[cobirds] A few migrants at Littleton

This evening a trio of Chimney Swifts zipped north single file over the area of St. Mary Church in Littleton. Soon after a Merlin followed, but too far behind to be connected to the swifts. The swifts were slightly ahead of other Arapahoe records in eBird. A male Nashville Warbler was in a yard near the church grounds, and a Lincoln's Sparrow, too. Other warblers have so far been very scarce so far, with only a few Yellow-rumps.

Chipping Sparrows have been plentiful in areas of Littleton where I have been over the last few days, with many singing. At the same time, I'm seeing them around my Ken Caryl Valley home area daily, but they are mostly not singing. And in the prior 4 springs I recall the same: singing migrants passing through Littleton, but migrants moving at Ken Caryl are mostly not. I think maybe it has to do with different tree structure in the neighborhoods, with larger, taller (older) conifers at Littleton, where the developed neighborhood is older.

David Suddjian

Ken Caryl Valley

Littleton, CO

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAGj6Roph1cxrLmd1_tYgkqXJE1DFrqFY5OZseXVQcEGJOMaA6g%40mail.gmail.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[cobirds] RFI -- crossbills and cone crops

Hi all,

I'm here with my annual request for information on the whereabouts of good cone crops and crossbills.

Unfortunately, cone crops over much of the Rockies were non-existent or very poor this last year, causing a mass exodus of our usually abundant type 2 (ponderosa pine) crossbills to the Great Lakes and Northeast region (though it seems there have been several holdouts at feeders along the Front Range and even deeper in the mountains). Hopefully as summer progresses, good cone crops will develop and crossbills will return.

As usual, I am particularly interested in hearing about developing ponderosa pine, douglas-fir, and Engelmann/blue spruce cone crops. It is still too early to detect a developing spruce/fir cone crop, but developing ponderosa pine cones should be visible right now. Basically, look for lots of small purple cones on ponderosa branches (see attached photo for an example, taken on April 12 a few years ago). Come late June/early July, spruce and doug-fir will have similar small purple cones all over, if they are to have a good cone crop (attached is a not so great photo of that from July 6 two years ago).

Any information (even the absence of a good cone crop in an area) is greatly appreciated. The unpredictable nature of conifer cone crops and crossbills makes working on them an...interesting challenge, but the information you folks have given me over the past few years has made things go much more smoothly than I anticipated when I first started this project.

Good birding,
Cody Porter
Laramie, WY

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/18bd3738-33c7-484f-bdce-ab34e677a86e%40googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[cobirds] Swainson's Hawk - Red-tailed Hawk drama at Waneka Lake, Boulder Co

After watching the White-faced Ibis flock at Greenlee Preserve this evening, I was delighted to spot my first-of-the-year Swainson's Hawk. I first saw a single bird perched in a cottonwood near the spot where a pair has nested in previous years. It was being mobbed by Blue Jays and eventually flew. It was joined shortly by a second Swainson's Hawk in what I judged to be a territorial/courtship flight.

After a few minutes of high flying, the pair came lower toward the cottonwoods around the lake and were joined by a third bird. The third bird flew ahead of them and perched high in a cottonwood. One of the Swainson's flew into a cottonwood some distance away, while the second flew low over the lake along the tree line in a leg hanging display that took him up to a perch perhaps 20 meters from the Red-tail and at the same level. The more distant Swainson's then flew in close to the this bird.

The two Swainson's perched close together for several minutes being watched by the Red-tail. Perhaps in response to jays that began mobbing it, the Red-tail uttered two calls. At the second call, one of the Swainson's flew directly at the Red-tail striking the bird in a talons extended attack. The birds tumbled together through the branches halfway to the ground until the Red-tail flew off.

I have known for some time that Swainson's, because of their greater agility, are dominant over Red-tails, but this was the first time I've witnessed such a dramatic demonstration.

Chuck Hundertmark
Lafayette

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/20ADE5E9-F389-4E46-915C-B15A0D4EEB29%40gmail.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[cobirds] Glossy Ibis continues (Boulder Co.)

Hi birders,

Friends Caleb Strand, Danny Montalvo and I relocated Ted Floyd's Glossy Ibis. If you walk eastward along the trail north of Waneka Lake, there is a muddy pond on your left hand side with about 50 White-faced Ibis (not visible from the trail). There is also a hybrid Glossy x White-faced Ibis mixed in with the other plegadis, so stay alert! Pics of the hybrid will eventually be posted on eBird.

Good birding,

- Joshua Smith
Fort Collins, CO

Sent from my iPhone

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/524EB994-3D4B-4B01-8CF0-D192C3627C69%40icloud.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[cobirds] Lamar Community College Woods, Lamar on 4/28/18 (Prowers)

Highlights of this AM's visit to LCC Woods:
White-eyed Vireo
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male-female pair)
Nashville Warbler
Field Sparrow
Dusky Flycatcher
Northern Cardinal
Lazuli Bunting

Also, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird male at private feeder in nearby Willow Creek Subdivision.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

Sent from my iPhone

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/SN4PR0601MB36140CFEE3E1D7B3E5E4529FC1830%40SN4PR0601MB3614.namprd06.prod.outlook.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[cobirds] CFO Convention online registration closes May 2

Online registration for the 2018 convention will close at the end of Wednesday, May 2.  There will be an opportunity for walk-in reservations at the opening of the convention, but they will cost more.  There still are good field trip opportunities available, along with all the other events.

So — your best bet if you haven't yet registered is to do so soon!

See more information about the convention on our website:  https://cobirds.org/CFO/Conventions/Next.aspx 

David Gillilan, for CFO

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/ca90b5e4-de89-4ba2-ba57-cc06e80781fc%40googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[cobirds] Glossy ibis - Waneka/Greenlee Preserve, Boulder Cty

Glossy ibis seen by Ted Floyd this morning at Greenlee Preserve is still present as of 10:05 AM.

Regards,

Mark Minner-Lee
Broomfield, CO

Sent from my iPhone

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/431D3874-72E2-42AA-9742-F11687E69BD4%40gmail.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.