Re: [cobirds] A dead starling hanging from an electrical wire by its claws

This could also be from a kid with a pellet gun. I witnessed this happen with a Starling when I was a boy.

Preston

On Thu, Mar 12, 2026 at 7:02 PM aiantony <aiantony@earthlink.net> wrote:

We were leading a DFO trip to the raptor alley west of DIA, when we came upon a curious sight. We saw a blob hanging from a wire, and when we looked carefully with binoculars it was a bird hanging by its locked claws!

It seems to be a starling with its bright yellow pointed bill facing right. Is that clotted blood at the back of its head?

We've never seen such a thing, and wondered how it had died. 

It couldn't have been electrocuted, as it would have needed to touch another wire or the ground. 

If it had been predated upon by a raptor, say, it would have been taken away to be eaten on a perch. There was no other wire close by.

Has anyone seen anything like this and does anyone have any reasonable explanation for this. 

Google AI suggested avian 'flu as a possibility. 

Ajit and Liza Antony

Central Park, Denver.

Sent from my Galaxy

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[cobirds] Re: A dead starling hanging from an electrical wire by its claws

Some falcons, peregrines included, attack by hitting prey in the back of the head with balled up talons; a blunt force trauma death.  Birds' feet clasp when in a relaxed position, so a sudden death with feet still clasped afterwards makes sense.  

Despite the marvels of AI, it's quite often not logical.  I've read of no HPAI (avian influenza) symptoms that include bleeding from the skull, so I'm not sure why it would suggest that.  

Greg Levandoski

Longmont, CO

On Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 7:02:59 PM UTC-6 aiantony wrote:

We were leading a DFO trip to the raptor alley west of DIA, when we came upon a curious sight. We saw a blob hanging from a wire, and when we looked carefully with binoculars it was a bird hanging by its locked claws!

It seems to be a starling with its bright yellow pointed bill facing right. Is that clotted blood at the back of its head?

We've never seen such a thing, and wondered how it had died. 

It couldn't have been electrocuted, as it would have needed to touch another wire or the ground. 

If it had been predated upon by a raptor, say, it would have been taken away to be eaten on a perch. There was no other wire close by.

Has anyone seen anything like this and does anyone have any reasonable explanation for this. 

Google AI suggested avian 'flu as a possibility. 

Ajit and Liza Antony

Central Park, Denver.

Sent from my Galaxy

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[cobirds] A dead starling hanging from an electrical wire by its claws

We were leading a DFO trip to the raptor alley west of DIA, when we came upon a curious sight. We saw a blob hanging from a wire, and when we looked carefully with binoculars it was a bird hanging by its locked claws!

It seems to be a starling with its bright yellow pointed bill facing right. Is that clotted blood at the back of its head?

We've never seen such a thing, and wondered how it had died. 

It couldn't have been electrocuted, as it would have needed to touch another wire or the ground. 

If it had been predated upon by a raptor, say, it would have been taken away to be eaten on a perch. There was no other wire close by.

Has anyone seen anything like this and does anyone have any reasonable explanation for this. 

Google AI suggested avian 'flu as a possibility. 

Ajit and Liza Antony

Central Park, Denver.

Sent from my Galaxy

Re: [cobirds] Another odd gull

I believe it is a Ring-billed Gull - the yellow legs & yellow iris are key id markings! Looks like the Gull is in winter plumage with some dusky marking about the head.

On Friday, March 6, 2026 at 12:12:04 PM UTC-7 David Hyde wrote:

Thank you for confirmation as American Herring gull. I learn something new about birds all the time. And here's another gull from Lake McIntosh for your consideration... it looks like a Ring-billed gull, but has bright yellow legs and a grey face mask!

On Fri, Mar 6, 2026 at 6:55 AM David Suddjian <dsud...@gmail.com> wrote:

Many winter Am. Herring Gulls also have blackish on the bill near the red spot. It varies among individuals.  This is a Herring.

David Suddjian

Littleton, CO

On Thu, Mar 5, 2026 at 11:22 PM David Hyde <davidh...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi CObirders -- At Lake McIntosh in Longmont in February I saw this gull. I note that it has the bill pattern of a California gull but the pink legs, pale eye and large size of a Herring gull. It looks more like a Herring gull except for the bill pattern which is distinctly that of a California gull. Do you all think this is just a Herring gull or a cross between the two (I got lost online trying to sort this out...). Any guidance appreciated. I have more photos but am allowed to send only one. Cheers!

 

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[cobirds] Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (11 Mar 2026) 14 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Golden, Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 11, 2026
Species	Day's Count	Month Total	Season Total
Black Vulture	0	0	0
Turkey Vulture	0	0	0
Osprey	0	0	0
Bald Eagle	1	5	5
Northern Harrier	0	0	0
Sharp-shinned Hawk	0	1	1
Cooper's Hawk	0	4	4
American Goshawk	0	0	0
Red-shouldered Hawk	0	0	0
Broad-winged Hawk	0	0	0
Red-tailed Hawk	10	27	27
Rough-legged Hawk	0	0	0
Swainson's Hawk	0	0	0
Ferruginous Hawk	1	5	5
Golden Eagle	0	1	1
American Kestrel	1	1	1
Merlin	0	0	0
Peregrine Falcon	0	0	0
Prairie Falcon	1	1	1
Mississippi Kite	0	0	0
Unknown Accipitrine	0	0	0
Unknown Buteo	0	0	0
Unknown Falcon	0	1	1
Unknown Eagle	0	0	0
Unknown Raptor	0	0	0
Total:	14	46	46

Observation start time:	09:00:00
Observation end time:	17:00:00
Total observation time:	8 hours
Official Counter	Emma Riley, Soren Zappia
Observers:

Visitors:
4 visitors. It was fairly slow for visitors, but a large group of mountain bikers enjoyed a ride at the ridge. Thank you to Karen and Michael Fernandez, Sharon Kelly, Ric Olson, and Sammy Korengut for all their help today!

Weather:
Temperatures were cold, with moderate winds from the E and SE. The sky started as mostly cloudy, but cloud cover dropped rapidly in the first few hours of the morning, and we had blue skies with a few scattered clouds for the remainder of the day.

Raptor Observations:
Today was our most active day for raptor migration of the season so far. In the morning, we counted a slow but steady rate of a few birds per hour - Red-tailed Hawks and one young Bald Eagle. Activity slowed for a bit mid-day, but then suddenly we had a burst of activity with 4 RTs, followed by a close Ferruginous Hawk. Our first migrant Prairie Falcon of the season was seen near eye-level barreling down the east side before soaring above the ridge, giving us excellent views. A distant male American Kestrel was seen on the west, the sun illuminating his beautiful red tail. Passerines were fairly quiet today, but we saw our first Western Bluebirds of the year, and a flock of Mountain Bluebirds landed on the ridge in the late afternoon.

Non-raptor Observations:
Mourning Dove 2, Black-billed Magpie 1, Common Raven 5, American Bushtit 2, Mountain Bluebird 23, Western Bluebird 13, Townsend's Solitaire 2, American Robin 4, Pine Siskin 2

Predictions:
A high wind watch is in effect tomorrow, with strong winds from the west predicted to increase throughout the day to 20-30 MPH with possible gusts around 45 MPH. Expect sun and moderate temperatures in the 50s to low 60s F. The trail should be dry or mostly dry. We hope to get a full count day as long as winds are not too intense but expect that the strong west winds may slow migration.

---

Report submitted by Official Counter of the day shown above (dinoridgehw@gmail.com)
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: www.dinosaurridgehawkwatch.org
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Count data submitted via Trektellen.org - [Project Details]

---

Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawk watch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Hawk watchers may
see 17 species of migrating raptors; and it is an excellent site to see rare
dark morph buteos including Broad-winged hawk, Swainson’s hawk, Ferruginous
hawk, Rough-legged hawk and Red-tailed Hawk. Other raptors we see include Golden
and Bald Eagles, Northern harrier, Osprey, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons,
Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels, Merlin, and Turkey
Vultures. American Goshawk is uncommon but also counted each season. Non-raptor
species include Rock Wren, Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane,
White-throated Swift, and American White Pelican. Birders of any skill level are
always welcome. The hawk watch at Dinosaur Ridge is staffed by Hawk Counter(s)
and volunteers from March through early May.

Directions to site:
From exit 259 on I-70 towards Morrison, drive south under freeway and take left
into first parking lot, the Stegosaurus lot. Follow hawk watch signs from the
southwest end of the parking lot to the hawk watch site. The hike starts heading
east on an old two-track and quickly turns south onto a trail on the west side
of the ridge. When the trail nears the top of the ridge, turn left, and walk to
the flat area at the crest of the ridge. (Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain:
259 feet)

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[cobirds] Falcons…Streamlined for Speed, presented by Boulder County Audubon Society

Please join Boulder County Audubon Society for our March 2026 program:

Falcons…Streamlined for Speed, with guest speaker Perry Conway

 

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

• Socializing in-person: 6:30 – 7:15 p.m.

• Program, in-person and on Zoom: 7:15 - 8:45 p.m. 

Please note: This program will not be recorded

Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder

5001 Pennsylvania Avenue

Boulder, CO, 80303 (map)

This month's BCAS program will feature falcon expert and conservation educator Perry Conway. Perry's presentation will concentrate on the six falcon species found in North America, with details on their natural history and evolution supported by stunning photographs to accompany his stories. Perry will provide details of his experiences with captive raptors, as well as aspects of training the birds for falconry and school presentations. He will give an intimate view into the birds' behavior, habitat needs, and natural history.

 

Did you know…

Peregrine falcons have recovered strongly in Colorado after severe declines in the mid-1900s caused by pesticides like DDT. In Boulder County's foothills, these cliff-nesting raptors are considered a successful conservation comeback. In fact, several Boulder County open space and climbing areas, including parts of the Flatirons and Boulder Canyon, are closed from Feb. 1 through July 31, 2026, to protect nesting peregrine falcons and raptors.

 

Is the Peregrine Falcon really the fastest bird on earth?

More on that in the program!  

 

Learn more about this presentation, including how to watch via Zoom.

Check out BoulderAudubon.org to see the full list of upcoming BCAS programs. 

 

--

Kit Seeborg

Communication and Outreach Volunteer

Boulder County Audubon Society

Boulder, Colorado

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[cobirds] Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists (10 Mar 2026) 5 Raptors

Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists
Golden, Colorado, USA

Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 10, 2026
Species	Day's Count	Month Total	Season Total
Black Vulture	0	0	0
Turkey Vulture	0	0	0
Osprey	0	0	0
Bald Eagle	0	4	4
Northern Harrier	0	0	0
Sharp-shinned Hawk	1	1	1
Cooper's Hawk	1	4	4
American Goshawk	0	0	0
Red-shouldered Hawk	0	0	0
Broad-winged Hawk	0	0	0
Red-tailed Hawk	3	17	17
Rough-legged Hawk	0	0	0
Swainson's Hawk	0	0	0
Ferruginous Hawk	0	4	4
Golden Eagle	0	1	1
American Kestrel	0	0	0
Merlin	0	0	0
Peregrine Falcon	0	0	0
Prairie Falcon	0	0	0
Mississippi Kite	0	0	0
Unknown Accipitrine	0	0	0
Unknown Buteo	0	0	0
Unknown Falcon	0	1	1
Unknown Eagle	0	0	0
Unknown Raptor	0	0	0
Total:	5	32	32

Observation start time:	09:00:00
Observation end time:	17:00:00
Total observation time:	8 hours
Official Counter	Emma Riley
Observers:

Visitors:
We had a few more visitors today than yesterday with a handful of them stopping to ask questions and talk migration for 10+ minutes. We were able to use our brand new education materials (yahoo!) to help them understand raptor migration a bit better. Thanks to Barbara Retzlaff and Chip Dawes for their help and company on the ridge today.

Weather:
The pleasant spring days continue with partly cloudy conditions and warm temperatures all day. Winds were light in the morning from the E and shifted W/NW in the afternoon getting up to moderate speeds by the end of the day. A noticeable haze settled into the area by the end of the day.

Raptor Observations:
Today was a very nice day with local and migrant birds coming right overhead. The morning started out a bit slow but birds picked up a bit eventually. We had our first Sharp-shinned Hawk of the year shoot directly across the ridge at eye level, as well as an eye level Cooper's hawk just E of the ridge. Red-tailed Hawks continue to slowly move through the site. The local Red-tailed Hawk pair could be seen for most of the day, especially in the high winds when they could be seen kiting along the ridge. Local Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, and Cooper's Hawks were also seen. One adult Golden Eagle came directly overhead in the afternoon. The Cooper's Hawks could be seen performing their aerial flights in which they look owl-like. We had another nice group of Sandhill Cranes come high but overhead in the late afternoon, their preferred time at this site. A surprise Steller's Jay was heard calling in the afternoon.

Non-raptor Observations:
Canada Goose 25, Sandhill Crane 7, Northern Flicker 1, Steller's Jay 1, Black-billed Magpie 1, American Crow 5, Common Raven 5, Black-capped Chickadee 1, American Bushtit 4, Mountain Bluebird 3, Townsend's Solitaire 1, American Robin 1, House Finch 1, Dark-eyed Junco 2, Spotted Towhee 2

Predictions:
Temperatures drop a bit tomorrow and so does cloud cover. Winds should be light and from the E/SE, hopefully bringing a few more migrants.

---

Report submitted by Official Counter of the day shown above (dinoridgehw@gmail.com)
Dinosaur Ridge - Denver Field Ornithologists information may be found at: www.dinosaurridgehawkwatch.org
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]
Count data submitted via Trektellen.org - [Project Details]

---

Site Description
Dinosaur Ridge is the only regularly staffed hawk watch in Colorado and is the
best place in the world to see migrating Ferruginous Hawks. Hawk watchers may
see 17 species of migrating raptors; and it is an excellent site to see rare
dark morph buteos including Broad-winged hawk, Swainson’s hawk, Ferruginous
hawk, Rough-legged hawk and Red-tailed Hawk. Other raptors we see include Golden
and Bald Eagles, Northern harrier, Osprey, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons,
Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels, Merlin, and Turkey
Vultures. American Goshawk is uncommon but also counted each season. Non-raptor
species include Rock Wren, Bushtit, Western Bluebird, Sandhill Crane,
White-throated Swift, and American White Pelican. Birders of any skill level are
always welcome. The hawk watch at Dinosaur Ridge is staffed by Hawk Counter(s)
and volunteers from March through early May.

Directions to site:
From exit 259 on I-70 towards Morrison, drive south under freeway and take left
into first parking lot, the Stegosaurus lot. Follow hawk watch signs from the
southwest end of the parking lot to the hawk watch site. The hike starts heading
east on an old two-track and quickly turns south onto a trail on the west side
of the ridge. When the trail nears the top of the ridge, turn left, and walk to
the flat area at the crest of the ridge. (Distance: 0.56 miles, Elevation gain:
259 feet)

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