[cobirds] Chico Basin Ranch Banding Station Report-Bird Conservancy of the Rockies-September 29, 2026

Well, after the rain that keeps filtering up from Hurricane Polo on the Mexican Baja; I did not think I would be able to open the nets today. The sun shined believe it or not after 10:30 AM . There were a few birds around the Olive grove. Several Wilson's Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets flitting around. Five bird species were banded. The Highlight is always a Townsend's Solitaire!

11 New Banded Birds

Wilson's Warbler- 5

Ruby-crowned Kinglet- 2

Red-breasted Nuthatch- 1

Townsend's Solitaire- 1

Hermit Thrush- 2

2 Recaptures- banded this season- both gained almost 2 grams since last banding

Hermit Thrush- 2

This is the last week of banding this season. Banding will commence at Sunrise until @ 11:45 AM weather permitting through Friday. If interested in visiting the Ranch, Please register online at www.aikenaudubon.com Stop by the Banding station and share your sightings.

Enjoy the Day!

Julie Shieldcastle, Bander

Chico Basin Ranch

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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[cobirds] Sora, downtown Colorado Springs

I was out for my morning walk around the neighborhood and bumped into a juvenile Sora on the sidewalk, on Cache la Poudre a few blocks from Shook's Run Creek. It did not seem to be ill or injured, and ducked back into a bush before I could get a photo, so I left it to its own devices. Not a wildly unusual bird in the general area, but the first I've seen away from riparian reeds/grasses.

Chris Selvig

Colorado Springs

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[cobirds] Field Sparrow reports

At the risk of rocks being thrown my direction, it seems to me “Field Sparrows” are being over-reported.  Yes, the occasional Field Sparrow can show up almost anywhere in CO, but they are only semi-expected on the far eastern plains.  Lots of young Spizella sparrows are pouring thru at present and Brewer’s Sparrows in particular can have a pinkish beak and conspicuous eyering.  As such, they can look a lot like the western gray race of Field Sparrow, especially young birds.  I have seen several checklists with “multiple” “Field Sparrows” on them that are suspicious.  The beak of Field Sparrow is usually a deeper pink than Brewers.  Field Sparrow eyering is a bit wider and brighter white. Rump of Field Sparrow is gray, that of Brewer’s is brownish-gray.  Photos are always good.  If the bird photographed really is a Field Sparrow, the photo might prove that AND provide valuable information on which subspecies is involved.  I feel for the eBird vetters.

 

No rocks, please, I’m stiff and dodging is more difficult by the day.

 

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins

 

 

[cobirds] Re: mountain birds wandering

The mountain birds are invading nearby Oklahoma and Kansas too this month.  The big news in Oklahoma was the first state record American Three-toed Woodpecker near Felt, Oklahoma on Sept 9-10.  Also, flocks of Clark’s Nutcrackers, Steller’s, Pinyon, and Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays, Evening Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Williamson’s and Red-named Sapsuckers, Mountain Chickadee, Calliope and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Green-tailed Towhees, various western empids (Gray, Hammond’s, Dusky Flycatchers), Townsend’s Warblers all in Cimarron County, Oklahoma this month.  I am guessing Cassin’s Finch and Pine Grosbeak might be coming soon too, and who knows what else.  Morton County in southwest Kansas had both Pinyon and Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays, Evening Grosbeak as well this month.  The birds in Aspen Acres Fire area in the Wet Mountains are certainly moving around.  Keep reporting lowland mountain birds to eBird and cobirds, it is interesting to hear where these birds are wandering this fall.

Brandon K. Percival
Sent from my Phone

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[cobirds] Save the Date - Denver Christmas Bird Count

72nd DENVER CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2026

Denver CBC Compiler: Joey Kellner (303-978-1748), SWDenverBirding at gmail.com

All are encouraged to participate in the annual Denver Christmas Bird Count (CBC) sponsored the National Audubon Society.  This CBC has been run since 1954 and participants gather valuable data used to trend winter bird populations over a long period of time.

Fees: None!  So, no excuses!  Come have a great time and help count birds!  Beginners and experts all welcome!

POTLUCK and COMPILATION:

After a day in the field, ALL participants are invited to attend the compilation count down potluck meeting to warm up, chat with other birders, and find out how the count fared. It is a lot of fun.  Contact Laura Steadman (lauramsteadman at gmail.com ) and let her know what you will be bringing (or ask her what items she needs more of). Bringing food is NOT a requirement to join in the fun!  The compilation count down itself will start closer to 5:30pm when a representative from each count area arrives/reports in with their sightings.  Come find out who found what, where!

The 15-mile diameter “count circle” is subdivided into 24 “count areas” each with an Area Leader.  Stay tuned for a list of the Area Leaders and contact info.  Meanwhile, mark your calendars and review the Count Circle map below and see where you would like to volunteer your efforts on Count Day!

Joey Kellner

Compiler – Denver CBC

Littleton, Colorado

 

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Re: [cobirds] "Low elevation" Pine Grosbeak at High Grade Road, Jefferson Co

Yes, I think the wild food situation may be leading these jays to move around to areas where they are rare or uncommon. But where they are coming from could be anyone's guess. Esp. since the scrub-jays are still numerous in the hogbacks and the lowest foothill habitat at the edge of the Front Range, which is their core zone. So they haven't left that area to move into town, but feeders seem to be a draw.

David Suddjian

Littleton, CO

On Mon, Sep 28, 2026 at 10:34 AM Patrick O'Driscoll <patodrisk@gmail.com> wrote:

Having had visits from both a Steller's J and a Woodhouse's S-J in my east-central Denver backyard earlier this month, is the prevailing opinion that lack of food (drought?) in their usual habitat may be driving more of these and other higher-country species down here to the Plains?

Patrick O'Driscoll

Denver

On Mon, Sep 28, 2026 at 9:08 AM Brad Dobson <bradford.dobson@gmail.com> wrote:

Interesting. We had a number of Steller's Jays here recently on the west side of
Loveland and I see a number of reports further East, almost all
2026: I usually have to get up into the forest a little more to see them.

David Suddjian <dsuddjian@gmail.com> writes:

> Now much bird reporting is happening on the list, so I thought I'd chime in with a report of Pine Grosbeak this morning at 7,150' elevation in
> Ponderosa / Douglas-fir forest along High Grade Road in Jeff Co near Littleton. eBird does not have any other records for the county between
> mid-Aug to late Oct, and most are from late winter into early spring.
>
> David Suddjian
> Littleton CO
>
> --

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Re: [cobirds] "Low elevation" Pine Grosbeak at High Grade Road, Jefferson Co

Last week in Roxborough saw a Stellar's Jay in the back yard for only the 3rd time in nearly 30 years.

Jim Tyler
Roxborough

On 9/28/2026 6:47 AM, Brad Dobson wrote:

Interesting. We had a number of Steller's Jays here recently on the west side of
Loveland and I see a number of reports further East, almost all
2026: I usually have to get up into the forest a little more to see them.

David Suddjian <dsuddjian@gmail.com> writes:

Now much bird reporting is happening on the list, so I thought I'd chime in with a report of Pine Grosbeak this morning at 7,150' elevation in
Ponderosa / Douglas-fir forest along High Grade Road in Jeff Co near Littleton. eBird does not have any other records for the county between
mid-Aug to late Oct, and most are from late winter into early spring.

David Suddjian
Littleton CO

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