[cobirds] Chestnut-collared Longspurs in Weld

FYI, there is a very viewable colony of Chestnut-collared Longspurs at present several miles northeast of Nunn along Weld CR114 starting maybe 0.4 miles e of CR45 extending e to CR47 (a two-track labeled GR846 in DeLorme which goes north from 114 and curves around as GR118 west to CR45).  On our Boulder County Nature Association field trip yesterday, we had our best views just parking on CR114 a little ways west of CR47 facing west and watching birds (adults and youngsters from Brood #1) land on the road or in vegetation just off the road.  The three cars in our caravan parked about 100 feet apart and the birds were actually landing in between our cars.  Their song is worth the price of admission.  Prettiest bird on the North American prairie, if you ask me.  Other birds of note in this area between 45 and 49 on 114 were singing Grasshopper Sparrows (and one non-singing shrike-impaled Grasshopper Sparrow head which did not seem to intimidate the living ones) and Sage Thrasher.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins