Hi all,
I drove out to Last Chance this afternoon to see if anything might be there. This location is at the intersection of Highway 71 and highway 36. It was pretty ,pretty slow. Nothing but 5, White-crowned Sparrows [immature] , the usual Eurasian Collared- Doves, and 5, American Robin feeding on Russian Olive berries. Four, Dark-eyed Juncos [Oregon] were feeding on the seeds of a non native plant, Polygonum aviculare [Knotweed]. This is a late blooming weed which the Juncos and White-crowned Sparrows were picking at, and it is a good plant to check to see who is feeding on it. I have seen Cassin's Finch feeding on this same plant, a bit higher up in elevation.
A small leafless shrub which was about 2 feet high, and which I could not ID, was moving a bit. Climbing to the top of this shrub, was a very late House Wren. Since the weather has been so nice there are lot's of insects still, so this Wren should be able to eat and eat. Lot's of Western Meadowlarks were flying around Last Chance.
The pond area was very, very, slow after my first look at it. I decided to check it one hour latter, after my first visit. Thinking I would see nothing, I finally did see a bird hopping around on the muddy area. It was a first winter Swamp Sparrow. Suddenly out of the Rushes appeared a second, different Swamp Sparrow who decided he would lunge at the first Swamp Sparrow. Watching this behavior made my afternoon .
About a week and a half ago, I heard Sandhill Cranes flying over Last Chance.
Happy Birding!
Tina Jones
Littleton, Jefferson County, CO
I drove out to Last Chance this afternoon to see if anything might be there. This location is at the intersection of Highway 71 and highway 36. It was pretty ,pretty slow. Nothing but 5, White-crowned Sparrows [immature] , the usual Eurasian Collared- Doves, and 5, American Robin feeding on Russian Olive berries. Four, Dark-eyed Juncos [Oregon] were feeding on the seeds of a non native plant, Polygonum aviculare [Knotweed]. This is a late blooming weed which the Juncos and White-crowned Sparrows were picking at, and it is a good plant to check to see who is feeding on it. I have seen Cassin's Finch feeding on this same plant, a bit higher up in elevation.
A small leafless shrub which was about 2 feet high, and which I could not ID, was moving a bit. Climbing to the top of this shrub, was a very late House Wren. Since the weather has been so nice there are lot's of insects still, so this Wren should be able to eat and eat. Lot's of Western Meadowlarks were flying around Last Chance.
The pond area was very, very, slow after my first look at it. I decided to check it one hour latter, after my first visit. Thinking I would see nothing, I finally did see a bird hopping around on the muddy area. It was a first winter Swamp Sparrow. Suddenly out of the Rushes appeared a second, different Swamp Sparrow who decided he would lunge at the first Swamp Sparrow. Watching this behavior made my afternoon .
About a week and a half ago, I heard Sandhill Cranes flying over Last Chance.
Happy Birding!
Tina Jones
Littleton, Jefferson County, CO
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