[cobirds] Followup on Brandon's mountain birds

Hello, Birders.

Thanks to Brandon Percival for these interesting observations:

> This morning for a hour, I walked around the eastern end of the Osprey Picnic Area, 

> below Pueblo Reservoir dam in Rock Canyon, Pueblo County.  The most interesting 

> birds were the mountain birds, that don't breed here in Pueblo, which should be up 

> in the mountains by now.  I saw a singing male Wilson's Warbler, male (not singing) 

> MacGillivray's Warbler, female Yellow-rumped "Audubon's Warbler, Western Tanagers 

> (singing), Lincoln's Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, and a Swainson's Thrush.  These 

> birds would be noteworthy, if they are seen on the plains in June.  I'm sure the North 

> American Birds Regional Editors for Colorado, would be interested in all sightings of 

> mountain birds from non-breeding locations, during the Summer Season (which is 

> June 1-Jul 31).  Other highlights in Rock Canyon today, were a singing first year male 

> Orchard Oriole and singing Brown Thrasher.

The situation was much the same up in Cheyenne, Laramie County, Wyoming, yesterday, Wednesday, May 29th. A detailed trip report is here:

http://tinyurl.com/Cheyenne-2013-May-29

Some of the montane birds we found out on the plains included Broad-tailed Hummingbird (1), Mountain Chickadee (paired with a Black-capped Chickadee), Red-breasted Nuthatch (1), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (4), Orange-crowned Warbler (1), MacGillivray's Warbler (1), Audubon's Warbler (2, and we also saw a tardy Myrtle), Pine Siskin (4), and Evening Grosbeak (1). Cedar Waxwings, probably bound for the mountains, were widespread.

It was a fine day for rarities, despite, or perhaps because of, the weather. We found 1 Broad-winged Hawk, 1 Yellow-throated Vireo, 1 Carolina Wren (according to Doug Faulkner's book, only the 2nd Wyoming record, and the first in 36 years), 1 Tennessee Warbler, 2 American Redstarts, 1 Dickcissel, and 1 Orchard Oriole. Western Wood-Pewees, empids, Swainson's Thrushes, Clay-colored Sparrows, and Western Tanagers were widespread.

The weather was "great"--raining and 43 degrees Fahrenheit at noon--and the birding was likewise great. Cheyenne is one of my favorite places to bird in Colorado...  :-) 

Ted Floyd

tedfloyd57@hotmail.com

Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado