Hello, Birders.
In recent weeks, Boulder County birders have been lamenting the absence of gulls at Valmont Reservoir. Well, the birds are over at nearby Boulder Reservoir, instead, and I found this morning that they are eminently viewable. In the big flock of Ringers and Herrings, I saw a beautiful first-cycle Glaucous Gull, an even more beautiful adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, and two okay-looking adult Thayer's Gulls.
The Glaucous Gull, although normal in proportions, plumage, and bill markings, seemed small; I wonder if it was subspecies barrovianus, which taxon we have speculated about in the past here on CoBirds. (Learn about barrovianus here: http://biostor.org/reference/74941.) As to the Lesser Black-backed Gull, it was blazingly black-mantled; I wonder if could have been subspecies intermedius, rather than the more-expected subspecies graellsii. (Learn more about intermedius here: http://blog.aba.org/2012/12/photo-quiz-2-of-2.html.) If the stub-tailed wren people want to figure out these gulls, be my guest. Anyhow, the birds are beautiful, whether or not we can know what subspecies they are.
Also, all the Valmont Rez mergansers seem to have headed on over to Boulder Rez. There were many there this morning.
And many geese.
Here's a recording I made for Steve Mlodinow... ;-)
http://xeno-canto.org/165398
Of note is that potentially four subspecies, representing two species, of "white-cheeked geese" are audible. See the notes and discussion at the link above.
Of note is that potentially four subspecies, representing two species, of "white-cheeked geese" are audible. See the notes and discussion at the link above.
Also this morning, I made a grody recording for Dave Leatherman of two Eurasian Collared-Doves engaged in a disgraceful act. (Be sure to continue on to the end of the short recording, to hear the embarrassed commentary of the recordist.)
And I made a recording for Nathan Pieplow, who first pointed out to me that the Black-capped Chickadee's famous two-note "fee-bee" song actually consists of three syllables. You can clearly hear, and even more clearly *see*, those three notes here:
Finally, if anybody's mad it this far (I flatter myself...), here's an audio quiz. The Blue Jay is obvious. But can you detect at least six other bird species in the clip? And several of them are making multiple kinds of vocalizations, and one of them is making a non-vocal sound (plus two kinds of vocalizations). What can I say?--spring has sprung. Here goes:
Enjoy!
Ted Floyd
Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado
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