[cobirds] Migrants, CSR, El Paso Co., Sun

Hey COBirders,

I have been watching Meredith's reports from Barr Lake banding station with interest. I always wonder if I will see similar birds and numbers at Clear Spring Ranch - maybe the same day, maybe the next day???? No, it rarely matches up!

Friday I see Barr had a great day, and I was "blown out" before 8am, with six birds banded. :(

Saturday they had a slower day. Not here so much. I banded 85 mixed warblers and sparrows: lotsa Wilson's, Yellow, MacGillivray's warblers, Com Yellowthroats, plus several N Waterthrush, and one juv male Am Redstart. Lotsa Lark and Savannah Sparrows, Brewer's, Lincoln's, and the FOS Clay-colored also. A great day, Oh, PLUS 150 Chipping Sparrows for a total of 235 birds netted. (!!! a record number here). I won't pretend I banded all of the CHSP. I'd be out of bands and daylight. Sparrows were flying in flocks out of the still-unmowed oat field across the road from the nets. There were lots flying when I arrived, all morning (on the closing run, trying to finish to go home at 1130 I caught 40 birds), and still moving when I left. Wow.

Today was noticeably slower, not nearly as many sparrows moving, about 45 netted CHSP, and a total of 85 birds. Still a great morning. Even with the heat and dryness last week, sparrows, buntings, warblers, and flycatchers have been caught in good numbers.

So for my record August I have netted 1250 birds, 500 of them CHSP, plus record numbers of Lazuli Buntings, House Wrens, Blue Grosbeaks, Lark Sparrows, Brewer's Sparrows, and 9 N Waterthrush.

Today I also had my FOS Marsh Wren (only 4th fall MAWR since 2012), and a lifer, banding my first Cooper's Hawk myself, (a juv male, so smaller than most, but still a handful, WITH HUGE TALONS!). I survived. I helped the banders-in-charge at Chico Basin banding on several occasions, but never on my own; it takes more than two hands, even though they are not biters, and they usually rip their way-out of the net before they can be extracted. This one totally tangled a foot in the net going after a sparrow, and couldn't extricate himself, even after creating several holes in the net. Pulling his foot out of a tennis-ball sized twisted mass was fun. Did I mention that even little males have huge talons??? :)

I am having a blast even though I can't have anybody around (city utilities covid requirements). More soon,

Happy Migration and Stay Healthy,
Steve Brown
Colo Spgs
Sent from my iPad

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