Dear Colleagues:
I am late to the table.
We moved to our current location in Huerfano County in 2018. We have a few pines, mostly Gambel's Oaks and a good bit of various grasses. We have counted far more wildflowers and grasses on our land than bird species.
Thus far, our yard list stands at 112 bird species. We are in Woodhouse's domain, having both 'his' toad and 'his' jay. One Great Blue Jay has flown over heading to one of the town lakes and Canada Geese enjoy the watered grass at the golf course several miles away. Bufflehead have dropped in a seasonal pond a couple of times.
Sharp-shinned, Cooper's, Merlin, and American Kestrel follow the other migrant birds, while Red-tailed, Rough-legged, Golden, Bald, Northern Harrier, and Osprey have a more stable or predictable occurrence.
Sandhill Cranes are heard move often than seen, although like the plane causing a contrail, if you attend to the source, you eventually can see them.
Gulls are notably absent--a drive to Lathrop State Park or a 1 1/2 drive to the Pueblo Reservoir is needed to reliably see one.
Doves are daily visitors to our dripping water in the summer: Mourning and Eurasian Collared. Otherwise, they would need to fly three miles to reliable water.
Great Horned and Mountain Pygmy (two notes), as well as Common Nighthawk and Common Poorwill are reliable here.
Five hummingbird species come to our feeders, the first around April 15, with an influx of Rufous around July 1. Rufous are dominant then.
We enjoy the infrequent Calliope.
Lewis's Woodpecker is a regular down at the bridge, yet has been curious about the activity at our water feature and feeders two or three times.
An Ash-throated Flycatcher made one late-summer appearance as did a Sage Thrasher.
A lone Vesper Sparrow is here each year and we had a single Western Wood-Pewee the first year after the Spring Fire that ravaged our Gambel's Oaks.
That fire went right over our house, fortunately leaving the house standing--thanks to the local fire-control efforts. Thus, we are observing what happens to an ecosystem as it recovers from such devastation.
David Matson
Huerfano County
David O. Matson
La Veta, Colorado
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