Monday, 1 June 2026

[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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Saturday, 30 May 2026

[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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Friday, 29 May 2026

[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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