[cobirds] Barrow's Goldeneyes and other Carbondale area birds (mainly Garfield County)

Hi folks

 

A summary of the highlights of the past week, all Garfield County except where noted.

 

Red-naped Sapsucker – Centennial Park – Carbondale. (Sub-adult male?) This bird has taken up residence in the "Yellow-bellied Sapsucker tree". I have great photos of both birds. Have not seen the Yellow-bellied on any recent visits, whereas the Red-naped is seemingly there "continuously throughout the warmer hours of the day" this week, up to and including today.

 

Barrow's Goldeneye – 115 (+-5) private ponds, Coryell Ranch – Wed 15^th at 5.30pm; 1 fem Tucker's private pond 19^th; upto 15 Roaring Fork River, just downstream of Catherine Store Rd bridge most days

 

Rough-legged Hawk – males all – 1 Carbondale Nature Park daily, a different bird Carbondale Blue Heron Lane Jan 20, a presumed 3^rd bird CR103, c2miles N.of Hwy82, Jan19.

 

Merlin – Jan 17 on the power poles on hillside just north of Blue Lake, El Jebel, Eagle County

 

Prairie Falcon 1 as Merlin, Jan 18^th, 1 most days Carbondale Nature Park

 

Northern Harrier – 2+ Carbondale Nature Park

 

Golden Eagles 2-3 – all of them mature adults – Missouri Heights/Coulter Creek area (Eagle/Garfield Counties)

 

Bald Eagle 2+ seem to be fewer and fewer in recent winters, despite the river having not much ice

 

American Dipper – all along the Roaring Fork, not singing yet, even on 'warm' afternoons

 

Wilson's Snipe – several locations, Eagle and Garfield Counties – seemingly commoner when there is less ice, like this winter

 

Pinyon Jay – up to 50, occasional in our backyard

 

Lesser Goldfinch – up to 6 in our backyard

 

Rosy-Finches – Snowmass Ski area, Pitkin County, at the on-hill Bird Feeders – up to 50, all Browncaps and Gray-crowned

 

No sign of the 4+ Rusty Blackbirds in Carbondale Nature Park since Christmas

 

Good birding all

 

Best regards

 

Dick Filby

Carbondale, Garfield County