Re: [cobirds] VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER at Stalker Lake, Yuma County 9/19/26

Derek and all,

This is another good lesson on waiting for better photos...

Thanks,

Josh Bruening

Currently Lewistown, Montana

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 20, 2026, at 7:24 AM, Derek Hill <derek.jackson.hill@gmail.com> wrote:

Josh
Looking in "Rare Birds of North America" by Howell, Lewington, Russell (2014 Princeton University Press), in the account for Piratic Flycatcher they write

"Similar Species: ... Variegated Flycatcher, another austral vagrant, is appreciably larger with longer bill (pinkish below at base), flattish crown slightly peaked at the nape (versus more rounded head of Piratic), slightly flared whitish eyebrow, bolder rufous edgings to uppertail coverts and tail, and paler underparts without bright yellow wash; often perches lower and in less open situations than Piratic."

They do not mention pale edges of any wing feathers as a field mark between these two species. In their illustrations of the two species side by side, Piratic is shown with quite crisp and bold white edges to wing coverts and remiges (as is Variegated).  BTW this book has awesome illustrations by Ian Lewington. A fantastic reference book

Good birding,
Derek Hill
currently OH

On Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 2:57:34 PM UTC-4 Josh Bruening wrote:

Daniel, et al.,

The white edging to the wing coverts and secondary stack eliminates Piratic.  Heckuva find!!!  Wish I could chase...

Josh Bruening

Currently Lewistown, MT

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 19, 2026, at 12:46 PM, Daniel Maynard <dma...@gmail.com> wrote:



Folks,

I found what appears to be a VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER at Stalker Lake in Yuma County. It's been in the area of (40.0866284, -102.2765109) for a while now, mostly perching high in olive snags. Mediocre iPhone photos below

Daniel Maynard

Ecologist

Grief Ritual Facilitator

971.237.3906
Denver, CO

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Re: [cobirds] VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER at Stalker Lake, Yuma County 9/19/26

Josh
Looking in "Rare Birds of North America" by Howell, Lewington, Russell (2014 Princeton University Press), in the account for Piratic Flycatcher they write

"Similar Species: ... Variegated Flycatcher, another austral vagrant, is appreciably larger with longer bill (pinkish below at base), flattish crown slightly peaked at the nape (versus more rounded head of Piratic), slightly flared whitish eyebrow, bolder rufous edgings to uppertail coverts and tail, and paler underparts without bright yellow wash; often perches lower and in less open situations than Piratic."

They do not mention pale edges of any wing feathers as a field mark between these two species. In their illustrations of the two species side by side, Piratic is shown with quite crisp and bold white edges to wing coverts and remiges (as is Variegated).  BTW this book has awesome illustrations by Ian Lewington. A fantastic reference book

Good birding,
Derek Hill
currently OH

On Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 2:57:34 PM UTC-4 Josh Bruening wrote:

Daniel, et al.,

The white edging to the wing coverts and secondary stack eliminates Piratic.  Heckuva find!!!  Wish I could chase...

Josh Bruening

Currently Lewistown, MT

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 19, 2026, at 12:46 PM, Daniel Maynard <dma...@gmail.com> wrote:



Folks,

I found what appears to be a VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER at Stalker Lake in Yuma County. It's been in the area of (40.0866284, -102.2765109) for a while now, mostly perching high in olive snags. Mediocre iPhone photos below

Daniel Maynard

Ecologist

Grief Ritual Facilitator

971.237.3906
Denver, CO

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<IMG_0071.jpeg>

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[cobirds] Mount Zion Hawk Watch at Windy Saddle Park (19 Sep 2026) 69 Raptors

Mount Zion Hawk Watch at Windy Saddle Park
Golden, Greater Denver, Colorado, USA

To see hourly weather data and details of migrant raptors, look up this watch at hawkcount.org. This is a new raptor migration site identified and designated in mid-September 2024. This is Colorado's 1st fall hawk watch site, and the second hawk watch in Colorado. To get to the site which is along Lookout Mountain Rd. in Golden, enter either Windy Saddle Park or Mount Zion into Google Maps on your favorite navigation app, or enter the coordinates 39.7368,-105.2454. From the parking lot ascend the stone steps to the watch site. EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO THE HAWK WATCH TO ENJOY THE SPECTACLE OF RAPTOR MIGRATION, EVEN IF YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IDENTIFYING RAPTORS IN FLIGHT. We will help you to learn Raptor ID if you are interested. See https://groups.google.com/g/cobirds/c/Oznn4uc6MBk

Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 19, 2026
Species	Day's Count	Month Total	Season Total
Black Vulture	0	0	0
Turkey Vulture	3	91	196
Osprey	1	19	21
Bald Eagle	0	1	2
Northern Harrier	2	6	7
Sharp-shinned Hawk	0	2	5
Cooper's Hawk	11	68	82
American Goshawk	0	0	0
Broad-winged Hawk	26	54	54
Red-tailed Hawk	23	209	366
Rough-legged Hawk	0	0	0
Swainson's Hawk	0	115	130
Ferruginous Hawk	0	1	1
Golden Eagle	2	3	4
American Kestrel	1	64	84
Merlin	0	0	0
Peregrine Falcon	0	0	1
Prairie Falcon	0	1	2
Mississippi Kite	0	0	0
Unknown Accipitrine	0	2	2
Unknown Buteo	0	0	1
Unknown Falcon	0	0	0
Unknown Eagle	0	0	0
Unknown Raptor	0	2	3
Total:	69	638	961

Observation start time:	08:00:00
Observation end time:	16:00:00
Total observation time:	7.17 hours
Official Counter	Ajit Antony
Observers:

Visitors:
While I was looking at 2 BW someone asked What were those? I found a woman with binoculars. She was Lily Pad who had never seen a BW and saw our eBird report of 10 BW yesterday and decided to come up. She got her lifer BW and more with the kettle. At 3:20 p.m. an adult GE to the SE was chased all the way to the NE by an RT which flew over it, harassing it. The GE closed his wings and dove, a beautiful sight, then glided all the way toward the South where the RT chased it again into Lookout Mountain. An AK attacked a CH on migration, seen through my scope while watching an RT. Non-migrant raptors: dark morph adult RT without any molt, 3 other RT. TV 7 at 3:25 p.m. flying NE together, probably going to a roost. AK 1. Many hikers listened in on my instructing Lily regarding hawk ID. A woman came up to me and said You were here two weeks ago weren't you, what are you looking at. I explained about hawk migration, hawk counts, HMA. She wanted to know whether I got paid. In pleasure, I replied, and added Most rewarding things you do in life you don't get paid for- the philosopher in me.

Weather:
Slight haze over the bases of the buildings in downtown Denver caused by an inversion layer which could be seen as a 3� whitish cloud over the eastern horizon. Pleasantly cool all day especially after the rain. Light winds from the ESE changing to NE. Cloud cover progressively increasing, clear visibility only 6 km increasing to 20 km, after the rain it increased to 39 km. At 11:25 a.m. MDT there were very dark clouds to the SW of the watch. Lightning strikes had been recorded 13 miles to the SW, and I thought the storms might blow south of us, but then there was a flash of stick lightning to the SW which made me almost run down to the car with my equipment, where I found that lightning had struck one mile NE of the watch in Golden. After half an hour I was ready to leave as the rain and thunder continued, but as I backed my car out I noticed the sky brightening and within a short time the rain had almost stopped and the sun came out. My Lightning app showed the nearest lightning strikes to the West were 100 mi away at Glenwood Springs, and there was blue sky between clouds to the West so I thought I might get a few more hours of observation, and went back up to the watch getting there at 12:30 p.m. Once the rain cleared the air was very clear and everything looked razor sharp. Just before I left at 5:00 p.m. there were dark clouds to the SW and distant thunder rumbles, but the nearest lightning strikes were 35 miles away to the SW.

Raptor Observations:
23 Broadwing hawks including a single kettle of 16 found quite by luck in a blue sky when I was looking at an RT at 10:54 a.m. MDT to the SE. I could see adults tail bands on some of them with my scope. Dark morph BW 1. GE juvenile at 2:33 p.m. flew SE. I stayed till 5:00 p.m. today to see if there are late flights in the afternoon at this site. At most sites thermal production slows down by 3:00 p.m. and the hawks migrate at a lower height, but in Denver because of the elevation a mile high and the thin atmosphere, thermals keep forming until much later. At 4:00 p.m. I could see 2 local RT high over Lookout Mountain. At Dinosaur Ridge in Spring I have seen migrant hawks quite high in the sky (Level 4) even at 5:00 p.m.

Non-raptor Observations:
WTSW 17, VGSW 8, STJA 1, MOCH 1, BBMA 1, AMCR 2, CORA 2.

Predictions:
A cold front went through this evening, so tomorrow could be a good day for migrants. The winds aloft according to earth.nullschool.net are from the north which should be favorable for migrants. A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Calm wind becoming northeast around 6 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

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Report submitted by Ajit Antony (aiantony@earthlink.net)
More information at hawkcount.org: [Site Profile] [Day Summary] [Month Summary]

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[cobirds] Bird Conservancy of the Rockies - Barr Lake Banding Report, 9/19/26

An isolated thunderstorm passed through the Barr Lake area early evening yesterday; the nets were still quite wet when we opened on this cool Saturday morning for one of our slowest days of the season.  Guessing that any bird that could left after the storm and nothing new came in.

We will see what tomorrow brings......In the meantime, here are today's 19 new:

Red-breasted Nuthatch 1

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1

Yellow-rumped Warbler, Audubon's 3

Common Yellowthroat 1
Wilson's Warbler 7

Green-tailed Towhee 2

Lincoln's Sparrow 1

White-crowned Sparrow, Gambel's 2

Dark-eyed Junco, Oregon 1

We are open Tuesday through Sunday, weather permitting, through October 23.  Most weekday mornings there is a visitor session from 7:30 to 8:30, and on the weekends there are sessions at 8, 9 and 10 a.m.  Reservations are needed; here is the link.   Please join us......It is a great year to visit Barr!

Meredith McBurney

Bander, Barr Lake Station

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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[cobirds] Chico Basin Ranch Banding Station Report-Bird Conservancy of the Rockies-September 19, 2026

A great day to be outside! It would be better if the skies would drop some precipitation on the northern half of the ranch. Despite the dryness, there were a few birds around. Twelve bird species were captured including a Sharp-shinned Hawk! An immature Sharpy was a nice finale for the day. This is the first accipiter caught and banded this year at Chico. Unfortunately the kids that were here at the station earlier were not around to see the hawk. They did get to see a wide variety of birds while they were present. Always good to see some up and coming birders.

27 New Banded Birds

Wilson's Warbler- 6

Orange-crowned Warbler- 1

N. House Wren- 1

Ruby-crowned Kinglet- 1

Hammond's Flycatcher- 2

Oregon Junco- 3

Song Sparrow- 1

Lincoln's Sparrow- 2

Spotted Towhee- 2

Hermit Thrush- 5

Swainson's Thrush- 2

Sharp-shinned Hawk- 1

1 Recaptured Swainson's Thrush banded yesterday. Not sure why but it lost weight. Plenty of insects and food resources around. 

The banding station will be closed tomorrow Sunday, but will reopen on Monday. Birding is still open tomorrow, if interested in visiting the Ranch, please register online at www.aikenaudubon.com

Have a good day! Enjoy your Sunday!

Julie Shieldcastle, Bander

Chico Basin Ranch

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

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Re: [cobirds] VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER at Stalker Lake, Yuma County 9/19/26

Daniel, et al.,

The white edging to the wing coverts and secondary stack eliminates Piratic.  Heckuva find!!!  Wish I could chase...

Josh Bruening

Currently Lewistown, MT

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 19, 2026, at 12:46 PM, Daniel Maynard <dmaynar@gmail.com> wrote:



Folks,

I found what appears to be a VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER at Stalker Lake in Yuma County. It's been in the area of (40.0866284, -102.2765109) for a while now, mostly perching high in olive snags. Mediocre iPhone photos below

Daniel Maynard

Ecologist

Grief Ritual Facilitator

971.237.3906
Denver, CO

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<IMG_0071.jpeg>

[cobirds] VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER at Stalker Lake, Yuma County 9/19/26

Folks,

I found what appears to be a VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER at Stalker Lake in Yuma County. It's been in the area of (40.0866284, -102.2765109) for a while now, mostly perching high in olive snags. Mediocre iPhone photos below

Daniel Maynard

Ecologist

Grief Ritual Facilitator

971.237.3906
Denver, CO

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