[cobirds] some Baca county highlights, 5/20-5/22

Hi all,

I've been hanging out with Tayler Brooks in Baca County the past few days while she works for RMBO.  For the most part there aren't very many migrants, and breeding birds are back in force.  There's also been a fantastic amount of rain down here the past couple of days - large puddles of water along CR M and sings of flash flooding in the canyons is something I haven't seen in a while!

Anyway, highlights include

Two Buttes, below the dam:

EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE - 1 singing bird

Warbling Vireo -  at least two pairs of the eastern subspecies on territory

Black-and-white Warbler - 1 male

otherwise migrants were scarce, with a few Swainson's and one Hermit Thrush, some Yellow-rumped Warblers, and not much else.

Cottonwood Canyon:

at least four pairs of Summer Tanagers, with the males all actively singing and very territorial, and one of the females carrying nesting material.  Two pairs are in the greater campground area, with another further south along the creek and the last further north.

Warbling Vireo - 1 singing western ssp

Greater Roadrunner - 1 pair near the campground

Lewis's Woodpecker - 1 pair near the campground

Picture Canyon:

PAINTED BUNTING - three males and one female.  One male was just south of the parking area, and I could hear a second further down the canyon at the same time, while the third was up the Arch Rock trail.  The female was with the male along the Arch Rock trail.

Greater Roadrunner - 1 pair along the entrance road

EASTERN MEADOWLARK - Tayler had one on transect (we couldn't refind it later) along CR 21 about 1/2 mile north of CR G

Sand Canyon:

This was my first time at this fantastic site, and I can't wait to get back there!

PAINTED BUNTING - 1 male

SCOTT'S ORIOLE - 1 male on a PJ covered slope just above the canyon

Northern Bobwhite - at least 4 singing birds

Five species of woodpecker while standing in one spot (Lewis's, Red-headed, Hairy, Ladder-backed, and Northern Flicker)

I've also seen several flocks of ravens flying over the Comanche that I believe are Chihuahuans.  Every bird looks small and short tailed, in contrast to the large, long tailed birds in the canyon country adjacent.  They've been frustratingly silent, but I did record a pair of unseen birds at the mouth of Sand Canyon (in flat country) that sound like Chihuahuan to me.  This ID is one of the most under appreciated challenges in Colorado in my opinion (see http://earbirding.com/blog/archives/4736).  Anyone down this direction should pay attention to the ravens they see, and if possible get recordings of them too!

Good birding to all,

Andrew Spencer

currently in Springfield, CO

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