As Ira mentioned, the Tennessee Warbler continues her mission to become least aerodynamic long-distance migrant on the Planet. Watch for it to star in its own reality show "Biggest Gainer" on the Animal Channel.
Here are a few observations that might help anyone trying for this bird tomorrow, Tuesday 23Nov:
Today it still came around to the European Beech grove up on the hill in the extreme southwest corner of the gardens on a regular basis, but seemed to be elsewhere more, seemed to spend less time in each beech tree, appears to be just "cherry-picking", and is getting restless in general. As stated, I expect it to leave any day or night. Two trees it likes just about as much as the 10 making up the beech grove are a hybrid oak with brown leaves about 10-15 yards south of the beech grove, and a monster ponderosa pine about 50 yards ene of the beech grove. The best strategy is still to wait by the 'Red Obelisk' European Beech (30 foot tall, columnar, crown still full of leaves, just south of Andy's pile of sticks, just south of the sapling 'Fern-leaf' European Beech with while plastic wrap at its base - remember all the trees have a low tag on their north side, usually at the end of a branch, sometimes on the trunk). From this beech you can also check the oak to the south. If, after waiting 30-45 minutes the bird does not appear in the beech grove, I would look in the big pine. Always be alert when other birds like juncos, chickadees or bushtits come around because the warbler often is hanging with them.
The bird typically only gives a short, sweet chip note when it flies from one tree to another. I did not see it on the ground at all today, but then I was mostly collecting and photographing creatures on beech trunk bark (or talking to Ira). I last saw the warbler at 2:15pm, which is when I left the property.
Ira mentioned the Clay-colored Sparrow we saw. This is a pretty late date for them, to be sure. It was mostly with juncos and was eating dandelion seeds in the turf area that lies to the east between the tree plots and the main n-w sidewalk. The juncos were gorging on red and orange fruits of various Euonymus shrubs/trees.
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
Here are a few observations that might help anyone trying for this bird tomorrow, Tuesday 23Nov:
Today it still came around to the European Beech grove up on the hill in the extreme southwest corner of the gardens on a regular basis, but seemed to be elsewhere more, seemed to spend less time in each beech tree, appears to be just "cherry-picking", and is getting restless in general. As stated, I expect it to leave any day or night. Two trees it likes just about as much as the 10 making up the beech grove are a hybrid oak with brown leaves about 10-15 yards south of the beech grove, and a monster ponderosa pine about 50 yards ene of the beech grove. The best strategy is still to wait by the 'Red Obelisk' European Beech (30 foot tall, columnar, crown still full of leaves, just south of Andy's pile of sticks, just south of the sapling 'Fern-leaf' European Beech with while plastic wrap at its base - remember all the trees have a low tag on their north side, usually at the end of a branch, sometimes on the trunk). From this beech you can also check the oak to the south. If, after waiting 30-45 minutes the bird does not appear in the beech grove, I would look in the big pine. Always be alert when other birds like juncos, chickadees or bushtits come around because the warbler often is hanging with them.
The bird typically only gives a short, sweet chip note when it flies from one tree to another. I did not see it on the ground at all today, but then I was mostly collecting and photographing creatures on beech trunk bark (or talking to Ira). I last saw the warbler at 2:15pm, which is when I left the property.
Ira mentioned the Clay-colored Sparrow we saw. This is a pretty late date for them, to be sure. It was mostly with juncos and was eating dandelion seeds in the turf area that lies to the east between the tree plots and the main n-w sidewalk. The juncos were gorging on red and orange fruits of various Euonymus shrubs/trees.
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
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