Thursday 30 March 2023

[cobirds] Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (30 Mar 2023) Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 30, 2023
SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason Total
Black Vulture000
Turkey Vulture01515
Osprey022
Bald Eagle03131
Northern Harrier01111
Sharp-shinned Hawk088
Cooper's Hawk01818
Northern Goshawk077
Red-shouldered Hawk000
Broad-winged Hawk000
Red-tailed Hawk0290290
Rough-legged Hawk000
Swainson's Hawk000
Ferruginous Hawk03940
Golden Eagle02626
American Kestrel06060
Merlin01010
Peregrine Falcon055
Prairie Falcon055
Mississippi Kite000
Unknown Accipiter033
Unknown Buteo011
Unknown Falcon000
Unknown Eagle000
Unknown Raptor022
Total:0533534


Observation start time: 08:30:00
Observation end time: 12:00:00
Total observation time: 3.5 hours
Official CounterEmma Riley
Observers: Gary Rossmiller, Karen Fernandez, Mike Fernandez



Visitors:
Thank you to Gary Rossmiller and Karen & Mike Fernandez for sticking out the winds for the morning. We saw 9 visitors at the ridge, including John (did not catch his last name), a high school science teacher from Denver. He plans to return to the ridge soon.

Weather:
The sun was out today with little cloud cover, however winds were strong from the get go. Wind speeds averaged 13-16 mph for the first two hours, with gusts of 20-26 mph. Dust clouds could be seen at the gravel pits and scattered across the eastern horizon. By 1100 MST the gusts began to turn into the average speed, with debris getting kicked up. The count was ended at 1200 MST.

Raptor Observations:
No migrants were seen today. The local RT pair were seen throughout the morning utilizing the winds to kite while hunting, which was great to be able to watch.

Non-raptor Observations:
Non-raptor activity was all but gone today with 3 CORA, 3 AMCR, 2 TOSO, and 1 DEJU seen over the three and a half hours.

Predictions:
Tomorrow is again expected to see moderate temperatures and sun, but winds may be stronger than today. 20+ mph wind averages are expected at 0900 MST, with gale force winds predicted just a few hours after. If predictions are correct, our count will be halted.


Report submitted by DAVID HILL ()
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: http://www.dfobirds.org
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Count data submitted via Dunkadoo - [Project Details]




Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawk watch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Hawk watchers may
see 17 species of migrating raptors; and it is an excellent site to see rare
dark morph buteos including Broad-winged hawk, Swainson’s hawk, Ferruginous
hawk, Rough-legged hawk and Red-tailed Hawk. Other raptors we see include Golden
and Bald Eagles, Northern harrier, Osprey, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons,
Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels, Merlin, and Turkey
Vultures. Northern Goshawk is uncommon but also counted each season. Non-raptor
species include Rock Wren, Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane,
White-throated Swift, American White Pelican, and Dusky Grouse. Birders of any
skill level are always welcome. The hawk watch at Dinosaur Ridge is staffed by a
Hawk Counter and volunteers from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM from March 1st to May 14th,
weather permitting.

Directions to site:
From exit 259 on I-70 towards Morrison, drive south under freeway and take left
into first parking lot, the Stegosaurus lot. Follow hawk watch signs from the
southwest end of the parking lot to the hawk watch site. The hike starts heading
east on an old two-track and quickly turns south onto a trail on the west side
of the ridge. When the trail nears the top of the ridge, turn left, and walk to
the flat area at the crest of the ridge. (Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain:
259 feet)

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[cobirds] Huge Flock of Bohemian Waxwings in Boulder

A large flock of 300+ Bohemian Waxwings (and one Cedar) was just northwest of Glenwood and 30th Street in Boulder (Boulder county) this morning from 10:40 though 11:20.  They've been feeding on a row of crabapples for several weeks, now, but today's flock was the biggest we've seen at this location. 

Bob Fiehweg and Robin Byers
Boulder

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[cobirds] New trails at Fishers Peak State Park

For those of you who have explored the new Fishers Peak State Park near Trinidad, there have been exciting developments within the last six months. Until recently, there has been only one substantial trail in the park offering a steep hike of about 1.5 miles through predominantly pinyon-juniper woodland. Behind the scenes, however, the next phase of the trail system has been under development. Sometime since August, those new trails have opened up offering a wealth of new hiking options.

The first few years the park was open, the main trail was the Challenge Trail which ended after a steep uphill walk at two posted gates. On Tuesday afternoon shortly after beginning that hike, I found a new wooden bridge over a side drainage with a sign marking the Lower Lone Cub Trail. The trail leads to a junction about 1.2 miles in with the Upper Lone Cub Trail that continues uphill another 1.1 miles to the top of the Challenge Trail. Another bike-only trail, the Poison Trail, leads downhill.

On Wednesday, I learned that the Goldenrod Trail from the top of the Challenge Trail offers a long hike back to the lower portion of the Challenge Trail. While these trails are all in predominantly pinyon-juniper woodland, the now offer varied loop hike options for birders who like a good hike along with their birding. 

Here's the link to the CPW information about the new trails. https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/FishersPeak/Pages/Trails.aspx

Chuck Hundertmark
Lafayette, CO

Wednesday 29 March 2023

[cobirds] Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (29 Mar 2023) 111 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 29, 2023
SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason Total
Black Vulture000
Turkey Vulture111515
Osprey022
Bald Eagle53131
Northern Harrier21111
Sharp-shinned Hawk188
Cooper's Hawk101818
Northern Goshawk177
Red-shouldered Hawk000
Broad-winged Hawk000
Red-tailed Hawk59290290
Rough-legged Hawk000
Swainson's Hawk000
Ferruginous Hawk13940
Golden Eagle02626
American Kestrel166060
Merlin41010
Peregrine Falcon055
Prairie Falcon155
Mississippi Kite000
Unknown Accipiter033
Unknown Buteo011
Unknown Falcon000
Unknown Eagle000
Unknown Raptor022
Total:111533534


Observation start time: 08:30:00
Observation end time: 16:30:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official CounterEmma Riley
Observers: Debbie Seiden, Gary Rossmiller, Jim Lowe, Kathy Barnum, Sammy Korengut, Taina Brin



Visitors:
Huge thank you to Gary Rossmiller, Sammy Korengut, Jim Lowe, Kathy Barnum, Taina Brin, and Debbie Seiden for your help spotting distant migrants today. Visitors were slow today with a total of 17 visitors at the count site, most of them passing through briefly with one or two questions.

Weather:
Todays warm temperatures were a nice relief from the cold week we had last week. Winds were mild and varied throughout the day, but we saw a nice east wind during the bulk of the day. Cloud cover was light to start but got heavier as the day went on, bringing in darker clouds in the last hour. Temperatures dropped around 1530 MST.

Raptor Observations:
Today was a great day for migration and our biggest day so far. We love this time in migration as we see more and more migrants coming our way. Almost all of our migrants were seen taking the western ridge today, with some high overhead birds mid-day. We did, however, get to see a small kettle of TV (5) come through the western valley high, which was a nice treat for us. As usual most of our AK came directly along the ridge at eye-level, and we also got to see a gorgeous adult CH come along the same line, allowing us to naked eye ID the bird, something we did not get much of today. Our species diversity continues to impress, with 11 migrating raptor species seen today, including all three species of North American Accipiters. Non-migrant activity today was seen in aerial displays from RT, including one dark-morph bird and the local GE. A SS was seen early in the morning coming north along the ridge but dove on something below the count site.

Non-raptor Observations:
Two GBHE were seen separately through the day moving north, one on each side of the ridge. The Western bird came through slowly and at eye-level, a look most of us have not gotten of a GBHE. We had a first of the season spotted multiple times today- the WTSW! The rest of the non-raptor activity was standard with species including TOSO, AMRO, HOFI, SCJA, BBMA, CORA, and AMCR seen. 2 Mule Deer were seen along the trail on the hike out.

Predictions:
Winds are supposed to pick up for the next two days with red flag warnings issued for our count area until Friday at 7pm. As always we are hoping these predictions are dramatic and we can count some more migrants!


Report submitted by DAVID HILL ()
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: http://www.dfobirds.org
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Count data submitted via Dunkadoo - [Project Details]




Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawk watch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Hawk watchers may
see 17 species of migrating raptors; and it is an excellent site to see rare
dark morph buteos including Broad-winged hawk, Swainson’s hawk, Ferruginous
hawk, Rough-legged hawk and Red-tailed Hawk. Other raptors we see include Golden
and Bald Eagles, Northern harrier, Osprey, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons,
Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels, Merlin, and Turkey
Vultures. Northern Goshawk is uncommon but also counted each season. Non-raptor
species include Rock Wren, Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane,
White-throated Swift, American White Pelican, and Dusky Grouse. Birders of any
skill level are always welcome. The hawk watch at Dinosaur Ridge is staffed by a
Hawk Counter and volunteers from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM from March 1st to May 14th,
weather permitting.

Directions to site:
From exit 259 on I-70 towards Morrison, drive south under freeway and take left
into first parking lot, the Stegosaurus lot. Follow hawk watch signs from the
southwest end of the parking lot to the hawk watch site. The hike starts heading
east on an old two-track and quickly turns south onto a trail on the west side
of the ridge. When the trail nears the top of the ridge, turn left, and walk to
the flat area at the crest of the ridge. (Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain:
259 feet)

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[cobirds] Book Sale

Nature's Notes Vintage Book and Art Sale

Saturday April 28 and Sunday, April 29
9am to 3pm
Denver Audubon Nature Center at Chatfield

We are excited to announce that Denver Audubon is hosting a Vintage Book and Art Sale! This is the perfect opportunity for book and art enthusiasts to browse our impressive selection of unique and rare pieces. Best of all, no registration is required. Simply stop by and peruse our collection at your leisure. We can't wait to see you there!


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Re: [cobirds] Towhee attacking solitaire!

I've similarly had one (or another) Solitaire visiting my backyard birdbath, and have been surprised a half-dozen times this winter at singles or pairs of juncos chasing it away.

Marty Wolf
nw CO Spgs

On Wed, Mar 29, 2023 at 1:48 PM Paula Hansley <plhansley@gmail.com> wrote:
I've been wondering why I haven't seen "my"Townsend's Solitaire drinking from my heated birdbath at sunrise in the last few days. I've heard it singing at sunrise. This morning I found out.  One of my Spotted Towhees was chasing the solitaire around my backyard, which has a juniper tree. 

 Could this be a territorial dispute? 

Paula Hansley
Louisville
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Paula Hansley
Petrographic Consultants International, Inc.
Ph:  720-890-2628

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[cobirds] Towhee attacking solitaire!

I've been wondering why I haven't seen "my"Townsend's Solitaire drinking from my heated birdbath at sunrise in the last few days. I've heard it singing at sunrise. This morning I found out.  One of my Spotted Towhees was chasing the solitaire around my backyard, which has a juniper tree. 

 Could this be a territorial dispute? 

Paula Hansley
Louisville
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Petrographic Consultants International, Inc.
Ph:  720-890-2628

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[cobirds] Cranes at Union Res, Weld Co

I'm looking at about 3 dozen Sandhill Cranes loafing in the NW corner of Union Res. It's my first time ever seeing them on the ground here.

Jay Hutchins
Longmont 

Sent from my iPhone

[cobirds] Osprey migration

Not Colorado news, but migration time IS upon us, and this
news item posted on BBC.com today may interest some:

A female osprey has completed a "remarkable" transatlantic journey from Scotland to Barbados. 

The bird of prey, which was tagged last summer in Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park in Renfrewshire, was spotted on the Caribbean island earlier this month. 

The Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation said it covered 4,124 miles during its epic journey from Lochwinnoch.

And one expert said it was the first time a UK osprey had been observed in the Americas.


See the website for the rest of the story.

David Gulbenkian  Jeffco

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Tuesday 28 March 2023

[cobirds] Addition to POSS fox sparrow ID help

The pair were within 100yards on the cement path upstream from Kingfisher bridge. Thanks

Deb Carstensen, Arapahoe county
Sent from my iPhone

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[cobirds] ??fox sparrow?? ID help Douglas county

I was taking a walk on the trail upstream from Kingfisher bridge at Chatfield reservoir when I saw two large sparrows working the grass along the trail. My mind jumped to hermit thrush us because they both look so red but they're chests and abdomen's were heavily streaked. Their tail was longish and had a fair amount of brick/red coloring. The scapulars were also reddish. There was some striping on the head, and there was some white under the chin that went partway around the neck.
I took pictures with my iPhone, but have yet to find the birds in the pictures. 😒 I would love some help on this ID dilemma. Thanks!
Deb Carstensen, Arapahoe county
Sent from my iPhone

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[cobirds] Still more Bohemian Waxwing diet info

Here are more additions to the diet of Bohemian Waxwings during their winter 2022-2023 visit to Colorado:

*Mike Britton reports them eating the cones of common juniper (Juniperus communis) at the Florissant Fossil Beds.  This woody plant is native to our mountains and has a low-growing, prostrate form.

*Bill Killam who lives in northwest Denver says they mostly ate crabapple fruits in his yard but also consumed the fruits of his "Blue Velvet" honeysuckle.  This is Lonicera korolkowii 'Floribunda', a cultivar developed at the famous Cheyenne Experiment Station just north of the Colorado border.  It is native to the mountains of central Asia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Despite being exotic, it's a good choice for our area, part of the Plant Select program and has a low water requirement once established.

*Heather Weber-Langvardt of Wild Birds Unlimited Store #023 in Colorado Springs reports them eating the fruits of serviceberry (Amelanchier sp.) and elderberry (Sambucus sp.).  Colorado has a native species of serviceberry (two subspecies) and two species of native elderberries, one non-native elderberry.  

The last edition of the column I write in "Colorado Birds" titled "The Hungry Bird" was about Bohemian Waxwings.  At the time of composition, all the reports I had read only mentioned four items (crabapples, Rocky Mountain juniper cones, Russian-olives and common buckthorn fruits).  Since asking for observations from COBIRDS readers, an additional seven items (the four above plus kinnikinnick berries, Siberian elm buds and rotten apples) should be on the CO list.  Doug Ward provided a nice summary of what they eat in northern Idaho.  An addendum for the Bohemian waxwing diet in Colorado might well be part of the next article.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our understanding of this bird's food habits during the current invasion.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

[cobirds] Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (28 Mar 2023) 59 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 28, 2023
SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason Total
Black Vulture000
Turkey Vulture044
Osprey022
Bald Eagle12626
Northern Harrier199
Sharp-shinned Hawk077
Cooper's Hawk188
Northern Goshawk166
Red-shouldered Hawk000
Broad-winged Hawk000
Red-tailed Hawk32231231
Rough-legged Hawk000
Swainson's Hawk000
Ferruginous Hawk33839
Golden Eagle22626
American Kestrel134444
Merlin366
Peregrine Falcon055
Prairie Falcon044
Mississippi Kite000
Unknown Accipiter233
Unknown Buteo011
Unknown Falcon000
Unknown Eagle000
Unknown Raptor022
Total:59422423


Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:45:00
Total observation time: 8.75 hours
Official Counter Carol Cwiklinski
Observers: Amy Walsh, Kathie Moses



Visitors:
Many thanks to Amy Walsh, Kathie Moses and Jane Haddock for helping locate and identify raptors today. They were excellent spotters and enjoyed some fantastic looks at dark morph red-tailed hawks. Twelve visitors stopped on the ridge today, one who will return with her young son who loves to identify raptors. There were numerous bikes on the trail, creating a muddy mess in some areas. The trail had some unmelted snow and some ice, but bare spots made it easy to navigate.

Weather:
Today was sunny with light winds that shifted from SW to SE and finally NE. Most of the day we had thin cloud cover to help with locating birds. Excellent thermals built through the day, and cloud cover increased late in the day.

Raptor Observations:
Raptor observations started slow but increased as our count progressed. Raptors were scattered across the sky, located on the ridge at eye level, very high, and flying along the western ridge. There was no pronounced pattern to the flight, it was varied and full of surprises. Numerous non migrants were active including golden eagles, Cooper's hawk, red-tailed hawks.

Non-raptor Observations:
New species we noticed today; American white pelican and tree swallow. We also saw a flock of Bohemian waxwings, western bluebirds and the usual ridge species.


Report submitted by DAVID HILL ()
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: http://www.dfobirds.org
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]



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[cobirds] Diminishing Cranes

Just got back from a spring break with the fam to SE Arizona and trying to get caught up. A morning trip to the Monte Vista Refuge shows that crane numbers have vastly decreased in the last week, and only a few hundred here and there were to be found. Geese still seem fairly abundant with 3-5000 Cackling, Canada, Snow, and Ross's geese still present. A lone Greater Yellowlegs was standing on the edge of the ice and looked a bit confused since the zero temps of last night re-froze so much of the former open water. Yellow-headed Blackbirds arrive about April 1st!

John Rawinski
Monte Vista, CO

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Monday 27 March 2023

[cobirds] Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (27 Mar 2023) 9 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 27, 2023
SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason Total
Black Vulture000
Turkey Vulture044
Osprey022
Bald Eagle02525
Northern Harrier088
Sharp-shinned Hawk077
Cooper's Hawk077
Northern Goshawk055
Red-shouldered Hawk000
Broad-winged Hawk000
Red-tailed Hawk2199199
Rough-legged Hawk000
Swainson's Hawk000
Ferruginous Hawk03536
Golden Eagle02424
American Kestrel53131
Merlin033
Peregrine Falcon255
Prairie Falcon044
Mississippi Kite000
Unknown Accipiter011
Unknown Buteo011
Unknown Falcon000
Unknown Eagle000
Unknown Raptor022
Total:9363364


Observation start time: 08:30:00
Observation end time: 16:30:00
Total observation time: 7.5 hours
Official CounterAjit Antony
Observers: Liza Antony, Shannon Campbell



Visitors:
A young couple were interested in the history of the watch and I explained the history of shooting raptors changing to counting raptors at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in the 1930s.

Weather:
Mostly overcast, temperature around 0°C, rising barometer, good visibility though Mount Morrison was wreathed by clouds until the 2 towers on top could finally be seen at 9:45 AM MST. 1-3 inches of snow overnight with some ice under, covered all the rocks along the trails making it a little difficult.

Raptor Observations:
The 1st migrant was an AK male directly overhead at 9:03 AM MST. All the other raptors seen were overhead or slightly to the east. The last migrant was an AK at 12:57 PM. The 2 peregrines were both of the anatum/Continental subspecies. In the 12-1 hour 2 RT came in from the south, were met by another RT SE of the watch, all 3 proceeded to perform territorial displays with spectacular steep powered roller-coaster dives. One RT Landed in a tree on Greene Mountain while 2 of them flew North circling and gaining height and were met by another RT â€" probably escorting them out of its territory. 2 continued flying north. Both were Western subspecies of RT (rufous belly, breast and underwing coverts and a dark throat). Non-migrant raptors: Prairie Falcon in the 9-10 hour which came from the South and after passing the watch gained height and flew East, also seen in the last hour in powered flight south along the western ridge quite far and dropping below Mount Morrison; in the 13-14 hour a juvenile GE seen over the western ridge flying West; RT 2 both Western subspecies.

Non-raptor Observations:
Bushtit 7, likely Bohemian Waxwing flying in a tight flock of 15, Townsend's Solitaire 2, American Robin 16, Canada Goose 10, Common Raven 2, American Flicker 1.

Predictions:
The raptors that stayed put today may fly tomorrow.


Report submitted by DAVID HILL ()
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: http://www.dfobirds.org
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]




Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawk watch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Hawk watchers may
see 17 species of migrating raptors; and it is an excellent site to see rare
dark morph buteos including Broad-winged hawk, Swainson’s hawk, Ferruginous
hawk, Rough-legged hawk and Red-tailed Hawk. Other raptors we see include Golden
and Bald Eagles, Northern harrier, Osprey, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons,
Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels, Merlin, and Turkey
Vultures. Northern Goshawk is uncommon but also counted each season. Non-raptor
species include Rock Wren, Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane,
White-throated Swift, American White Pelican, and Dusky Grouse. Birders of any
skill level are always welcome. The hawk watch at Dinosaur Ridge is staffed by a
Hawk Counter and volunteers from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM from March 1st to May 14th,
weather permitting.

Directions to site:
From exit 259 on I-70 towards Morrison, drive south under freeway and take left
into first parking lot, the Stegosaurus lot. Follow hawk watch signs from the
southwest end of the parking lot to the hawk watch site. The hike starts heading
east on an old two-track and quickly turns south onto a trail on the west side
of the ridge. When the trail nears the top of the ridge, turn left, and walk to
the flat area at the crest of the ridge. (Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain:
259 feet)

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[cobirds] Interested in First Edition of "The Birds of North America: Life Histories for the 21st Century"?

Fort Collins Audubon Society recently received a First Edition of The Birds of North America: Life Histories for the 21st Century as a donation, and we are considering whether to sell or auction it as a fundraiser. Step 1 is to get a sense of how much interest there might be, if any, among Colorado birders. If anyone on this listserve might be interested, please reply and let me know.

Background: From 1992-2003, the AOU published life histories for 718 North American bird species. The life histories come in the form of glossy 8.5x11 booklets, typically 16 pages each, encased in 18 slip cases. SEE PHOTOS BELOW. There were only 2400 copies of the first edition and we have a certificate of authenticity for our copy. But... full disclosure... of the 718 accounts, 2 were unfortunately missing from what we were donated so I will be obtaining reprints to make the set complete.

I realize nobody reads paper any more and some of the information is now out of date, but this is more of a collector's item or a showcase for someone with an in-home library. At one time, this was the definitive reference on North American birds.
Capture.JPG
Regards,
John Shenot, FCAS President
Fort Collins, CO


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[cobirds] Grassland Bird Study at Daniels Park

Hello Fellow Birders,
 
I'm posting the message below on behalf of a friend who is involved in the subject study.  Her contact info is in the message.  Please reply to her, not to me...

Keep Smilin',
Kevin Corwin
west Centennial, Arapahoe County
 
Sent from my Remington Rand Typewriter via my Rotary Dial Wall Phone


Subject: Grassland Bird Study at Daniels Park. Call for Volunteers.
 
We are looking for volunteers to help conduct a grassland bird study at Daniels Park in Sedalia (Douglas County) in conjunction with Denver Mountain Parks and Denver Zoo. Daniels Park has been managed with one species in mind since 1938, the American Bison. The park is a preserved piece of prairie landscape that connects to 12,000 acres of open space, making it an important conservation site. Research documenting avian populations at this site has not been done before, so this point-count study aims to gain insight into the grassland bird population in the park. 
 
Our goal is to create a small team of volunteers who are experienced in grassland bird identification to work in pairs, with one observer and one recorder. We are looking for birders who are confident in their grassland bird identification skills with species such as Say's Phoebe, Western Kingbird, Horned Lark, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, House Wren, Western Bluebird, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, Brown-headed Cowbird, and Black-headed Grosbeak. 
 
The study is currently planned to run from May 22- June 9, M-F from about 6-10 am daily. Volunteers are expected to work 1-2 days a week for the three-week study time frame.  Training will be held in early May to prepare for the count. The 24 survey points are located in the SW and SE bison pastures, which are not open to the public. Safety training while working in proximity to bison is a top priority. Please email Jennifer Redmond at redmonjs@miamioh.edu to express your interest in participating or give her a call at (303)250-3180 if you have questions.   
 

 
 

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Sunday 26 March 2023

[cobirds] Quick check-in from Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Adams Co., Mar. 26

Hey, all. Enjoyed a too-quick visit this frigid Sun. morning, Mar. 26, to Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Adams Co. With Joe Kiesecker, Siyu Qin, and Hannah Floyd.

Lake Ladora is biblically infested with virile crayfish, Faxonius virilis, right now, and the birds are going to town on them. We saw 5 species of gulls out there, plus many diving ducks and 6 horned grebes. Also infestational were army cutworm moths, Euxoa auxiliaris, but no birds seemed to be eating them; it shall be a good ("good") summer for miller moths. Saw my first tiger beetle of the spring, an oblique-lined tiger beetle, Cicindela tranquebarica. The auto loop had a golden eagle and several bald eagles, a ferruginous hawk, and a prairie merlin. Both greater yellowlegs and lesser yellowlegs were at Lake Ladora.

Didn't have time to check out the woods and marshes, but eBird says others are finding nice stuff in those places: marsh wren, Virginia rail, "good" sparrows, etc.

Kei Sochi and I saw a turkey vulture over Arapahoe & 63rd in Boulder Co. early this Sun. evening; Kei reports that there have been vultures at the nearby Stazio ballfields & dump for close to a week now.

Ted Floyd
Lafayette, Boulder Co.

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[cobirds] Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (26 Mar 2023) 40 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 26, 2023
SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason Total
Black Vulture000
Turkey Vulture044
Osprey222
Bald Eagle12525
Northern Harrier188
Sharp-shinned Hawk077
Cooper's Hawk177
Northern Goshawk055
Red-shouldered Hawk000
Broad-winged Hawk000
Red-tailed Hawk19197197
Rough-legged Hawk000
Swainson's Hawk000
Ferruginous Hawk33536
Golden Eagle02424
American Kestrel122626
Merlin033
Peregrine Falcon133
Prairie Falcon044
Mississippi Kite000
Unknown Accipiter011
Unknown Buteo011
Unknown Falcon000
Unknown Eagle000
Unknown Raptor022
Total:40354355


Observation start time: 08:30:00
Observation end time: 16:30:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official CounterEmma Riley
Observers: Aarohi Barman, Carol Cwiklinski, Steve Small



Visitors:
Big thanks to Carol Cwiklinski, Steve Small, and Matthew Klimock for helping Aarohi and I count the busiest day of the season so far. 42 visitors stopped at the ridge today including two families that spent a while at the ridge looking for birds with us and asking questions. We had more people that spent a good amount with us on the ridge than we normally do, it was great to share the migration with others!

Weather:
Today started out with thin clouds, sun, and variable winds. Winds varied in the morning around SW before settling into a NE direction. Cloud cover was present all day but got heavier into the afternoon, until we were able to see scattered precipitation along the western ridge. As we were hiking down the snow started to fall on our site. Temperatures were low all day, dropping with the nearby precipitation.

Raptor Observations:
We had our biggest day of the season so far today with 40 birds total counted including our first (and second) OS of the season. Other highlights include 11 AK, 8 of which came in the 1400 MST hour. An eye-level PG came through the ridge putting on a show for us and many visitors. We also saw 2 FH today, bringing our total count to 35 on the season. Non-migrant raptor activity was slow but steady today with the local RT pair seen perched on the power poles below us on the east side. At one point the female could be seen with a prey item. We also saw a local GE, BE, and a PG that was seen moving E.

Non-raptor Observations:
We saw 120+ BOWA west of the count site today early in the day, which is always a treat. We also counted around 100 SACR today in multiple groups, all moving high and presumably silent, although we had high noise from the dirt bike race today. We also saw DEJU (4), TOSO (4), AMRO (8), HOFI (5), ROPI (3), BBMA (2), CORA (14), AMCR (8), and CANG (2).

Predictions:
Tomorrow is expected to be another cold day, hopefully our last for a few days. Winds are predicted to be from the general N direction with the potential for strong gusts in the afternoon. E


Report submitted by DAVID HILL ()
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: http://www.dfobirds.org
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]




Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawk watch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Hawk watchers may
see 17 species of migrating raptors; and it is an excellent site to see rare
dark morph buteos including Broad-winged hawk, Swainson’s hawk, Ferruginous
hawk, Rough-legged hawk and Red-tailed Hawk. Other raptors we see include Golden
and Bald Eagles, Northern harrier, Osprey, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons,
Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels, Merlin, and Turkey
Vultures. Northern Goshawk is uncommon but also counted each season. Non-raptor
species include Rock Wren, Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane,
White-throated Swift, American White Pelican, and Dusky Grouse. Birders of any
skill level are always welcome. The hawk watch at Dinosaur Ridge is staffed by a
Hawk Counter and volunteers from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM from March 1st to May 14th,
weather permitting.

Directions to site:
From exit 259 on I-70 towards Morrison, drive south under freeway and take left
into first parking lot, the Stegosaurus lot. Follow hawk watch signs from the
southwest end of the parking lot to the hawk watch site. The hike starts heading
east on an old two-track and quickly turns south onto a trail on the west side
of the ridge. When the trail nears the top of the ridge, turn left, and walk to
the flat area at the crest of the ridge. (Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain:
259 feet)

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[cobirds] Common loon, marston rez, Denver co

I rode my bike up to marston to see if the ducks I saw last week were still present. They were and then some. Between the west end and isthmus park, there were easily 50+ greater scaup (and 100+ more scaup I didn't dig through), 700+ redheads, a smattering of other waterfowl, a couple breeding plumage and a couple basic plumage horned grebes, and a near full breeding plumage common loon. Finally a sign of spring (that's not mountain bluebirds).

Good birding,
Scott Somershoe
Littleton CO

Sent from my iPhone

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[cobirds] The Joy of Hummingbirds - This Tuesday with BCAS!

Join Boulder County Audubon this Tuesday for a program featuring the captivating hummingbirds of our local area, the Rocky Mountains, and beyond.

The talk will highlight the species that Steve and Deb Bouricius have documented during their 23 years of studying hummingbirds. It will share some things they have learned and what they still hope to accomplish through banding.  Included will be ways to attract hummingbirds and the amazing array of plants they use.  Steve will touch on the trials of hummingbird life including some remarkable observations of their behavior. 

Steve and Deb Bouricius are engaged in multi-faceted studies of hummingbirds including a 15-year study of Black-chinned Hummingbirds nesting in their apple orchard. Steve is a master bird bander with 23 years of experience banding hummingbirds and American Dippers. Since 1999, Steve and Deb have banded 11 species of hummingbirds in Colorado, and 13 species in the United States. In 2009, they hosted the Hummingbird Research Group Conference which brought together 35 hummingbird banders from across North America. In three morning sessions, 1,568 hummingbirds of three species were banded in the Peaceful Valley area.

When: Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at 7:15 PM  8:45 PM

Where: This program will be online only. We will provide the Zoom link on this page before the program begins


To view recordings of previous BCAS programs, visit our YouTube page.

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Saturday 25 March 2023

[cobirds] Dipper in Denver

While out walking the dogs yesterday (Fri., 25 Mar’23) came across an AMERICAN DIPPER at Grant Frontier Park along the South Platte in south Denver (Denver Co.).  Dippers are very tough in Denver proper, so might be worth a check if you are a county lister.  Just looked at eBird and it seems this guy or gal has been there for a while so likely repeatable.  Yesterday it was lurking around a drainage discharge installation about a ¼ mile south of the parking lot on the east side of the river.

 

Grant Frontier is a nice stretch of the river from Evans south to about Harvard Ave.  Bonus, “The Table” coffee/tap house is right there for a drink after finding the Dipper - look them up, they are a great NGO helping out various local causes.  Good luck if you try.

 

Good Birding,

Doug

Denver

Friday 24 March 2023

[cobirds] Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (24 Mar 2023) 23 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 24, 2023
SpeciesDay's CountMonth TotalSeason Total
Black Vulture000
Turkey Vulture044
Osprey000
Bald Eagle12424
Northern Harrier177
Sharp-shinned Hawk177
Cooper's Hawk266
Northern Goshawk055
Red-shouldered Hawk000
Broad-winged Hawk000
Red-tailed Hawk15178178
Rough-legged Hawk000
Swainson's Hawk000
Ferruginous Hawk23233
Golden Eagle02424
American Kestrel11414
Merlin033
Peregrine Falcon022
Prairie Falcon044
Mississippi Kite000
Unknown Accipiter011
Unknown Buteo011
Unknown Falcon000
Unknown Eagle000
Unknown Raptor022
Total:23314315


Observation start time: 08:30:00
Observation end time: 16:30:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official CounterEmma Riley
Observers: Amy Walsh, Chris Gearhart, Debbie James



Visitors:
Thank you to Amy Walsh, Chris Gearhart, and Debbie James for your help counting the migration today and bearing the cold with me. We saw 22 visitors at the ridge and many of them had raptor knowledge so came with some good questions. One visitor was visiting from Pennsylvania, and two were from California.

Weather:
The morning started with clear skies and winds from the west. By late morning winds had already began shifting north and clouds rolled in. The rest of the day saw heavy cloud cover and scattered precipitation across the whole front range. Pressure was incredibly low today as we see the low pressure system moving over us tonight and into tomorrow.

Raptor Observations:
We had a great push of birds during the first half of the day and it tapered out as the precipitation approached. Birds could be seen very high taking a NW line. 4 RT were seen moving together at one point. What the afternoon didn’t see in numbers we saw in some great diversity. A low adult female NH came overhead and caught an updraft just NE of the count site. We also saw two FH and a very close male AK. Local raptors were seen in the morning and again late in the afternoon. 2 very high GE were seen as well as the local RT pair in the morning, and we saw a massive adult RT moving south in the afternoon as well as one of the GE.

Non-raptor Observations:
The Bohemian Waxwings, about 40 of them, were seen very briefly in the morning. We haven’t seen them for a few days so it was nice to know there still may be opportunities. We also saw a nice group (11) of Bushtits. Other non-raptors seen include BCCH (2), HOFI (5), PISI (2), AMRO (15), TOSO (4), BBMA (4), CORA (13), and AMCR (6).

Predictions:
Tomorrow will be cold as this system continues to move through the Rockies. Winds are predicted to be strong but we are hoping the prediction is being a bit dramatic. It may be a slow day migration wise but we are always surprised at the ridge!


Report submitted by DAVID HILL ()
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: http://www.dfobirds.org
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]




Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawk watch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Hawk watchers may
see 17 species of migrating raptors; and it is an excellent site to see rare
dark morph buteos including Broad-winged hawk, Swainson’s hawk, Ferruginous
hawk, Rough-legged hawk and Red-tailed Hawk. Other raptors we see include Golden
and Bald Eagles, Northern harrier, Osprey, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons,
Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels, Merlin, and Turkey
Vultures. Northern Goshawk is uncommon but also counted each season. Non-raptor
species include Rock Wren, Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane,
White-throated Swift, American White Pelican, and Dusky Grouse. Birders of any
skill level are always welcome. The hawk watch at Dinosaur Ridge is staffed by a
Hawk Counter and volunteers from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM from March 1st to May 14th,
weather permitting.

Directions to site:
From exit 259 on I-70 towards Morrison, drive south under freeway and take left
into first parking lot, the Stegosaurus lot. Follow hawk watch signs from the
southwest end of the parking lot to the hawk watch site. The hike starts heading
east on an old two-track and quickly turns south onto a trail on the west side
of the ridge. When the trail nears the top of the ridge, turn left, and walk to
the flat area at the crest of the ridge. (Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain:
259 feet)

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