Mr. LeAtherman (sorry for the previous typo),
Back in Denver now that my second mortgage came through so I could fill the tank for the return journey. I knew you would have my back entomologically, you never cease to amaze. With respect to the "crickets", this is as big a year for them up in the northwestern corner of the State that I can recall. As mentioned in my note last night, there were at least a few consistently over a +/-30 mile stretch on US 40 west of Maybell, but today I decided to swing through a back road (MCR 17) that I hadn't been on in ages through Axial Basin (Moffat Co.), but ~10-15 miles south of US 40. Hit the "crickets" again, in higher densities, but this time only over a 5-10 mile stretch…amazing! Couldn't quite capture the enormity of this movement with my phone camera (did get a couple of videos though), but here are a couple of close ups for those who are unfamiliar with these interesting katydids (for the record, I do not have "Trump Hands"):
So back to the avian nature of this listserve. I don't recall seeing anything, birds included, utilizing these guys as a food resource. I watched a nearby kestrel today as it was hunting, but it did not come up with a Mormon Cricket though there were certainly thousands upon thousands around. Is the California Gull story a myth at least as it pertains to the Mormon Crickets, or was there a coincidental grasshopper outbreak back then? Now I've broached theology so will stop now.
Dave, thanks as always for enlightening all of us with your knowledge of our arthropods, fascinating as usual.
Cheers,
Doug
From: cobirds@googlegroups.com <cobirds@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of DAVID A LEATHERMAN
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2022 1:01 PM
To: COBIRDS <cobirds@googlegroups.com>
Cc: Doug Ward <dougward@frontier.com>
Subject: Re: [cobirds] Rio Blanco Take 2
Intended for this go out to everyone and just sent it to Doug Ward. DL
From: DAVID A LEATHERMAN <daleatherman@msn.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2022 9:12 AM
To: Doug Ward <dougward@frontier.com>
Subject: Re: [cobirds] Rio Blanco Take 2
Doug et al,
We have at least 27 species of cicadas in Colorado, several of which occur in the habitat types and geographic part of the state where you were. Some can be locally abundant and quite loud. I suspect the dominant one was in the genus Okanagana.
The Mormon Cricket is actually a type of katydid. They are flightless and famous for their periodic population explosions and mass movements. They are forever tied to California gulls in legend because of the big white birds emanating from Great Salt Lake being credited with saving crops from the "crickets" in 1848.
To be picky, the tarantulas in southeastern and southwestern CO do not "migrate". The phenomenon observed in autumn is males out cruising fairly short distances for females. The females remain at the mouths of their burrows. In order to find potential mates the males must check out as many possible sites as possible in their quest to be invited inside.
On a related note, my BBS routes named Villagreen and Ninaview are also plagued with a mimicry issue, but in the case of these routes it is mockingbirds imitating pinyon jays. Since pinyon jays DO occasionally occur, did one hear them or not is always the question? I did not run my routes this year due to their distance from Fort Collins and gas prices.
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
From: cobirds@googlegroups.com <cobirds@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Doug Ward <dougward@frontier.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2022 8:47 PM
To: 'cobirds' <cobirds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [cobirds] Rio Blanco Take 2
The post I just sent was more of a "Rare Bird Alert" while this one is simply general interest, particularly for bug lovers – talking to you Dave.
I'll start with birds, however. This portion is for Scott (Somershoe), our resident PINYON JAY aficionado, and certainly expert. Scott, I found some, pert near 200 (!), of the Pinyon Jays you and your extensive crew are hunting. I hadn't stumbled on such a large flock in a VERY long time and immediately thought of you. I actually didn't pick them up during BBS working hours, but on the return as I was hoping to confirm a couple of Clark's Nutcrackers I thought I heard during the survey proper. This is where it gets weird. I went back to the area, listened for a while for the Nutcrackers, nothing, then the flock of Pinyon Jays took to the air at once giving their typical "laugh", silent and undetected until then, before settling back down. During this foray, thought I heard a Nutcracker again and searched through the flock to see if they were toting one along – nope. I then heard emanating from the group while settled and feeding a Magpie, a Scrub Jay, another Nutcracker, then a fairly respectable Steller's Jay – WTF?!? I have never heard nor read about corvids mimicking each other, just typically raptors, so the question for you Scott, what were these Pinyons doing? Not only this, I thought I heard a Scrub-Jay earlier in the morning during the survey where I had a couple of Pinyons, but couldn't confirm (hadn't had a Scrub in that area before), so now I'm thinking it was actually the Pinyons! Very weird.
Now on to bugs Dave (Letherman). I had another first for me on the West Slope and it probably cost me some BBS data. Was at a spot with extensive scrubby serviceberry, mountain mahogany, and scattered small pinyon/juniper. Got out to start my 3 minutes, heard a slight buzzing off in the distance, then all of a sudden a wave of sound rolled through the brush and engulfed the entire hill. Cicadas, at least that's what I think! It got so loud I couldn't hear the birds well at all. Having lived over here (running another BBS in the morning), I never recall cicadas being a thing other than a few in the city parks (Craig, Steamboat, and Meeker). So Dave, what gives???
The last bug thing is Mormon Crickets. Fortunately, it seems to have been relatively wet over here this year. While I wouldn't call it recovered, soil and vegetation health seems far better than at the same time last year. With this rebound has come a bumper crop of Mormon Crickets. I have not had the chance to Google the taxonomy of these big, interesting "crickets", but I don't think they are actually crickets at all – again, Dave please bale me out. Over a roughly 30 mile stretch of HW 40 west of Maybell (Moffat Co.) the density of migrating crickets across the road was ~ 5-10/sq meter for much of the way, with a couple of patches so thick the dead bugs created a black slick ~ 50-100m wide!! (actually hazardous). So for those of you who have not been indoctrinated into this Great Basin phenomenon, this year seems to be one to head West. If you don't get too creeped out by this event, then down to southeast Colorado with you for the tarantula migration.
That's it. Always something fun whenever we get out. Please let ,me know if you'd like any other directions or information.
Good BBSing (Take 2),
Doug
PS – Joey, did my part in getting a couple of beautiful Great Basin Gopher Snakes off the road, one of which didn't seem too grateful, hissing, and striking, and all.
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