[cobirds] Tis the season (Arapahoe County)

This morning there were 5 Goldfinches at my thistle feeder after months of none, and for some reason they burst me into song:  5 Gold(en) Finches, 4 calling Jays, 3 winter sparrows (White-throated, White-crowned, Song), 2 collared Doves, and a Screech Owl in an Elm tree.  So what else is in my yard?  12 Drummers drumming (OK, maybe only 4 Flickers, 2 Downies and a Hairy, but if you add the White-breasted and red-breasted nuthatches it equals 12), 11 Finches filching (sunflower seeds), 10 Juncos jousting (for position at the feeders), 9 Robins robbing (the Hackberries -- but where are the Waxwings?) ,8 Magpies munching (everything -- they're omnivores) ,7 Starlings staring, 6 Geese a - cackling (multiply x 10), 5 Golden Finches (etc., ending of course with the lovely Screech Owl).

But the real Christmas presents were the Dipper and the Greater White-fronted Goose, both new yard birds and quite unexpected!!

Enjoy the season!  (And I hope the song doesn't run through your head now every time you see 5 Goldfinches.)

Mary Kay Waddington

--
--
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/CAA-Db7c7e1zpTijSMBBPo-e-tMb-g_O%3D7EG7ehWhY%2BduyWu83w%40mail.gmail.com.

[cobirds] More Christmas Bird Counts still ahead

Hi All,

Many Colorado Christmas Bird Counts have already been done, though there are still more on the schedule.  Join in if you can.

Saturday, Dec 28th, 2024:

Cortez

Douglas County

Delta

Greeley

Rifle Creek

Sunday, Dec 29th, 2024:

Barr Lake

Tuesday, Dec 31st, 2024:

Great Sand Dunes N.P.

Wednesday, Jan 1st, 2025:

Denver (urban)

Grand Mesa

Loveland

Saturday, Jan 4th, 2025:

Flagler

Hotchkiss

Rawhide Energy Station

Sunday, Jan 5th, 2025:

Air Force Academy

Black Forest

Rocky Mountain National Park 

Brandon Percival
Pueblo West, CO

--
--
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/CA%2BXeEuXzoU%3DH8VfT6K%2Bfu5JHAhCdk5n8%2B4ijyhqaH9vFnutdcg%40mail.gmail.com.

[cobirds] Getting into the CBC Spirit (Arapahoe)

Since moving to Centennial (Arapahoe County) in 2016, I've conducted a makeshift winter count in my local birding circle. The circle, with a radius of three miles, is roughly centered on deKoevend Park, just north of University and Arapahoe, in Centennial. Because it's squeezed between the perimeters of the two Denver CBCs, most of it goes uncounted during the formal counts.

This year's count yielded 45 species, mostly the most expected metro area birds.

Highlights…

• A skulking tan-striped White-throated Sparrow along the High Line Canal Trail near Kent Denver School. Took every effort to actually see the bird and even then only briefly.
• A briefly not skulking Hermit Thrush at Ketring Park in Littleton. Oddly, Hermit Thrushes are more commonly reported at the park in the winter than in spring or autumn.
• A massive Bald Eagle, possibly a female, on top of enormous transmission towers along Willow Spring Open Space. I'm used to seeing Red-tails up there. Unlike the Red-tails, the eagle filled the platform of the tower. I know Bald Eagles are common, perhaps even blasé to many birders. They're not exactly uncommon in Centennial, but I only see them a few times a year around here.
• As always, Eastern Screech-Owls—two, along the High Line Canal Trail

Misses…

• Bushtits, not in the pinyon pines they like behind Trader Joe's in Greenwood Village
• Townsend's Solitaires, not calling from the tops of pines and junipers.

Fittingly, a Townsend's Solitaire, singing from a neighborhood pine, and a flock of Bushtits were the two first species I heard on a neighborhood walk this morning.

Also misses…

• Great Horned Owls, not calling alongside the Screech-Owls.
• Uncommon suburban pond and lawn waterfowl. No Snow Goose, Ross's Goose, or Greater White-fronted Goose. No mergansers, Redheads, Canvasbacks, Wood Ducks.

Other notable sightings, mostly non-avian. Photographs of these are on my blog.

• Recent tree work on the High Line Canal seems to have displaced a Western Honey Bee colony. Despite the relatively cold and cloudy weather, they were active, perhaps simply to survive, along the trail.
• The remains of a Cooper's / Sharp-shinned Hawk, including tail feathers and a clean skull.
• Orthotrichum moss growing on the base of a landscaping maple. Mosses on trees are fairly uncommon around Centennial (at least it seems to me), so this was a neat sight.
• A rock moss among a lovely spread of lichens on concrete at Willow Spring Open Space.

- Jared Del Rosso
Centennial, CO

--
--
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/63a563fa-c313-4ba6-a704-966a8c168f5bn%40googlegroups.com.

[cobirds] Two species of loons at Cherry Creek SP, Arapahoe County

Today at 9 am there were 2 Yellow-billed Loons together, about 6 ft apart, diving near Pelican Pt.  Best views are from the nearby marina parking lot. At the other end of the lake near West Shores was a single Red-throated Loon, with a needle-like bill, upturned, and a very white face & neck. No Common Loons seen! 

--
--
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/CAKZ4kUt9dFzK4J3E4Wmfmj3euh7-Kz_4%2BKPXi3DPhZS7ADtv4g%40mail.gmail.com.

[cobirds] Boulder Sapsucker

Hi

Given the degree of plumage variability between the Red and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and based on the photos there may not be a definitive answer to which sapsucker is represented in the photos, but I could be wrong as I have been many times in the past.

Cheers

Bob Righter

--
--
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/66763964-B35C-45CC-9368-C77B5E5FB5EC%40earthlink.net.

[cobirds] Re: Boulder Sapsucker ID help please (Boulder County)

Consensus is that this bird is a young female Yellow-billed Sapsucker. The white wing patch seems to be obscured by chest feathers in my photos. 

This morning she was back at the same pine tree as yesterday.  

Thanks to those who helped me with the ID!

Richard Trinkner

Boulder

On Dec 17, 2024, at 4:43 PM, Richard Trinkner <Rtrinkner@icloud.com> wrote:



Hi folks,

This morning I photographed a sapsucker at the Boulder Community Gardens. My tentative ID is that it's a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, but it confuses me because it doesn't show white wing patches. I'd appreciate any ID suggestions. 

Photos are at https://ebird.org/checklist/S205728343.

I'm thinking that this bird is a young female, transitioning between juvenile and adult plumage. There's a red patch on the top of the head but a white throat patch. It's speckled overall, with a general dark appearance. It has faint yellow coloring to the belly. Maybe the white wing patches are actually covered by the wind-blown chest feathers. 

I saw the same bird exactly a week ago to the hour on the same tree. It puzzled me a week ago because I didn't see white wing patches then either.  A week ago, I didn't have my camera.

The habitat is north-central Boulder on the edge of a suburban housing development about 3/4 east of the foothills. 

Thanks,

Richard Trinkner

Boulder County

Re: [cobirds] Boulder Sapsucker ID help please (Boulder County)

In examining some of Jim Ward's photos of the same bird in the below checklist it does look like the top tip of the white wing patch is visible, with the rest of it covered up by a few side/flank feathers that are untucked covering over the wing. Also Jim had shared a back of camera view with a BoCo chat group that showed a bit more of a white wing patch. In your photos it looks like a similar thing is happening >> if you look at where primaries are, the primary/secondary coverts appear to be mostly covered by untucked side/flank feathers.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S205742683

Good birding,

Jeff Percell

On Tue, Dec 17, 2024 at 5:41 PM 'Jim Nelson' via Colorado Birds <cobirds@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Richard,

I think this is most likely an immature female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  It looks like birds I see here in Maryland in the fall/winter.  I think an immature male would be showing at least a hint of red feathering coming in on the throat given the extent of red showing on this bird the top of its head.

Jim Nelson

Bethesda, Maryland

On 12/17/2024 6:43 PM, 'Richard Trinkner' via Colorado Birds wrote:

Hi folks,

This morning I photographed a sapsucker at the Boulder Community Gardens. My tentative ID is that it's a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, but it confuses me because it doesn't show white wing patches. I'd appreciate any ID suggestions. 

Photos are at https://ebird.org/checklist/S205728343.

I'm thinking that this bird is a young female, transitioning between juvenile and adult plumage. There's a red patch on the top of the head but a white throat patch. It's speckled overall, with a general dark appearance. It has faint yellow coloring to the belly. Maybe the white wing patches are actually covered by the wind-blown chest feathers. 

I saw the same bird exactly a week ago to the hour on the same tree. It puzzled me a week ago because I didn't see white wing patches then either.  A week ago, I didn't have my camera.

The habitat is north-central Boulder on the edge of a suburban housing development about 3/4 east of the foothills. 

Thanks,

Richard Trinkner

Boulder County

--
--
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/dbcbd5e9-798e-4efe-bdb6-1004c6458a44%40me.com.

--
--
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/94f63c68-0a01-43eb-bb6c-9d3898383a89%40verizon.net.

--
--
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/CAARWy%2Bg6E79WGAxoNKNdagwoCBChsj%2BeEUDre_kBzcLXzG4j7A%40mail.gmail.com.