[cobirds] White-winged Dove

Just saw it in my backyard feeder in Denver at Arkansas and Steele.

Jim Esten, Denver, CO

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[cobirds] Pine Siskins, Red Crossbills…and Bill Kaempfer, Boulder County

Birders,

This is a great time of year to look at birds, flowers, and butterflies along the Meyers Homestead Trail in Walker Ranch Open Space; however, my best sighting early this morning was of Bill Kaempfer!  Those of you who are old timers, like me, will remember Bill— one of the best birders Colorado has ever seen. Bill now resides in Florida.

Bill says “hello” to everyone.  Unfortunately, we (Todd Deininger, John Vanderpoel, and I) were unable to find a Hammond’s Flycatcher for Bill along the trail.  Perhaps, he found one elsewhere.

This area is as dry as I’ve ever seen it with very few flowers or butterflies.  I was happy to find a flock of Pine Siskins and a flock of Red Crossbills ( not sure if type, but I will include a recording with my checklist).

Paula Hansley

Louisville

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[cobirds] The year of the Kentucky Warbler

Hi all,

Did you find yourself noticing Kentucky Warblers on Colorado rare bird alerts more often this spring? Compared to most years, the species seems to have had a remarkable showing statewide. This spring migration, there were 9(!) Kentucky Warblers found in 8 different counties, with 3 representing first county records.

I made a list of the total number of observations for every warbler species (and vireo) recorded in Colorado (see the bottom of this post). This is just a quick list of total eBird observations which does not count for inflated numbers and how easily chase-able certain records may have been. However; its impreciseness still provides a useful way to group species into broad rarity “tiers.” As you can see, Kentucky Warbler currently sits near the bottom of the list and is one of the rarest eastern warblers recorded in the state, numerically falling between Louisiana Waterthrush and Prairie Warbler. This year however, there have been more individual Kentucky Warblers in the state than Bay-Breasted, Blue-Winged, and Worm-Eating Combined. In fact, Colorado did not have a single confirmed Kentucky Warbler sighting in all of 2024 and 2025, and between 2020 and 2023 Colorado only had 9 total confirmed sightings.

This post is mainly to cast light on this event and is not meant to be investigative, but I will point out that this was not a particularly eventful spring migration for some other South Eastern United States breeding warblers such as Hooded (Brandon Percival exemption), Worm Eating, Prothonotary, and Prairie. This however, was an extraordinary year for Northern Parula, Louisiana Waterthrush, and White Eyed Vireo, so I’d go out on a limb to suspect there is some connection on that end. The number of observations of Louisiana Waterthrush is particularly over inflated due to two individuals being very easily chaseable within two heavily populated areas, but three in one year in our state is still exceptional.

I didn’t conduct any formal statistical analysis to determine whether these other warblers had a particularly good or bad migration this year. I’m mostly going off my own field experience and nightly scans of the rare bird alert, so I am excited to hear about the field experiences from other birders. Personally, I was lucky enough to see three Kentucky Warblers this spring, one of which was thanks to Dan Z and Leslie S in Boulder County. I had seen 2 total in Colorado before that.

Whatever the reason for this year’s influx, it was certainly fun, and I’m grateful to have gotten to bear witness to a fraction of it. Moments like this are a reminder that no matter how long you’ve been birding, migration is still full of surprises.

Number of ebird Observations in Colorado:

Warblers: 

Yellow-rumped Warbler — 196,600

Yellow Warbler — 190,000

Wilson’s Warbler — 67,900

Common Yellowthroat: 56,300

Orange Crowned Warbler-48,500

Macgilivrays Warbler- 31,800

Virginia’s Warbler — 25,000

Townsends Warbler: 8341

Black-throated Gray Warbler — 8436

American Redstart — 6657

Northern Waterthrush — 5578

Ovenbird — 4807

Northern Parula — 3175

Grace’s Warbler — 2776

Nashville Warbler — 2511

Black-and-white Warbler — 2,085

Blackpoll Warbler — 1800

Chestnut-sided Warbler — 1613

Tennessee Warbler — 1451

Hooded Warbler — 1373

Palm Warbler: 1231

Black-throated Blue Warbler — 1163

Magnolia Warbler — 1004

Yellow-throated Warbler — 969

Pine Warbler- 885

Lucy’s Warbler- 693

Blue Winged Warbler- 486

Golden Winged Warbler- 476

Blackburnian Warbler — 428

Black-throated Green Warbler — 420

Cape May Warbler: 404

Bay-breasted Warbler — 403

Worm-eating Warbler — 334

Mourning Warbler — 318

Prairie Warbler: 301

Kentucky Warbler — 291

Louisiana Waterthrush — 267

Canada Warbler — 203

Hermit Warbler — 101

Golden-crowned Warbler — 92

Painted Redstart: 73

Swainson’s Warbler — 28

Connecticut Warbler: 26

Tropical Parula — 14

Cerulean Warbler — 7

Red-faced Warbler — 5

Vireos

Western Warbling Vireo — 65,500

Plumbeous Vireo — 32,200

Red Eyed Vireo: 4,678

Cassin’s Vireo — 3,239

Gray Vireo-3018

Eastern Warbling Vireo — 2,360

Bell’s Vireo- 1042

White-eyed Vireo — 889

Yellow-throated Vireo — 720

Philadelphia Vireo — 364

Blue-headed Vireo — 265

Yellow-green Vireo — 1

Photo by Brian Genge:

Kentucky Warbler in Lincoln County

Good birding,

Luke Pheneger

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[cobirds] Chico Basin Ranch Banding Report, June 6, 2026-Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

Last Day of spring banding at Chico Basin Ranch! Sad day to be ending but the birds said we are pretty much done migrating and taking up our breeding responsibilities. We will return in late August to catch the birds on their southern trip to the wintering grounds.

10 New Banded Birds

Swainson's Thrush- 1

House Finch- 2

Ladder-backed woodpecker-1

Orchard Oriole- 1

Blue Grosbeak- 1

Bullock's Oriole- 1

Northern Mockingbird- 2

American Robin- 1

1 Recapture

Yellow Warbler

Hope t see you all in the fall. Thanks again to the many volunteers who helped with the project. Thanks to Flying Diamond for their hospitality and patience when birders got lost on the ranch... We hope to have better signage to lessen folks getting lost.

Have a good summer!

Julie Shieldcastle

Bander, Chico Basin Ranch

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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[cobirds] Laughing Gull at Russell Lakes SWA, Saguache County on June 5

An alternate-plumaged adult Laughing Gull was at Johnson Lake in Russell Lakes SWA, Saguache County last evening. It was with a small party of Franklin's Gulls, flying around and resting on the lake. It is missing one or two inner primaries on the left wing. Johnson is the lake east of the parking lot located along Hwy 285. eBird has three prior records in the San Luis Valley: Sept 2012, May 2016, and Sept 2022 - all single day reports. 

David Suddjian

Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Kite Behavior Otero County

On April 2nd Michael Kiessig I and were observing Black Terns at Holbrook Reservoir, when he found a Mississippi Kite over the water, foraging in the same manner as the terns. Cruising low and catching tiny insects, moving fast, kind of erratic yet graceful…like a Black Tern (which I see feeding on small insects much more often than small fish). It even appeared able to skim the surface, once dipping a wingtip in the water as it turned sideways and shot back up in the air. 

This was the first time I’d seen a kite working so low. In my previous observations of them feeding, they were soaring and gliding fairly high to very high, where their food source was. 

This day was light rain, misty all morning, a bit of fog. It made me wonder if those weather conditions simply prevented the small bugs from being higher in the air, instead almost at ground level / water level. Or if the preferred hatch of the moment was an aquatic insect that emerges and never goes up very far in the air.

This one-off, low-down sighting was a bit surprising to me, and very fun to watch.

Dan Stringer

Larkspur, CO

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[cobirds] Chico Basin Ranch Banding Report, June 5, 2026-Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

A straggler Swainson's Thrush appeared in the net this morning. The other birds we caught today were breeding birds. We did catch a couple returning Yellow Warblers and Northern House Wren. Might as well gather some info on the breeding birds if I am here. 

7 New Banded Birds

Western Wood-Pewee- 1

Swainson's Thrush- 1

Lark Sparrow- 1

Bullock's Oriole- 3

American Robin- 1

4 Breeding Bird Recaptures

Bullock's Oriole- 3

Yellow Warbler- 1

3 Returning birds banded another season

Northern House Wren- At least 4 years old- banded as an adult last spring

Yellow Warbler- 2- male and female- banded last spring as second-year birds= each 3 years old

Thanks again to all the volunteers who made this season operate smoothly. Thanks also to the fellow birders who shared information about birds and their natural history.

Tomorrow is the last day of spring banding. The Aiken Audubon Site says there is a waiting list for anyone to visit the ranch tomorrow. Guess someone thinks it is going to be a big bird day! Or just want to visit the last day before fall season. :)

Have a good day and all the best for a good summer!

Julie Shieldcastle

Bander, Chico Basin Ranch

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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[cobirds] Cactus Wren location is Private Property

Just a quick note to remind birders to stay on the county roads in Otero and Las Animas counties near the current location of the Cactus Wren.  As soon as birders get off of Hwy 109 onto Otero County Road E there are signs about the area being private property.  PLEASE stay on the roads when you are birding the area (driving, walking, etc.).  We don't want issues with land owners, ranch managers and county sheriffs.

Thank you, considerate birders! :-)

Joey.

Joey Kellner

Littleton, Colorado

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Re: [cobirds] Chestnut Sided Warbler Costilla

Female, I presume? 

Chris Hobbs

Lenexa KS

chobbs.f1@gmail.com 

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
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From: cobirds@googlegroups.com <cobirds@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Luke Pheneger <phenegerluke@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 4, 2026 5:42:46 PM
To: Colorado Birds <Cobirds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [cobirds] Chestnut Sided Warbler Costilla

 

Hi all,

Yesterday, Jeff, Jeina Livingston, and I had a Chestnut-sided Warbler at Rito Seco Park in Costilla County. The exact pin was here (37.2533571, -105.3312214). This is a first eBird record for the county. I looked for the bird a bit this morning but could not refind it. That said, I think the area is well worth additional coverage, both for the Chestnut-sided Warbler and other late migrants. The site could be somewhat of a “breeder trap”, with a dense willowy oasis bordering a diverse conifer forest. 

Also present at the park was a calling Swainson’s Thrush, which represented just the fourth eBird record for the county. Costilla gets very little eBird coverage away from Smith Reservoir, so species that breed locally but aren’t common in the valley are often underrepresented there. For example, last year Sean Huntley, Archer Silverman, and I had Flammulated Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Long Eared Owl, and Northern Pygmy-Owl along a single road, all of which had less than 3 eBird records at the time. I bring this up not to brag, but to illustrate just how much of the county remains underbirded. If you’re looking to contribute eBird data to a region of the state that truly lacks coverage, consider exploring Costilla.

Luke Pheneger

Longmont

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[cobirds] Chestnut Sided Warbler Costilla

Hi all,

Yesterday, Jeff, Jeina Livingston, and I had a Chestnut-sided Warbler at Rito Seco Park in Costilla County. The exact pin was here (37.2533571, -105.3312214). This is a first eBird record for the county. I looked for the bird a bit this morning but could not refind it. That said, I think the area is well worth additional coverage, both for the Chestnut-sided Warbler and other late migrants. The site could be somewhat of a “breeder trap”, with a dense willowy oasis bordering a diverse conifer forest. 

Also present at the park was a calling Swainson’s Thrush, which represented just the fourth eBird record for the county. Costilla gets very little eBird coverage away from Smith Reservoir, so species that breed locally but aren’t common in the valley are often underrepresented there. For example, last year Sean Huntley, Archer Silverman, and I had Flammulated Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Long Eared Owl, and Northern Pygmy-Owl along a single road, all of which had less than 3 eBird records at the time. I bring this up not to brag, but to illustrate just how much of the county remains underbirded. If you’re looking to contribute eBird data to a region of the state that truly lacks coverage, consider exploring Costilla.

Luke Pheneger

Longmont

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[cobirds] Chico Basin Ranch Banding Report, June 4, 2026-Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

It appears that spring migration is pretty much over. There is a few stragglers still around. The Prothonotary Warbler was viewed at Headquarters Willows this morning but was observed flying north around 11 AM. So maybe it will hang out on the ranch or it has better things to do? It was a beautiful morning at the banding station even if there was few birds around. Not even a lot of breeding bird singing happening today. The female Common Yellowthroat was not hanging around. She was a fat bird. She was still in migration mode.

4 New Banded Birds 

Common Yellowthroat- 1

American Goldfinch- 1

House Finch- 2 Hatching year birds

No Recaptures

The banding station will be open tomorrow and Saturday from sunrise until @ 11AM. Saturday is the last day for the season. MANY THANKS to the volunteers putting in time to assist with the spring season. Thank you very much!

If interested in visiting the ranch these next couple days, Please register on the Aiken Audubon Website www.aikenaudubon.com

Have a good day!

Julie Shieldcastle

Bander, Chico Basin Ranch

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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[cobirds] Contact Info for Mike Carter, CBO founder & early director

Hi. I'm trying to get in contact with Mike Carter, the founder of Colorado Bird Observatory (now Bird Conservancy of the Rockies) regarding collaboration between CBO and banders at the Lykins Gulch/Allegra Collister Nature Preserve banding station in the early 1990s.  

If anyone has current contact information for Mike, I would appreciate it if you could pass my message along or let me know how to contact Mike.  I was given an @pljv.org email but a message to that email bounced. 

If you write me back, please don't reply all to the whole group. I wouldn't want Mike's information shared with everybody on this list. 

Thank you,
Megan 

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Megan Jones Patterson

Boulder County, CO

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[cobirds] Chico Basin Ranch Banding Report, June 3, 2026-Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

Since it is the tail end of bird migration, I am not expecting any numbers. There has been some migrants still coming through. Northern Parula was singing when putting the nets up today. A Magnolia and Prothonotary Warbler were observed and photographed by birders at Headquarters little pond this morning. The nets are still catching Swainson's Thrushes. What will tomorrow look like? Hopefully, we can reach double digits.

7 New Banded Birds

Western Kingbird- 1

Swainson's Thrush- 2

Orchard Oriole- 1

Bullock's Oriole- 1

Blue Grosbeak- 1

American Robin- 1

4 Breeding Bird Recaptures

Bullock's Oriole- 3

Blue Grosbeak- 1

The banding station will be open tomorrow through Saturday from sunrise until @ 11AM.

Remember if wanting to visit the ranch, please register on the Aiken Audubon website. www.aikenaudubon.com

Have a good day,

Julie Shieldcastle

Bander, Chico Basin Ranch

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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[cobirds] Chico Basin Ranch Banding Report, June 2, 2026-Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

Well, you sure cannot depend on the weather forecast here. This morning was a bit cooler than predicted but we caught more birds than yesterday. A couple new species for the season include: White-eyed Vireo and Curve-billed Thrasher. Not sure what the thrasher was doing near the nets; however, a nice bird to see.

15 New Banded Birds

White-eyed Vireo- 1

Willow Flycatcher- 1

Swainson's Thrush- 9

Bullock's Oriole- 2

Brown Thrasher- 1

Curve-billed Thrasher- 1

3 Recaptures-breeding species

American Robin

Yellow Warbler

Bullock's Oriole

Birds are in full breeding and still a few migrants trickling through. Birder's have observed Ladder-backed Woodpecker, American Robin, House Finch families on the ranch.

If wanting to visit the ranch this week, please register online at the Aiken Audubon website www.aikenaudubon.com

The banding station will be open tomorrow through Saturday from sunrise until @ 11AM.

Please stop by to share our sightings.

Have a good day,

Julie Shieldcastle

Bander, Chico Basin Ranch

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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Re: [cobirds] Need identification help - from RMNP

Hi Evon,

That is a Horned Lark.

David

On Tue, Jun 2, 2026 at 9:10 AM Evon Holladay <eholladay303@gmail.com> wrote:

We were in Estes Park/RMNP for the big snow storm the week of May 4. We spotted this little one foraging along the road.

Any ideas? It clearly has a black stripe around the neck.

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EH

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[cobirds] Need identification help - from RMNP

We were in Estes Park/RMNP for the big snow storm the week of May 4. We spotted this little one foraging along the road.

Any ideas? It clearly has a black stripe around the neck.

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[cobirds] Inaccessible birding opportunity at Antero Reservoir in Park County

Antero is now closed to general access as it is being de-watered to move the water supply to a downstream reservoir with less evaporation. I viewed it with a scope today from at least two miles away at Buffalo Creek Reservoir. It is perhaps 50% de-watered now, and the South Fork of the South Platte is flooding its banks downstream of the reservoir with the discharge of water. Due to the distance and heat shimmer it was hard to be sure of any IDs except for Am. White Pelicans, apparent cormorants and generic flying gulls (no doubt most or nearly all California Gulls). There were thousands of birds there! Blurry blobs in the scope, and no doubt many little ones I could not discern at all. I estimated about 600-700 pelicans, and maybe 2000 gulls, and lots and lots of other birds, too. There are huge expanses of shallowing water and mud flats, and presumably many fish and other life available for the birds. It would be awesome to get in there to see what is there!  I'm wondering if the Snowy Plovers that breed there are able to nest this year with these changes. I hope so. But scads of other birds are reaping the bounty for now. 

The rookery at Eleven Mile Reservoir (California Gulls, Am. White Pelicans and Double-crested Cormorants) is going strong. Birds nesting there fly to Spinney Mountain Reservoir and Antero to forage.

David Suddjian

Littleton, CO

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[cobirds] Chico Basin Ranch Banding Report, June 1, 2026-Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

Happy June! Migration is winding down; but there are still some flycatchers, Lincoln's Sparrows, and Swainson's Thrushes that are trickling through. All recaptures were breeding birds and maintained or lost a little weight from banding time. Breeding birds will be burning the energy they eat during nesting season.

12 New Banded Birds

Common Yellowthroat- 1

Western Wood-Pewee- 1

Willow Flycatcher-1

Alder Flycatcher- 1

Northern House Wren- 1

House Finch- 2

Lincoln's Sparrow- 1

Swainson's Thrush- 2

Northern Mockingbird- 1

Bullock's Oriole- 1

5 Recaptures

Western Wood-pewee- 1

Bullock's Oriole- 4

The Banding Station will be open tomorrow through Saturday from Sunrise until @ 11AM. Please register on the Aiken Audubon website if interested in visiting the ranch. www.aikenaudubon.com

Enjoy the Day,

Julie Shieldcastle

Bander, Chico Basin Ranch

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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[cobirds] Chatfield Banding Station, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies 5-31-26

We had nice weather, an interesting mix of birds, and very enthusiastic visitors for our final day of the spring 2026 season.

Among our 17 species (including all birds caught - banded today, banded in some prior year, and banded earlier this season), we got two first of season and relatively rare for us species (Plumbeous Vireo and Black-headed Grosbeak). 

We also caught another old Yellow Warbler (banded as an adult male in 2021 and caught every year since).  That gives us 3 old Yellows for the season - 2 males that would have hatched in 2019 or before and a female that would have hatched in 2015 or before.

Here's the breakdown of the 17 banded today and the 5 new returns:

Downy Woodpecker 1, banded 2024

Western Wood-pewee 1
Western Flycatcher 1
Plumbeous Vireo 2
Swainson's Thrush 1
Gray Catbird 3 new, 1 banded 2023
Yellow Warbler 4 new, 1 banded 2021
Common Yellowthroat 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 1 new, 1 banded 2024
Song Sparrow 1 new, 1 banded 2025 (these were 2 males in breeding condition, caught at the same time in the same net, and almost chasing each other along the trammel)

Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Black-headed Grosbeak 1

Done at Chatfield for spring 2026!  Watch for info about banding at Chatfield this fall, as well as fall at Barr Lake (where we will be back at our regular site after two years in a temporary location due to dam repair).

Meredith McBurney
Bander, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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[cobirds] Nick Komar Book Signing and Reading

Front Range Birding & Optics is pleased to host birding rockstar Nick Komar for a reading and signing of his new book The Biggest Year in American Birding: A Quest to Find 900 Birds in the USA and its Territories at both of our stores today, June 1st.

Littleton: 11am to 1pm 10146 W. San Juan Way Unit 110      Call 303-979-2473 to register

Boulder: 3pm to 5pm 2425 Canyon Blvd Suite B                    Call 303-979-2475 to register

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--Jamie Simo

Manager Front Range Birding & Optics

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[cobirds] Chatfield Banding Station, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies 5-30-26

A warm, slow morning for our next to last day of the season.  Here are our 12 new birds:

Western Flycatcher 1
Gray Catbird 1
Yellow Warbler 5
American Redstart 1
Wilson's Warbler 2
Cedar Waxwing 2 (the stars of today's show!)

We will take the station down after banding tomorrow!

Meredith McBurney
Bander, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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[cobirds] Chico Basin Ranch Banding Report, May 30, 2026

All spring we have not caught much quantity but we have been fortunate that we have caught some quality birds. Today was no exception and of course the highlight bird decided to be caught the last net check. What a surprise when I saw there was a female Painted Bunting that came out of the net. I was not the person who extracted it so I only saw it when it came out of the transport bag to be banded. I could not believe it but nothing else looks that color green of a female Painted Bunting. 

A couple Swainson's Thrushes, Wilson's Warbler, and three female Orchard Orioles were the most identified migrants of the day. The Northern Parula was still singing near the goats this morning as well as the Red-headed Woodpecker came and went a couple times near the banding station during the morning.

13 New Banded Birds

Wilson's Warbler- 1

American Goldfinch- 1

Lazuli Bunting- 1

Painted Bunting- 1

House Finch- 1

Blue Grosbeak- 1

Orchard Oriole- 3

Ash-throated Flycatcher- 1

Canyon Towhee- 1

Swainson's Thrush- 2

1 Recapture

Bullock's Oriole

1 Return- banded as an adult in 2025

Blue Grosbeak- She is at least 4 Years old 

The banding station will be closed tomorrow but will reopen Monday at sunrise until @11AM. 

If wanting to bird/visit the ranch tomorrow or next week, please register on the Aiken Audubon Website www.aikenaudubon.com

Have a good weekend and see you Monday!

Julie Shieldcastle

Bander, Chico Basin Ranch

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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[cobirds] Chatfield Banding Station, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies 5-29-26

Another day when the birds were out and about early and then took a nap as it heated up.  Probably our warmest day this season.  Only banded 17 birds, but caught another 15 that we had already caught this season, so we had plenty of birds for our visitor groups.

Here are the 17 new:

Western Wood-pewee 3
Western Flycatcher 3
Least Flycatcher 1
Warbling Vireo, Western by measurements 1

Swainson's Thrush 1
Gray Catbird 1
Yellow Warbler 2
American Redstart 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Wilson's Warbler 2
Lincoln's Sparrow 1

Two more days!

Meredith McBurney
Bander, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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[cobirds] Re: Magnolia Warbler, CSR , El Paso Co, Thursday

I just want to agree with Diane that your posts and your banding have been great to read about. Candice and Tim Johnson

On Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 2:13:04 PM UTC-6 Steven Brown wrote:

Hey COBirders,

I, too, tried banding in the drizzle Wednesday at Clear Spring Ranch - hoping for some sort of fallout, but it remained pretty quiet - and only 12 birds were  banded.

Today the site was sloppy wet, but there were more birds, both migrants and local nesters.

Highlight was a SY M Magnolia Warbler - my second this season. Very petite, very cute.

Also larger birds were banded today - for a total of 26 today - my best day this week. 750 for the season.

Including:

Blue Grosbeak, 4 (2 Ad M, 1 SY M, 1 Ad F) - BLGR’s just arrived this week.

W Tanager, Ad F

Bullock’s Oriole - Ad M

Swainson’s Thrush, Ad

Black-headed Grosbeak, Ad F

Brown Thrasher - SY (second year)

Lazuli Bunting, Ad F

Western Wood Pewee, 2 Ad, along with two yesterday - they just arrived Tuesday!

MacGillivray’s Warbler 2, SY F’s

and 3 Yellow Warblers, 1 Ad M, 2 SY F’s.

Friday is my last day at CSR banding…. really. It is getting to be too much for my aged knees, so I am letting it go.

Many thanks to those who shared supportive messages over the last 15 seasons. It has been way too much fun.

Last I looked I had banded about 33,000 birds at Clear Spring Ranch since 2012.  Lotsa Chipping Sparrows!!!

Thanks, and Happy Migration!

Steve Brown

Colo Spgs

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[cobirds] Re: Myers Gulch Tour coming up Saturday

My spelling is bad:  it's Meyer's Gulch \ Walker Ranch Trail. (Thanks Paula).     Note:  this is filling up pretty fast.  Will need responses to individual email, before 8 p.m.  Friday.  

Happy birding, 

John T 

On Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 3:50:32 PM UTC-6 John Tumasonis wrote:

All:

        Another free birding and nature tour coming up this Saturday May 30th, at Myers Gulch County Open Space, west of Boulder.  

We will hike a portion of the Myers Gulch Trail to see foothills birds and identify edible, medicinal, and poisonous plants and wildflowers.  Expect to see green tailed towhees, vesper sparrows, bluebirds, violet green swallows, raptors, ravens, tanagers, and other mountain birds, as well as butterflies and pollinators. This area is "mammal rich" with coyotes, mule deer, fox, pocket gophers, and the occasional moose and black bear.  

Limit to 12 people.  Do NOT respond to this group email.  Rather - response to me directly if you want to be on this tour.   I will respond with times and meeting place, and what to expect.  

Thanks, 

John T (Tumasonis)  

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Re: [cobirds] Magnolia Warbler, CSR , El Paso Co, Thursday

Hi All & Steve Brown,

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Steve’s banding reports through the years. Many thanks for your conservation efforts for our feathered friends. 

Diane Roberts

Highlands Ranch 

Sent from my iPhone

On May 28, 2026, at 2:13 PM, Steven Brown <sbrown37@gmail.com> wrote:

 Hey COBirders,

I, too, tried banding in the drizzle Wednesday at Clear Spring Ranch - hoping for some sort of fallout, but it remained pretty quiet - and only 12 birds were  banded.

Today the site was sloppy wet, but there were more birds, both migrants and local nesters.

Highlight was a SY M Magnolia Warbler - my second this season. Very petite, very cute.

Also larger birds were banded today - for a total of 26 today - my best day this week. 750 for the season.

Including:

Blue Grosbeak, 4 (2 Ad M, 1 SY M, 1 Ad F) - BLGR’s just arrived this week.

W Tanager, Ad F

Bullock’s Oriole - Ad M

Swainson’s Thrush, Ad

Black-headed Grosbeak, Ad F

Brown Thrasher - SY (second year)

Lazuli Bunting, Ad F

Western Wood Pewee, 2 Ad, along with two yesterday - they just arrived Tuesday!

MacGillivray’s Warbler 2, SY F’s

and 3 Yellow Warblers, 1 Ad M, 2 SY F’s.

Friday is my last day at CSR banding…. really. It is getting to be too much for my aged knees, so I am letting it go.

Many thanks to those who shared supportive messages over the last 15 seasons. It has been way too much fun.

Last I looked I had banded about 33,000 birds at Clear Spring Ranch since 2012.  Lotsa Chipping Sparrows!!!

Thanks, and Happy Migration!

Steve Brown

Colo Spgs

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[cobirds] Chatfield Banding Station, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies 5-28-26

We were busy early on, while it was cloudy and cool.  But once the sun came out things slowed way down.  20 new birds and 5 returns:

Western Wood-pewee 2
Dusky Flycatcher 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1, banded 2024
Northern House Wren 1, banded 2024
Gray Catbird 5 new, 2 returns, 1 banded 2025, 1 banded 2021
Yellow Warbler 7 
Wilson's Warbler 1
Spotted Towhee 1, banded 2025
White-crowned Sparrow, Mountain 1
Lazuli Bunting 1
Lesser Goldfinch 1
American Goldfinch 1

Just three more days this spring!

Meredith McBurney
Bander, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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[cobirds] Myers Gulch Tour coming up Saturday

All:

        Another free birding and nature tour coming up this Saturday May 30th, at Myers Gulch County Open Space, west of Boulder.  

We will hike a portion of the Myers Gulch Trail to see foothills birds and identify edible, medicinal, and poisonous plants and wildflowers.  Expect to see green tailed towhees, vesper sparrows, bluebirds, violet green swallows, raptors, ravens, tanagers, and other mountain birds, as well as butterflies and pollinators. This area is "mammal rich" with coyotes, mule deer, fox, pocket gophers, and the occasional moose and black bear.  

Limit to 12 people.  Do NOT respond to this group email.  Rather - response to me directly if you want to be on this tour.   I will respond with times and meeting place, and what to expect.  

Thanks, 

John T (Tumasonis)  

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[cobirds] Prosaic sightings (Broad-tailed Hummer & Common Nighthawk) - Arapahoe

In my west Centennial yard, male Broad-tailed Hummingbirds have been trilling about, particularly in the early evening, dusky light, around several blooming penstemons (Penstemon eatonii & P. clutei) and just-now-starting-to-bloom Salvia greggii and Scrophularia macrantha ("Red Birds in a Tree"). The lateness of their visits, which extend well past sunset, has surprised me a little. It's fun to watch them around plants, which they seem to much prefer to the feeders in my backyard. 

On Tuesday (5/26), I had my first Common Nighthawk sighting. Right on schedule, but it was the nature of the sighting that surprised me: a silent and low bird, barely over the tree line, flew over my home near the end of dusk. Given its low flight, it seemed to emerge out of the neighborhood. More typical at this time of year are the higher migratory flights,  with calls, usually a little earlier in the evening. 

- Jared Del Rosso

Centennial, CO

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[cobirds] Magnolia Warbler, CSR , El Paso Co, Thursday

Hey COBirders,

I, too, tried banding in the drizzle Wednesday at Clear Spring Ranch - hoping for some sort of fallout, but it remained pretty quiet - and only 12 birds were  banded.

Today the site was sloppy wet, but there were more birds, both migrants and local nesters.

Highlight was a SY M Magnolia Warbler - my second this season. Very petite, very cute.

Also larger birds were banded today - for a total of 26 today - my best day this week. 750 for the season.

Including:

Blue Grosbeak, 4 (2 Ad M, 1 SY M, 1 Ad F) - BLGR’s just arrived this week.

W Tanager, Ad F

Bullock’s Oriole - Ad M

Swainson’s Thrush, Ad

Black-headed Grosbeak, Ad F

Brown Thrasher - SY (second year)

Lazuli Bunting, Ad F

Western Wood Pewee, 2 Ad, along with two yesterday - they just arrived Tuesday!

MacGillivray’s Warbler 2, SY F’s

and 3 Yellow Warblers, 1 Ad M, 2 SY F’s.

Friday is my last day at CSR banding…. really. It is getting to be too much for my aged knees, so I am letting it go.

Many thanks to those who shared supportive messages over the last 15 seasons. It has been way too much fun.

Last I looked I had banded about 33,000 birds at Clear Spring Ranch since 2012.  Lotsa Chipping Sparrows!!!

Thanks, and Happy Migration!

Steve Brown

Colo Spgs

[cobirds] Chico Basin Ranch Banding Station Report- May 28, 2026-Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

Yesterday was a drizzly, rainy day for Chico Basin Ranch. Rain was needed and appreciated for the grass and plants to grow. Plants are a necessary part of the ecosystem. Birds need plants. Habitat is so important for everything to exist.  

With the low heavy clouds this morning not many birds were dropping into the woods. Once the sun peaked out just before 11AM; birds were chasing each other like crazy. Bullock's Orioles in particular with males chasing males and males chasing females. We did capture a first for the season: a male Ladderback Woodpecker. They occasionally fly low enough to get caught in our nets. Swainson's Thrushes were scarce and one MacGillivray's Warbler was singing around the nets. An adult American Redstart was spotted in the area of the nets.

19 New Banded Birds

MacGillivray's Warbler- 3

Yellow-rumped Warbler (MyrtleXAudubon)- 1

Western Flycatcher- 1

Western Wood-Pewee- 4

Willow Flycatcher- 1

American Goldfinch- 1

Lesser Goldfinch- 2

Lincoln's Sparrow- 2

Swainson's Thrush- 1

Bullock's Oriole-1

Common Grackle- 1

Ladderback Woodpecker- 1

8 Recaptures

Lazuli Bunting

MacGillivray's Warbler

Bullock's Oriole- 6 (These birds have lost weight/fat from their original banding because they are expending energy chasing each other and preparing for nesting).

The Banding Station will be open tomorrow through Saturday from Sunrise until @ 11AM. Please register on the Aiken Audubon website if you are interested in birding/visiting the ranch. www.aikenaudubon.com

Enjoy the Day,

Julie Shieldcastle

Bander, Chico Basin Ranch

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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[cobirds] Hooded Warbler, Colorado Springs

I’ve had an adult male Hooded Warbler in Shooks Run Park the last two mornings. He’s been in the riparian growth along the creek to the north of the intersection of Willamette and El Paso, singing actively. Chris Selvig Colorado Springs -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate. * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/membership/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/0BCA8928-3E6D-493E-9F12-AFC2AB142DF0%40gmail.com.

[cobirds] Chatfield Banding Station, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies 5-27-26

We had a busy first hour as the birds dashed about before the drizzle started.   We were able to open again a couple of hours later but the birds weren't nearly as active.  So, a modest but nice day.  

Most exciting bird was a Yellow Warbler, historically our most often caught species.  Those of you who have visited the station know we pretty carefully track the return of these beautiful birds.  Today we caught a female that we had banded as an adult in 2017, so she hatched in 2015 or before.  She just joined our longevity hall of fame!

Here's the breakdown of today's 20 new and 3 returns:

Western Wood-pewee 7
Black-capped Chickadee 1, banded 2025
Northern House Wren 1, banded 2023
Swainson's Thrush 1
Gray Catbird 3
Yellow Warbler 6 new, 1 return (see above)
Wilson's Warbler 1
Western Tanager 1
Song Sparrow 1

We are banding Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays) through May 31, weather permitting.  There are opportunities for the public to visit on weekends and early mornings most weekdays.  Reservations are required and can be made through the Denver Audubon website.  (Many/most sessions are already sold out, so sign up now if you are interested!)

Meredith McBurney
Bander, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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[cobirds] Clark's Grebe Weld County

There is a lone Clarks Grebe near the south shore of Highland Lake, across from my house this afternoon. I haven't seen one in years. We always see the Western Grebes, and both used to breed and nest here, but not in the past few years. A few Western Grebes went through a few weeks ago but didn't stay.

Pauli Smith

Highlandlake/Mead, Weld County, CO

Re: [cobirds] recent posts to COBIRDS

Dave-

 

i love getting all of your email's about birds and their food. I'd rather get duplicates than miss any.

Sent from AOL Desktop

 

Buzz Schaumberg

cell: 303.478.4641

In a message dated 5/17/2026 3:28:05 PM Mountain Daylight Time, daleatherman@msn.com writes:

 

I spent about 4 hours composing a post to COBIRDS this morning and then received a message from GoogleGroups that it couldn’t be sent because it was too big.  After a bleep-punctuated period of frustration that my apartment neighbors probably overheard, I sat down and composed a smaller one.  Now I see that BOTH posts went out.  Sorry for the duplication but it’s not my fault.

 

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins 

 

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[cobirds] Re: David Suddjian eBird top audio World

Well done David!

On Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 3:18:40 PM UTC-6 linda purcell wrote:

Red Crossbill!   well done, David! 

  

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