[cobirds] Bird Conservancy's annual Block Party, June 21

Hi all, 

Bird Conservancy's annual Block Party is a warm-weather celebration of birds, conservation, and community partners! Over 150 guests will soak up the sun at Maxline Brewing as they enjoy amazing beer, fun activities, and live music. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase your support of the natural world and the community of Fort Collins!

Bird lovers of all ages welcome! $30 per ticket.

Get tickets at: birdconservancy.org/block-party

Date and Time

Saturday, June 21, 2025
12:00 PM – 5:00 PM, (MDT)

Location

2724 McClelland Drive
Fort Collins, Colorado 80525
United States

Let me know if you have any questions about this event!

Nathan Pieplow

Board member, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

Boulder, Colorado

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Re: [cobirds] Merlin and King Rail

Thank you Norm and Susan for your examples of Merlin being misused. For me, Merlin identified a coyote howl as a common loon, in the middle of a pinyon pine forest in Crestone, CO. 

I agree it is a great tool and also agree it should never replace actual sound and visual IDs by live humans.

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On Jun 2, 2025, at 7:18 PM, Norm Erthal <normanerthal@gmail.com> wrote:

If you are using Merlin to identify birds by sound only without significant experience with the songs and calls, you are likely making numerous mistakes. I know of experienced birders with some amazing birds it identifies that are simply not there. The other morning it identified Plumbeous Vireo, Veery, Scarlet Tanager, and Summer Tanager within a few minutes. For the latter two, it was using Robin calls. It would have been a staggering number of new yard birds. In an Arvada park, I "tallied" Common Loon (a cow}, Pygmy Nuthatch {no trees within 200 feet} and Red Crossbill. Merlin is a great tool, but the frequency of misidentifications occurs very often. It has identified Prairie Dogs as Savannah Sparrow and squirrels as several things. A friend of mine had three first state records in his yard, none of which existed. The phrase "identified by Merlin" are the three scariest words my friends and I see on reports. If it "identifies" a rare bird, you need to see it.

The King Rail at Chico Basin needs good recordings for me to believe it was there. Nathan Pieplow made recordings of what others were calling the King Rail and after analyzing them as a female Virginia Rail. Nathan is excellent at doing this. There was a King Rail that was reported at John Martin several years ago. He again made recordings and again it was a Virginia Rail. I am very skeptical of King Rail id's without recordings that he has reviewed.

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Re: [cobirds] Anhinga, Boulder County

The Anhinga is still present.

Ken Wat

Aurora

On Mon, Jun 2, 2025, 12:43 PM Nathan Pieplow <npieplow@gmail.com> wrote:

An Anhinga found by Greg Levandowski is currently being seen by multiple birders at 95th and Boulder Creek in eastern Boulder County. 

https://goo.gl/maps/jinaS5D6pHBMMA5m9

Christian Nunes forwards the following request from Open Space: "Please don't park on the newly planted restoration area. Also please don't block any ranch gates. Parking closer to boulder creek is allowable, but please don't disturb the Osprey at their nest."

I will add that a cyclist was killed by a car very near here a few days ago. Be very careful if birding along this busy stretch of road.

Nathan Pieplow 

Boulder 

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[cobirds] Nighthawks & Nighthawks & Nighthawks - Arapahoe

With nightjars, there's a thin line between faith and stubbornness.

Tonight, I was rewarded by whatever we want to call my ritual of looking at the darkening and too often empty sky during the last week of May and the first of June. Eight Common Nighthawks flew over, a good number for spring migration. 

The first seven were in three groups (3 - 2 - 2) and flew moderately low and moderately directly northwest.

The eighth hung around over my west Centennial house, flying low loops, roughly at the level of the bats (Big Brown Bats, presumably?). 

- Jared Del Rosso

Centennial, CO

lonesomewhippoorwill.com

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Re: [cobirds] Merlin and King Rail

If I believed everything Merlin ID'd, I'd have Cardinals all over the place! 

Apparently, Starlings and Mockingbirds can easily fool Merlin. 

That said, it's a really useful additional tool to use. I'm sure it will improve over time.

Susan Rosine 

Brighton

On Mon, Jun 2, 2025, 7:18 PM Norm Erthal <normanerthal@gmail.com> wrote:

If you are using Merlin to identify birds by sound only without significant experience with the songs and calls, you are likely making numerous mistakes. I know of experienced birders with some amazing birds it identifies that are simply not there. The other morning it identified Plumbeous Vireo, Veery, Scarlet Tanager, and Summer Tanager within a few minutes. For the latter two, it was using Robin calls. It would have been a staggering number of new yard birds. In an Arvada park, I "tallied" Common Loon (a cow}, Pygmy Nuthatch {no trees within 200 feet} and Red Crossbill. Merlin is a great tool, but the frequency of misidentifications occurs very often. It has identified Prairie Dogs as Savannah Sparrow and squirrels as several things. A friend of mine had three first state records in his yard, none of which existed. The phrase "identified by Merlin" are the three scariest words my friends and I see on reports. If it "identifies" a rare bird, you need to see it.

The King Rail at Chico Basin needs good recordings for me to believe it was there. Nathan Pieplow made recordings of what others were calling the King Rail and after analyzing them as a female Virginia Rail. Nathan is excellent at doing this. There was a King Rail that was reported at John Martin several years ago. He again made recordings and again it was a Virginia Rail. I am very skeptical of King Rail id's without recordings that he has reviewed.

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[cobirds] Merlin and King Rail

If you are using Merlin to identify birds by sound only without significant experience with the songs and calls, you are likely making numerous mistakes. I know of experienced birders with some amazing birds it identifies that are simply not there. The other morning it identified Plumbeous Vireo, Veery, Scarlet Tanager, and Summer Tanager within a few minutes. For the latter two, it was using Robin calls. It would have been a staggering number of new yard birds. In an Arvada park, I "tallied" Common Loon (a cow}, Pygmy Nuthatch {no trees within 200 feet} and Red Crossbill. Merlin is a great tool, but the frequency of misidentifications occurs very often. It has identified Prairie Dogs as Savannah Sparrow and squirrels as several things. A friend of mine had three first state records in his yard, none of which existed. The phrase "identified by Merlin" are the three scariest words my friends and I see on reports. If it "identifies" a rare bird, you need to see it.

The King Rail at Chico Basin needs good recordings for me to believe it was there. Nathan Pieplow made recordings of what others were calling the King Rail and after analyzing them as a female Virginia Rail. Nathan is excellent at doing this. There was a King Rail that was reported at John Martin several years ago. He again made recordings and again it was a Virginia Rail. I am very skeptical of King Rail id's without recordings that he has reviewed.

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[cobirds] Viewing the Anhinga

Birders,

First, there is a female ANHINGA at the second pond north of Boulder Creek along the east side of 95th St. in Boulder County. Found by Greg Levandoski earlier today. https://maps.app.goo.gl/J37AGTo3KowDoSaz7?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

A few things to please be aware of while viewing the bird on Boulder Valley Farm: 

-the ponds and surrounding farmland are closed to the public. The bird is perfectly visible from the road.

-the sides of the road were recently seeded and are actively being restored after a large construction project. Please, please do not park on or trample this restoration site.

-do not block ranch gates and be courteous to the ranch manager, John, if you see him. 

-there is an active Osprey nest a few hundred yards south of the Anhinga pond, close to the Boulder Creek bridge. Please give them space. 

Happy chasing,

 

Christian Nunes

City of Boulder OSMP