  The "Birds of the World" account for this species mentions the likelihood of two nesting cycles in Oaxaca, MX.  Do the recent reports represent second-try nesting at lower elevation?  Do they represent second nestings at lower elevation after a successful nesting higher up?  Do they represent post-breeding dispersal, with the individuals simply vocalizing in the lower elevation area they moved to as if on territory?  Does the "new normal" of fires and smoke in the mountains of the West have anything to do with what appears to be a shift to lower elevations at this time of year?

We birders need to keep reporting our presence/absence and behavioral observations of all species, including common ones, and I still maintain COBIRDS is a good place to do that.   Thanks to everyone who makes the effort to post to COBIRDS, especially if that means extra effort because you also did an eBird checklist or posted to some other media.  There is no such thing as "excessive" communication.

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins 

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[cobirds] Franklin's Gulls, Rocky Mt. Arsenal, Adams county

On northeast shore of Lake Ladore on a sandbar with about 30 Ring-billed Gulls and 4 California Gulls were 2 smaller gulls that were Franklin's ; one in breeding plumage and one in non-breeding, but together.   

Candice and Tim Johnson, Denver

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Re: [cobirds] eastward range extension of foothill/mt species

In reply to Dave's posting about Cordilleran Flycatcher, there have been at least 2 birds in my neighborhood since spring calling and I presume nesting.  I have put them on eBird lists several times.

On a side note, hummers arrived in some numbers this morning including BCHU along with the usual BTHU and RUHU that have been here for a week or so.  I haven't seen Calliope yet.

Ira Sanders

Golden

On Fri, Jul 23, 2021 at 12:53 PM DAVID A LEATHERMAN <daleatherman@msn.com> wrote:

Over the past 45 years or so of visiting Fort Collins' Grandview Cemetery and also spending a lot of time on the eastern plains at places like the Pawnee Grasslands and Lamar, the occasional and seemingly increasing presence of foothills/lower mountain species at low elevation has intrigued me.

I have mostly attributed this to maturation of the "urban forest", especially Colorado Blue Spruce but certainly other conifers and many deciduous trees, as well.

Species with the bulk of their breeding habitat in the foothills and lower mountains that sometimes breed in Grandview Cemetery include: red-breasted nuthatch (of late, every year), broad-tailed hummingbird (of late, every year), western wood-pewee (of late, 2 out of every 3 years), chipping sparrow (of late, every other year), ruby-crowned kinglet (of late, every third year), red crossbill (ever(?), once), western tanager (ever(?), once).

Now I am beginning to wonder about cordilleran flycatcher.  In the last couple weeks there have been reports of this species at the prairie-foothills interface from several locations along the Front Range on COBIRDS.  Last weekend I can add another from the River's Edge Natural Area in Loveland (Big Thompson River near the softball complex at the old fairgrounds).  The Loveland bird was a male giving the characteristic territorial "squeek-itt!" call.  Other recent reports have mentioned detection via this same vocalization. 

I have questions.  BBAII accounts indicate one nesting cycle and attribute late nests to renesting after early nest failures.  The "Birds of the World" account for this species mentions the likelihood of two nesting cycles in Oaxaca, MX.  Do the recent reports represent second-try nesting at lower elevation?  Do they represent second nestings at lower elevation after a successful nesting higher up?  Do they represent post-breeding dispersal, with the individuals simply vocalizing in the lower elevation area they moved to as if on territory?  Does the "new normal" of fires and smoke in the mountains of the West have anything to do with what appears to be a shift to lower elevations at this time of year?

We birders need to keep reporting our presence/absence and behavioral observations of all species, including common ones, and I still maintain COBIRDS is a good place to do that.   Thanks to everyone who makes the effort to post to COBIRDS, especially if that means extra effort because you also did an eBird checklist or posted to some other media.  There is no such thing as "excessive" communication.

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins 

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Golden, CO

"My mind is a raging torrent flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives."

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[cobirds] fledglings in Allenspark

After seeing so many reports of lower than average numbers of birds in many areas, I thought I’d give you a brief report from Allenspark (Boulder County). We’ve had a cabin in Allenspark for about a year, and we have a variety of birdfeeders out most days (we spend about half our time there).

This spring/summer we’ve seen fledglings of the following species: Hairy Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, Pygmy Nuthatches, White-breasted Nuthatches, Pine Siskins, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Mountain Chickadees, Cassin’s Finches, Dark-eyed Juncos, Steller’s Jays, and Black-billed Magpies.

We have noticed a decreased number of hummingbirds compared to last year, although we still have 8-10 daily (mix of Broad-tails and Rufous); Calliope have been rare.

 

Robin Jasper

Loveland (Larimer County) and Allenspark (Boulder County)

[cobirds] Re: Weld County Birding Weekend

Hi all

I've never had anyone approach me on CR 57-even with folks out in their yards. I typically park before the closed off oil and gas small parcel ("birding trailhead") before the first house on east side of CR 57 and across from first house on west side of CR 57. I also view the north end of Loloff Reservoir farther north of the house on east.

I've never been on the oil and gas road on east side of Loloff Reservoir myself.

Thanks, Gary Lefko, Nunn

http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/birds-and-more-of-the-pawnee-national-grassland

On Sunday, July 25, 2021 at 8:50:58 AM UTC-6 Linda M wrote:

We were at Loloff Reservoir yesterday, Saturday July 24, in a couple of locations along the road to the east, watching birds from the car.  A man who lives in the house on CR 57 on the west side drove over and wanted to know what we were doing.  He wasn't happy that people came out there and "looked into his windows".  Assured him we were just there to look at birds and talked for a few minutes.  He gave the name of the landowner on that side of the road and said they preferred to restrict access on that side too. 

I've been out there many times and never had a problem.   Did not go on the east side because Gary indicated that the oil and gas pad "trailhead lookout" along CR 57 had been fenced off, and all the birds happened to be closer to the east side.

I just wondered if anyone else had experienced a problem.

Thanks,

Linda Martin

On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 2:41:38 PM UTC-6 colorad...@yahoo.com wrote:

Hi all

Two more species for CR 59 marsh visit ... just confirmed.

• Pectoral Sandpiper
• Western Sandpiper

Thanks, Gary Lefko, Nunn

http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/birds-and-more-of-the-pawnee-national-grassland

On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 12:50:48 PM UTC-6 The Nunn Guy wrote:

Hi all

My birding travels over the weekend ...

Saturday:

• Sage Thrasher - 4 (along 41 btw 100/102. good spot to find them during migrations (looked like a family unit, too). Also, loads of Lark Bunting, some Grasshopper, Brewer's and Cassin's Sparrow, Bullock's Oriole, Northern Mockingbird and Great Horned Owl who typically roosts under either bridge)
  
• McCown's Longspur - 20+ (about 1-2 miles south of 122/45 (on 45). lots of youngsters on road)
• CR 124 Pond drawing down. Usual ducks and Greater Yellowlegs. 77/122 playa has water (only geese and mallards) and CR116/77 playa has water (full)-no birds
• Burrowing Owls persist at CR 33 (E) btw 98/100; CR 59/74 (NW); and new CR 74 about 2 miles past 61 on south (on west side of small dairy operation)

Sunday:

• Crom Lake starting to draw down (geese, mallards)
  
• CR 84/31 marsh had 100s of Cliff Swallow and two Bank Swallow plus 54 Yellow-headed Blackbird group feeding in mowed grass on north
• CR 59 marsh hosted Baird's, Semipalmated, and Spotted Sandpiper, many Wilson's Phalarope
• Loloff Reservoir hosted 50-60 avocet, 20-30 phalarope and 250--300+ Franklin's Gull. The former oil and gas pad "trailhead overlook" parking area is now fenced off, too. Along CR 57.
  
• Windsor Lake had two+ Forster's Tern
• Woods Lake had gulls (Franklin's and RIng-billeds), both egrets and a Great Horned Owl sitting out in the open watching the gulls and ducks
• Two Mute Swan ("wild" ones that can fly :-) )

Photos loading ...

Thanks, Gary Lefko, Nunn

http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/birds-and-more-of-the-pawnee-national-grassland

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[cobirds] Calliope Hummingbird, Louisville, CO

I have an adult female or juvenile Calliope Hummingbird feeding in my crabapple tree this morning. It is chasing the House Finches away from the tree!

Below is a picture that shows that her wingtips are just slightly longer than her tail:

This px shows the whole bird, but it's difficult to compare the wing and tail lengths:

I had several young hummers show up yesterday afternoon.  They didn't seem to know what a hummingbird feeder is.  Luckily, I have lots of flowers blooming that they can feed on.

Paula Hansley

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[cobirds] Re: Weld County Birding Weekend

We were at Loloff Reservoir yesterday, Saturday July 24, in a couple of locations along the road to the east, watching birds from the car.  A man who lives in the house on CR 57 on the west side drove over and wanted to know what we were doing.  He wasn't happy that people came out there and "looked into his windows".  Assured him we were just there to look at birds and talked for a few minutes.  He gave the name of the landowner on that side of the road and said they preferred to restrict access on that side too. 

I've been out there many times and never had a problem.   Did not go on the east side because Gary indicated that the oil and gas pad "trailhead lookout" along CR 57 had been fenced off, and all the birds happened to be closer to the east side.

I just wondered if anyone else had experienced a problem.

Thanks,

Linda Martin

On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 2:41:38 PM UTC-6 colorad...@yahoo.com wrote:

Hi all

Two more species for CR 59 marsh visit ... just confirmed.

• Pectoral Sandpiper
• Western Sandpiper

Thanks, Gary Lefko, Nunn

http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/birds-and-more-of-the-pawnee-national-grassland

On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 12:50:48 PM UTC-6 The Nunn Guy wrote:

Hi all

My birding travels over the weekend ...

Saturday:

• Sage Thrasher - 4 (along 41 btw 100/102. good spot to find them during migrations (looked like a family unit, too). Also, loads of Lark Bunting, some Grasshopper, Brewer's and Cassin's Sparrow, Bullock's Oriole, Northern Mockingbird and Great Horned Owl who typically roosts under either bridge)
  
• McCown's Longspur - 20+ (about 1-2 miles south of 122/45 (on 45). lots of youngsters on road)
• CR 124 Pond drawing down. Usual ducks and Greater Yellowlegs. 77/122 playa has water (only geese and mallards) and CR116/77 playa has water (full)-no birds
• Burrowing Owls persist at CR 33 (E) btw 98/100; CR 59/74 (NW); and new CR 74 about 2 miles past 61 on south (on west side of small dairy operation)

Sunday:

• Crom Lake starting to draw down (geese, mallards)
  
• CR 84/31 marsh had 100s of Cliff Swallow and two Bank Swallow plus 54 Yellow-headed Blackbird group feeding in mowed grass on north
• CR 59 marsh hosted Baird's, Semipalmated, and Spotted Sandpiper, many Wilson's Phalarope
• Loloff Reservoir hosted 50-60 avocet, 20-30 phalarope and 250--300+ Franklin's Gull. The former oil and gas pad "trailhead overlook" parking area is now fenced off, too. Along CR 57.
  
• Windsor Lake had two+ Forster's Tern
• Woods Lake had gulls (Franklin's and RIng-billeds), both egrets and a Great Horned Owl sitting out in the open watching the gulls and ducks
• Two Mute Swan ("wild" ones that can fly :-) )

Photos loading ...

Thanks, Gary Lefko, Nunn

http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/birds-and-more-of-the-pawnee-national-grassland

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[cobirds] Bees. Severance Co

We don't have bumblebees this year. We still have honeybees, but not as many as we used to have. We had goldfinches nesting here this year and still have house finches and of course house sparrows. We had one birdhouse that raised tree swallows.

Joan Glabach
Severance, CO

Sent from my iPhone

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[cobirds] Re: Jefferson, CO

I am in Jeffco as well, though a different part, in the neighborhoods just east of Standley Lake. We've been in this house over 20 years and I've been feeding the birds in my yard all that time.

This is the first year that house finches are almost entirely absent. Normally I'd have up to a dozen, all day every day, and they were part of a small flock that moved around the neighborhood.  Normally I'd have two or three black-capped chickadees as well, and then lots of random birds that pass through on their way to nesting habitats by the lake or into the mountains. But chickadees have also been nearly entirely absent this year, and I've seen very few randoms - no goldfinches, no towhees, no nuthatches, no downies. And the usual gang of summer blue jays is absent, although that has happened other years as well.

The finches are not totally gone. I do see an occasional finch or chickadee at my feeders. They don't look ill and I am not finding sick birds or bodies of birds. They simply aren't around.

I am still seeing doves in small numbers, and occasional hawks and crows overhead in fairly usual numbers but the regular small birds aren't here.

The only other observation I can report is that this year my yard is nearly empty of bees and other insects. Which surprised me because last year was a huge year for bees, with three species of bumblebees, some miner bee types (black and white), and literally hundreds of honeybees daily. This year, maybe two honeybees the entire season and not much else than a few small grasshoppers.

Jennifer Powell

Jeffco east of Standley Lake

On Friday, July 23, 2021 at 1:06:32 PM UTC-6 samat...@gmail.com wrote:

Hello, 

I wanted to share a conversation I had with a super nice lady who lives at the house south of Highway 285 in Jefferson, Co. Many of you know the "feeder" house for Rosy-Finches. She was telling me she use to get "thousands" of Rosy-Finches at her feeders. While we didn't talk about current numbers, from my experience, substantially lower.

She, also, commented on many fewer hummingbirds these last 2 years. 

Side note: The cafe in Jefferson has tasty food made on the grill and made to order burritos. Super friendly ladies working there. 

Good birding y'all!

Diane Roberts

Highlands Ranch, CO

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Re: [cobirds] Re: Eastward Range extension.....

If it is a long term phenomenon reaching a peak vs. short term, it may be worthwhile to look at what has been happening with precipitation in the longer term as well.  In general, the southern parts of the state are getting drier.  Only the northern front range seems to be holding own or even gaining slightly at this scale, perhaps - but this often includes the northern mountain counties as well - an absence there may suggest net precipitation is not the whole story but perhaps increases of extremes in the fluctuations of it and sensitivity of certain habitats to those extremes absent manipulations by man in urban areas where we artificially add water to the system (although we may not be able to continue to do so much longer) which can lead to extreme events like beetle kill, forest fires, mismatch of food supply with timing, etc.:

https://www.weather5280.com/2021/07/21/analyzing-colorados-precipitation-trends-over-the-last-125-years

Diana Beatty

El Paso County

On Sat, Jul 24, 2021 at 11:06 AM Robert Righter <rorighter@earthlink.net> wrote:

Hi:

David Leatherman in his recent post pointed out detecting movement of traditional mountain and foothill species downslope to the plains. This phenomena has previously been posted on Cobirds this summer with observers commenting on how the mountain species are just not present in the numbers they use to be. Recently I was birding in Grand Co. and the sparsity of mountain species was impressive, the forests were very quiet.

One possibly explanation could be since the West has been so dry for quite awhile and the abnormally high heat has just sucked the moisture right out of the ground dramatically affecting the soil composition and thus effecting the health of the forest and consequently it's bird life?  Any other thoughts? 

Bob Righter

Denver CO

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