[cobirds] Huerfano and Las Animas County highlights

Today, I visited the Hepatic Tanager site in Huerfano County along Santa Clara "Creek", just west of exit 42 from I-25.  The male Hepatic Tanager made an appearance at the traditional location north of the road and west of the railroad tracks, choosing various snags for perches.  No surprise there, but there was a surprise lurking nearby.  Mark Miller had been birding for a while already when I arrived.  After parking, I asked if he had seen the tanager.  He said "not yet, but ...."   Mark had found a singing male PHILADELPHIA VIREO just down the road!  Mark, Norm Lewis, and I were able to find it again mid morning in cottonwoods south of the road, about a quarter mile west of the railroad tracks.  This Philly is a very pale one, with only slight hints of yellow on the throat and undertail coverts.

I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon birding in the beautiful landscape on the eastern slopes of the Spanish Peaks.  No Grace's Warblers appeared, but the air was filled with the wonderful sounds of Plumbeous Vireos, Warbling Vireos, Black-Headed Grosbeaks, Western Tanagers, Western Wood-Pewees, Virginia's Warblers, Yellow-Rumped Warblers, a few Evening Grosbeaks, and other expected birds.

Mid and late afternoon I visited the remote Apishapa State Wildlife Area in Las Animas County, just to see what was there.  This rugged area without hiking trails has pinyon-juniper habitat up high and a few spots with water (with willows and reeds) down in the deeper canyons.  This area seems to be particularly good for Cassin's Kingbirds, Northern Mockingbirds, Lark Sparrows, Rock Wrens, and Antelope.  I found one EASTERN PHOEBE at water's edge in one of the canyons.  If the canyons retain water into the fall, this area could be an intriguing migrant trap.

David Dowell

Longmont, CO

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