Monday 25 March 2013

[cobirds] Sparrows + at Red Rocks - Jeffco

Michael Kiessig, Rob Raker and I enjoyed a nice morning at Red Rocks.
Lots of hungry birds at the feeders behind the Red Rocks Trading Post
early this morning - both the Slate-colored Fox Sparrow and the Golden-
crowned Sparrow showed up. The Golden-crowned put in an appearance
early and appeared several more times below the platform feeder and in
the flat area next to the large wooden stump before the Fox Sparrow
showed up on the ground at the lower apple tree. This was the same
location I saw the bird late yesterday afternoon. The picture Mark
Chavez posted showed the Fox Sparrow in the little rivulet under the
platform feeder. The Fox Sparrow came and went several times once it
made its first appearance.

We checked Ship Rock hoping the Peregrine Falcons have returned, but
the only raptor like bird we saw was the Raven going to the nest on
the outer edge of Creation Rock. However, we did see our FOS White-
throated Swift at Red Rocks while we were watching the Raven nest.

The Prairie Falcons put on quite a show for us. The female was
perched on top of Frog Rock taking in the sun when we arrived. We
heard a Canyon Wren, and while we were watching the Canyon Wren go in
and out of crevices, the male Prairie Falcon came flying in from the
south and landed on Park Cave Rock on the edge of the eyrie???
depositing some kind of small prey. Immediately the female came
flying across the road and picked up the prey and moved to a higher
ledge on Park Cave Rock where she devoured the prey. After depositing
the prey on the ledge the male moved across the road to Frog Rock on
the west and perched on Frog Rock while the female ate. Later on the
male left and the female flew back to the west to perch high on Frog
Rock. During this time we also had a small flock of Western Bluebirds
in the area and had a chance to study the movements of the Canyon Wren
in detail.

Mike Henwood
Morrison
Jefferson County

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