[cobirds] birds out in the cold rain at Ken Caryl Valley

I was only able to view in my yard in the late afternoon today (10/2), with a steady rain and the iPhone reading 38 deg.). Hummers fed actively up to about 5:30 pm at feeders partially sheltered, including a continuing Black-chinned Hummingbird and at least 3 Broad-taileds (I can't really tell how many Broad-taileds there are as they come and go, and likely there are more than 4 around my home area). 

Most interesting to me was a very focused wave of Yellow-rumped Warblers that swept through during a lessening of the rain. I normally have only one or a few right near my home, but all of a sudden they were coming through my yard and a neighbor's yard "as fast as I could count"... or so it seemed. But I did count 66 in the one flock, all passing by during about 1 minute. They were really on the move. All the calls were Audubon's, which is the only form I've had near my home so far this season. I managed to also catch an Orange-crowned Warbler and Townsend's Warbler that were moving with the Audubon's.

Yesterday I spotted a male Cassin's Finch in my backyard, but it only stayed a short time. Cassin's has mostly been absent in the Ken Caryl Valley region since the 2014-15 influx ended in spring 2015.

Lastly, Dave Leatherman had inquired here about observations of birds eating painted lady butterflies. I had kept an eye out and did not see anything until yesterday afternoon. A number of the butterflies were active in my front yard. Some were fluttering down to the lawn. A Black-billed Magpie was making nabs at those that came near to it, trying to catch them. I saw a few misses, and then it caught one. It loped along the lawn carrying it in its bill and then mashed it against the ground, and then ate the abdomen and left the rest.

David Suddjian

Ken Caryl Valley

Littleton, CO

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