[cobirds] Update on White-throated Swifts, Pueblo County

Hi all,

White-throated swifts are still being seen on the Arkansas River below the dam. Brandon Percival and I have been trying to figure out where they are roosting at night, and how many of them there are.

Yesterday afternoon (7 December) I saw 25-30 gathering at the dam in the late afternoon but was unable to tell where they went from there. Today, about 3:30pm, I went to Liberty Point (a Pueblo west park on top of the cliff that overlooks the north end of the dam) to get a broader view of the area. I finally spotted a group of maybe 30-40 swifts flying near a south-facing cliff NE of Liberty Point. They were flying into a recessed area with a fairly deep overhang. Due to the shape of the cliff, I was unable to see far enough into that space to see if they were roosting in old Cliff Swallow nests or a crevice or something else. I will be trying to find a better viewpoint.

The swifts appear to leave the cliffs in the morning and fly downstream along the river during the day to feed, returning before sunset. They have been seen as far east as the Valco Ponds, but may be going farther east. The river is low now, and the water relatively warm. There are good hatches of insects on the water -- fishermen tell me they are midges and blue-winged olives (a small white-winged mayfly), and this information appears on the fishing reports for the river as well.

A word of caution for birders coming to Lake Pueblo State Park. Much-needed road and trail construction has begun within the park. Crews are working on the road on the north side westward from the top of the dam. The parking lot at the north end of the dam is being used to stage equipment and crews, and some sections are now one-way, with short delays. I don't know what the situation will be on weekends. I checked the park's website but found no information yet. That's usually a good place to check on conditions in the park, so I'm expecting it will be updated soon.

Cheers,
Margie Joy
Pueblo West, CO



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