Walked to the "Good Spot" (a wide riparian strip which longtime FC birders will know for its rich history of rarities including Swainson's Warbler) north of Prospect along the bike trail mostly in the Cattail Chorus Natural Area (about a half mile north of Prospect), returned to my vehicle, got lunch, and walked south from Prospect on Sharp Point Drive thru the Prospect Ponds NA on to the pond just south of the Environmental Learning Center parking lot and back to my car. Total of about 6 hours.
Highlights north of Prospect:
Chaetura swift seen only briefly among a zillion swallows. First thing I checked was the throat and it did appear somewhat pale. Looked down to fuss with camera and never saw it again. This bird and the situation sort of fit the Colorado search image Brandon Percival is building for Vaux's Swift and how to find them here. I'm not saying this was anything more than a "possible". It was silent. For what it's worth, I have not seen Chimney Swifts in Fort Collins yet but they are due any day.
Swallows! Several hundreds, if not a few thousand. Saw all 6 species. Majority were Violet-greens, followed by Cliff, then Rough-winged, then Barn, then Bank, only a few Tree. Ranged in altitude from hundreds of feet above the surface to skimming the river. Several plucked midges within inches of my ear when I stood by the river and midges hovered about the way they do. The pic below of a violet-green is not sharp but shows this is a well-named swallow and that it opens wide when approaching a midge.
Vireo species (heard only, was on the move, never saw it, song fit that of Plumbeous)
Yellow Warbler (FOS for me in Fort Collins)
Green-tailed Towhee (1) singing in the large rubber rabbitbrush plants on the hill at the end of the children's area trail within Cattail Chorus)
Brewer's Sparrow (1, same area as the towhee)
Great Egret (1 flyover)
Common Raven soaring high with what appeared to be a yellow Canada Goose baby - held with feet, then beak, then feet
Highlights south of Prospect:
Wood Duck (3 males: 2 in the first pond south of Prospect by the feedlot, 1 flying)
Osprey (1 on the nest platform just e of the Poudre River south of Prospect)
Bullock's Oriole (heard one)
Yellow Warbler (3 heard)
Common Yellowthroat (heard one)
Black-headed Grosbeak (1m) FOY for me in Fort Collins, just s of the Lynn Hull blind near the Russian-olive overgrown pond n of the Water Treatment Pond
Eastern Kingbird (1 FOY for me) south of the ELC house/garden in open area along fenceline
Lazuli Bunting (1 singing male, FOY for me in Fort Collins area) southeast of the ELC house along the river
Eastern Screech-Owl in cottonwood hole north of Water Treatment Plant along the bike trail
No thrushes, only about 4 yellow-rumps, no empid flycatchers or pewees, no orange-crowns, no gnatcatchers or kinglets. Enjoyable day to be out but pretty slow for the date.
Total for entire day: 50 species
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
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