[cobirds] Raptor Flight, CSR, El Paso Co, Saturday

Hey COBirders,

During a slow morning of banding at Clear Spring Ranch, the breeze picked up about 9am and started blowing my nets out. Immediately the view in front of me between Fountain Creek and the freeway was FILLED with low-flying Turkey Vultures. Seemingly over the warmer flat hay fields a kettle of 130+ formed and spiraled up right in front of me, followed a minute later by another kettle of 30+, all in a "tornado" quickly sliding South. Very cool. Over the next 20 minutes another 87 streamed by at high elevation, in groups of 3 to 10. The last group of 7 flew over at 935, and that was that.

Also in the flight were several Red-tails, and at least one Swainson's Hawk. This is by far the largest one-species flight I've ever seen in Colorado, and the density was greater than I've seen even at Hawk Mountain or Cape May in the fall. Very cool.


On a banding note- the last 10 days my numbers have been a little higher than those reported at Chico Basin and Barr Lake, but only because I'm still catching Chipping Sparrow flocks. (Yesterday - 81 CHSP!). Other that those, only 5-10 other birds daily - a couple kinglets, Wilson's and Orange-crowned Warblers, and singles of Lincoln's, Song, Clay-colored, and Gambel's White-corned Sparrows. No thrush yet at all.

I have captured 2200 birds since 8/1/21, but of those, 1250 were Chipping Sparrows! Mostly missing were Vesper, Savannah, and Brewer's Sparrows, probably mostly done by now. No orioles or tanagers at all, few grosbeaks, and lower numbers of almost all species than average for 8 falls here. Yellow Warblers are done, and Wilson's are winding down, and Orange-crowneds, RC Kinglets, and Lincoln's Sparrows haven't much arrived yet.

Every year is different, but that's why it is fun to monitor what is passing through.

Have a good weekend,
Steve Brown
Colo Spgs

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