I gotta ask . . . .
what is going-on in our environment to cause beak-deformities?????
and what chemicals are being sprayed that are labeled SAFE but are NOT. it's gotta be human-caused.
a few years ago i witnessed a grackle in backyard with a humungously loooong beak and could do nothing to help the situation.
bonnie boex
denver
On Mon, Feb 15, 2021 at 1:20 AM <cobirds@googlegroups.com> wrote:
- Huddled Bushtits, El Paso Co, Sun - 5 Updates
- Frozen River Walk, South Platte River, Arapahoe County - 2 Updates
- Great Blue Heron - 2 Updates
- Digest for cobirds@googlegroups.com - 7 updates in 4 topics - 1 Update
- Pine Warbler, Weld County - 2 Updates
- Another bird with a deformed bill (Mead, Weld, CO) - 1 Update
Steve Brown <sbrown37@gmail.com>: Feb 14 02:44PM -0700
Donna Stumpp <donna.stumpp@gmail.com>: Feb 14 02:06PM -0800
How interesting! I had the same experience in NW Denver (Jefferson County,
just east of Standley Lake). I've never seen them huddled up like this. I
noticed this bunch earlier today. I couldn't believe it when the center one
just jumped on top of the others. Temp was -6 at the time.
Also, we only usually see them about every week or two at our feeders, but
yesterday and today they have been here 4-5 times per day. They must be
hungry because they didn't budge when I had to step outside and just kept
eating.
[image: DSTU4979 - BUSH pile.JPG]
Donna Stumpp
Westminster (Jeffco), CO
On Sunday, February 14, 2021 at 2:44:31 PM UTC-7 Steve wrote:
linda hodges <hikerhodges@gmail.com>: Feb 14 03:23PM -0700
Steve, I'm so glad you mentioned this. A few hours ago, I saw a bundle of
gray fur in my lilac bush and couldn't make out what the heck it was. At
some point, part of the mound moved and I was able to discern that the
fluffy lump was a pile of Bushtits. I believe the temp was still below zero
at that point.
Do other bird species huddle together like this?
Thanks,
Linda
*Linda Hodges*
*Colorado Springs*
Willem van Vliet <wwillem@gmail.com>: Feb 14 06:22PM -0700
Same here in Central Boulder. Feeding longer and more frequently than usual
and keeping warm in a little clump. Interesting that they arranged
themselves side-by-side, alternating head-tail-head-tail; maybe to minimize
seams in between?
Willem van Vliet
Boulder
"Patrick O'Driscoll" <patodrisk@gmail.com>: Feb 14 10:40PM -0700
I've never seen Bushtits in a pile, but I'll bet they learned this as
fledglings. I do know that their huddling together is not confined to
subzero winter conditions.
On a chilly mid-May Sunday morning four years ago, I saw what appeared to
be five recently fledged juveniles huddled in a row on a juniper tree
branch in Denver City Park.
The two "bookend" birds faced one direction and the three in the middle
faced the other -- all shoulder-to-shoulder, side-by-side.
What may have been their parents were fluttering around the trees and on
the ground foraging, I believe to feed them. (Adults continue to feed
fledglings for two weeks after they leave the nest.)
I managed to get a mediocre shot or two through the thick tangle of
branches.
[image: image.png]
At the time, I thought it unusual, too, but I found photos online later
with even more numbers of Bushtits huddling together in a row for warmth
like this.
Cornell's Birds of the World remarks on just-fledged or recently fledged
Bushtits as perching with others and "usually" huddling.
Good birding,
Patrick O'Driscoll
Denver
Brian Johnson <buntingrobinjay@gmail.com>: Feb 14 11:10AM -0800
Despite the cold, which I actually enjoy, I went for a walk today in the -5
degree wealth along the South Platte River, between Bowles and the Northern
Wildlife Area, which is near Reynolds's Landing park. Despite the cold I
wound up with an average bird count, 22 species. Lots and lots of Cackling
geese and mallards. There was 10 Greater Scaups in the usual spot, which is
just upstream of Reynolds's Landing and just outside of the Northern
Wildlife Area's north entrance, the river pools here before a boat shoot
and the Scaups have always loved this area for some reason. Sometimes they
are in the Wildlife Area.
And yes, I know I am crazy. But I was nice and bundled up and stayed warm.
Here is my check list https://ebird.org/checklist/S81422833
And a photo of the party frozen river, looking up river from the long
bridge. The ducks are two Hooded Mergansers, male and female, and a Common
Goldeneye female.[image: 20210214_090533.jpg]
Good (frozen) birding
Brian Johnson,
Englewood CO
Brian Johnson <buntingrobinjay@gmail.com>: Feb 14 12:34PM -0800
Correction, my photo caption was for another photo that I did not upload
(hard to tell from that small preview window), but this photo shows a male
and female Bufflehead with a Common Goldeneye female.
Brian Johnson
Englewood Co
On Sunday, February 14, 2021 at 12:10:31 PM UTC-7 Brian Johnson wrote:
Wayne Wathen <WWathen@msn.com>: Feb 14 07:02PM
Not a super rare bird but on my cool run (not like today) at Cherry Creek State Park, I did observe a Great Blue Heron in the creek south of the main park road near where a bridge crosses over the Cherry Creek. It was sort of protected from the wind there but it surprised me.
Happy Valentine's Day.
Wayne Wathen
Highlands Ranch
Brian Johnson <buntingrobinjay@gmail.com>: Feb 14 11:13AM -0800
I have seen Great Blue Herons perched over a frozen pond a few times and at
another knee deep in the frozen river along the South Platte River. It's
always neat to see. They are surprisingly tough birds.
Brian Johnson,
Englewood CO
On Sunday, February 14, 2021 at 12:02:41 PM UTC-7 Wayne wrote:
Jessie Lynn <jlmesch852@gmail.com>: Feb 14 11:09AM -0700
I also had a red-winged blackbird with a deformed beak--extremely long
upper mandible. It was eating just fine and defending its order in the
feeder. Haven't seen it a couple of weeks...maybe it has moved on to the
Mead area. I live one mile west of Severance.
Jessie Meschievitz
Windsor CO
"jay...@gmail.com" <jay1125@gmail.com>: Feb 14 06:54AM -0800
Thanks for posting the article link. We had a Northern Flicker visit us
for 3-4 years around 2012-2015 that had a deformity. He seemed to manage
ok, even it if was a little depressing to hear his unanswered mating calls
in the spring.
Jay Hutchins
Longmont
[image: Flicker with curved bill 1.jpeg]
[image: Flicker with curved bill 2.jpeg]
On Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 11:20:43 AM UTC-7 adrian...@gmail.com
wrote:
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