[cobirds] Chaffee & Park Cos., Oct. 18th

Hello, Birders.

With members of the board of directors of Colorado Field Ornithologists, I yesterday did a bit of scouting for field trips for the CFO convention, June 4-7, 2015.

First we visited a private site near Salida, Chaffee County, that promises to be outstanding in early June. The place screams out, "White-eyed Vireo!" Joe Roller and I have placed a bet, cold cash, none of this namby-pamby gentleman's bet stuff. Well, we saw no vireos of any sort yesterday, but we did find Williamson's and Red-naped sapsuckers, a Prairie Merlin, excellent numbers and diversity of corvids, Juniper Titmouse, Brown Creeper, American Dipper, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned kinglets, Hermit Thrush, several American Pipits, Cedar Waxwing, Lincoln's and Chipping sparrows amid large numbers of White-crowned Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos, and small numbers of various finch species. This is what the place sounds like:

http://www.xeno-canto.org/199334

Then we had the indoor part of our meeting. June 2015 is far off, I realize, but, already, there are great vibes for next year's convention. Particularly compelling to me is that so many of the convention field trips are to destinations that are so unfamiliar to so many of us, myself very much included. It will be quite challenging to participate in next year's convention and not go birding in a new place, or new places, for you.

In the late afternoon, Peter Burke and I visited one of the few 2015 convention destinations that many of us are actually somewhat familiar with: Antero Reservoir, Park County. We didn't arrive until early evening, so we didn't have much time and we didn't have great light. The coot flock at Antero is staggering. The Western Grebes are impressive, too. Also a few Horned and Eared grebes, and a wonderful flock of Sandhill Cranes, settling in for the evening on the northwest corner of the huge reservoir. Oh, and an an intriguing small-l little gull. I believe Bill Kaempfer is out there looking for it (and I hope looking at it) right about now...

eBird checklists here:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S20274321

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S20274379

Finally, a quick Boulder County note. The ridiculously cooperative White-throated Sparrow (possibly, it is glued to the trail??) was doing its thing this Sunday morning, Oct. 19th, at Greenlee Preserve. Back on Friday morning, Oct. 17th, a late Swainson's Hawk sailed over the preserve.

Ted Floyd

Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado

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