[cobirds] Crow Valley Campground/Briggsdale (Weld) on 5/14

Highlights of a late start visit to Crow Valley Campground and drive thru of Briggsdale (9:45a-3:30p, total of 58 species):

Veery (at least 3, working insects from the moist creekbed in sw and nw corners of the campground, very tame)

   

Swainson's Thrush (at least 25)

Hermit Thrush (1)

Yellow-breasted Chat (1)

Least Flycatcher (at .............................................least 4)

                                            

 

[One fellow from Oregon camping there said he had a Willow in the nw corner]

Ovenbird (1, sw corner)

White-crowned Sparrow (at least 15, all mountain form with dark lores)

Yellow Warbler (seemingly everywhere, at least 25)

Orchard Oriole (1 pair)

Bullock's Oriole (at least 6)

Hybrid Baltimore X Bullock's Oriole male (1)

Gray Catbird (at least 10)

All three expected Spizella sparrows

FOY Common Nighthawk for me (1)

Black-headed Grosbeak male in Briggsdale

FOY Grasshopper Sparrow for me in field e of the Briggsdale School

A few people I talked to said it was less birdy than the last few days but it was still somewhat reminiscent of the way it used to be in mid-May.  Birds weren't dripping from the trees but there was always something to look at, usually a Swainson's Thrush or House Wren.  Missing were Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, yesterday's Cassin's Vireo and Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackpolls.  I checked the fallow field strips between SR14 and Weld CR88.5 e of WeldCR79 for Mountain Plovers and did NOT see any.

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins