SE Colorado Birding

Transition to a new blog-Bird and Nature blog

2008-08-09T23:37:00.000-06:00

I haven't been keeping this blog up very well lately and that is because I have been establishing a new blog-http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com. I have had more success with this, the SE Colorado Birding blog, than I would have imagined when I began. The stat counter I have used shows that it has had more than 16,000 unique visitors since I established it in October, 2005. I have been surprised that visitors have been from more than 40 countries as well as the U.S. So I feel it has been successful.

However, it is time for me to widen the scope of my blog. Though I will still post mostly from SE Colorado since that is where I live, I will feel more free to post outside of this area and outside of the state as well as on butterflies, damselflies, frogs and other aspects of nature. I will keep my strong conservation focus.

I invite the many regular viewers to transition with me. Thanks for visiting and hope you will enjoy my new blog. SeEtta:

GO TO: HTTP://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com

Close encounter of the "bear" kind

2008-08-07T16:05:00.000-06:00

The weather was very hot today so I headed for a little higher elevation in the San Isabel National Forest that stretches from just south of where I live in Canon City, CO to the New Mexico border. Though the temps were in the lower 90's (instead of around 100 as forecast for Canon City), birding was quite slow likely due as much because of the very dry conditions as the high temps. There were few insects for birds to eat and few flowers for hummingbirds and butterflies due to the lack of rain. Since it was less hot and I enjoy the forest, I stayed for several hours checking out a few birds, a few butterflies and moths, and a few wildflowers with my two dogs. My smaller dogs, Chase, let out some alarm barking several times but I couldn't find anything that should have caused it. I did use my binoculars to check for critters and considered the possibility that a bear could be around especially since there is a lot of scrub (Gambel's) oak in the area. However I had checked the plants and found that the acorns were very small and would not ripen for a few weeks plus there was no other obvious plants with fruit there, so I decided that the bears would not be interested--not an accurate conclusion. Since Chase can be a easily spooked, I thought was what caused his barking.Close to dusk I was pursuing two birds that were flitting from tree to tree when I heard a noise like something scraping a tree--something large. My pulse rate immediately shot up as I realized it could be a bear and I was about 150 feet from my car--and one of my dogs was outside by the car. As I walked sideways (so I could look in the direction I thought the sound was coming from) quickly (and telling myself not to go too quickly as I knew the prohibition about not simulating a prey--easier said than done when you want think a bear may be near). To make matters worse, the scraping noise not only continued but got louder (now I realize it was because I came closer to the bears as I walked to the car). I first pointed to my dog to stay then put my arms in the air to make myself appear larger (another thing that experts recommend). When I got to my car I got my dogs secured inside and stood by my door, then (and only then) did I put my binoculars up to look for what had made the noise--and I spotted this mother black bear with her two cubs now about 400-500 feet away and took these pics. She clearly did not want anything to do with me anymore than I did with her so was moving away. I think that she may have sent her cubs up a tree, and she may have been up there also, but got them down when I came too close.

In retrospect I suspect she and her cubs, which I believe are over a year old, had been in the area most of the time I was there and was the reason that Chase gave his alarm barking. I also suspect that due to the dry conditions even immature acorns are worth eating. I have seen black bears on several occasions over the past 10 years when I have been out birding but I have never seen one with cubs or been so close without something between me and the bears. Though I enjoy seeing bears, this was too close for comfort and even scarier since it was a mother bear with cubs. As bears are now engaged in eating marathons to fatten up for winter, I will take precautions when I'm out birding or hiking. SeEtta

Great conservation news for Boreal Forest!

2008-07-23T23:10:00.000-06:00

I am delighted to send out some good news for a change and especially since this is a major conservation victory: Ontario, Canada government has comitted to "protect over 55 million acreas of Canada's Boreal Forest. Per Dr. Jeff Well's "Boreal Bird Blog" this number of acres of the Boreal Forest is vital breeding habitat for the following species of birds seen in Colorado:

3 million Swainson's Thrushes (many of those that migrate across Colorado's eastern plains are thought to be migrating to/from the Boreal Forest)
4.5 million White-throated Sparrows (I believe most if not all of this species that we see in Colorado breed in or near the Boreal Forest)
5 million Dark-eyed Juncos (most, maybe all, Oregon and Slate race that we see in winter in Colorado breed in the Boreal Forest)
4 million Magnolia Warblers (rare, but seen in Colorado)
3 million Palm Warblers (also rare, but seen in Colorado)
2 million Tennessee Warblers (not quite as rare as last two)

Additionally it is "the world's single-largest terrestrial carbon storehouse"
"Contains the majority of North America's fresh, unfrozen water"
"Hosts some of the planet's largest populations of wolves, grizzly bear and woodland caribou." (from news article at first link below)

Read more about this at
news article
Boreal Bird Blog
Montreal Gazette news story

SeEtta

Possible juvenile Black-chinned Hummingbird

2008-07-20T17:35:00.001-06:00

Warning-the following is a very esoteric discussion of hummingbird feathers.
I believe the Black-chinned Hummingbird in these pics may be a male in juvenal plumage. When the top pic is double-clicked to enlarge it, the feathers on the head show buffy edges. Though not as clear, so do the nape feathers and some of the back feathers. Birds of North America (BNA) online states that this is characteristic of both male and female birds in juvenal plumage.
BNA (as well as other references) indicate that the outer 3 tail feathers (r3,r4 & r5) of female Black-chinned Hummingbirds are "broadly tipped with white." However this hummingbird appears to show diminishing white from the most outer to the next 2 tail feathers at least on one side (difficult to discern if true on both sides as tail feathers overlap in pic). A website entitled "Idaho Hummingbirds" shows photos of Black-chinned Hummingbirds being banded, stating that those with "greatly reduced white on r3" (this is the third rectrice,or tail feather, as counted from the center to the outer tail feathers)is typical for immature males. This is basically confired by BNA which states that there is more white in the tip of the third rectrice in females than in male birds in juvenal plumage.

To call this a male is likely a stretch but I think the pics show that this hummingbird is in juvenal plumage (not sure what age). I am hoping that someone with more expertise in hummingbird identification will confirm or disconfirm if this bird is an immature male Black-chinned. SeEtta

Black-chinned Hummingbirds

2008-07-20T17:34:00.000-06:00

Before I saw the nighthawk in my previous post, I spent some time in a friend's backyard in La Junta enjoying the Black-chinned Hummingbirds coming to his feeder (and the 30 Chimney Swifts flying over plus the up to 12 Mississippi Kites doing their graceful acrobatics).
This bright male Black-chinned Hummingbird appeared to be the top hummingbird in a few conflicts at the feeder. Black-chinned Hummingbirds are not common on the eastern plains although they have been documented nesting south of La Junta where there is a lot of pinyon-juniper habitat, their most common nesting location per surveys in the 1990's that are documented in the Colorado Breeding Bird Atlas
The velvet black of the male's chin, upper and side portions of it's throat provides nice contrast to metallic violet-purple on the lower part of it's throat. SeEtta

Young goatsucker

2008-07-20T17:33:00.001-06:00

For those who are not birders, the term "goatsucker" will likely conjure up thoughts of possibly bats that suck the blood of goats. However, goatsucker is the name of a family of birds that includes Common Nighthawk like the one in this pic as well as the better known poorwills (like Whip-poor-wills and Common Poorwills).

Common Nighthawks are active mostly at night though they are sometimes active during the day. Like all members of the goatsucker family, they are cryptically colored. This one is a juvenile of the southwestern subspecies (per The Sibley Guide to Birds as indicated by it's cinnamon feathering. It was perched on this fence after a nice prairie thunderstorm was almost over (a few raindrops are visible in the pic). Though the pic gets a little blurry, it is interesting to double-click on it to see it up-close. SeEtta

"Manufactured homes for the birds "

2008-07-19T14:00:00.001-06:00

High Country News had a short article of a creative and somewhat desperate attempt to provide artificial cactus needed for the Coastal Cactus Wren:

"With a catastrophic rise in wildfires over the past two decades -- most of them sparked by human activity in this rapidly developing corner of California -- thousands of acres of hard-won coastal sage reserves have gone up in smoke. The wren’s population has consequently plummeted. The bird nests only in mature cacti at least 3 feet tall, and such stands take decades to recover from burning."

Read the full article (available free) hereSeEtta

2008-07-17T23:23:00.000-06:00

A few days I did some birding in the pinyon-juniper habitat around the Royal Gorge (a deep canyon through which the Arkansas River runs just before it gets to Canon City). I saw birds expected in this habitat including 2 Gray Flycatchers. As I drove slowly along a gravel county road looking for birds I spotted the Northern Pygmy-Owl in these pics.
This is the first pygmy-owl I have spotted without benefit of some auditory cues. I have previously spotted Northern Pygmy-Owls that were calling and about 10 years ago I spotted a Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl in Mexico after hearing some land birds fussing near it. The bottom pic is what I saw when I put my binoculars on this owl after spotting it with just with my eyes. It was just under 100 feet from the road in snag branch of a juniper tree.After I shot these pics, the owl opened it's beak and emitted insect-like calls. (Birds of North America (BNA) online states, "Nestlings and fledglings give Begging Call that sounds insect-like, similar to katydid’s “song”" I also heard the same insect-like call coming from below this owl and then a second Northern Pygmy-Owl flew out from the foliage in the live juniper branches beneath the first owl. Then the first owl flew off. I continued to hear the insect-like calls and was able to follow the owls as they flew from tree to tree. I believe there were at least 3 of these little (they are only about 7 inches tall) owls there.I believe this owl is in juvenal plumage as it does not have the distinctive spotting on the crown and nape as adults do. Also, the bill is grayish instead of the yellow that BNA and some field guides describe for adults (but some field guides describe other colors so this is not consistent or definitive). I also believe this is probably a fledgling owl because it emitted a call that is given by nestlings and fledglngs (it is not a nestling as it is clearly out of the nest).Johnsgard, in North American Owls (2002, p.141) says that, "Northern Pygmy-Owls are "seemingly nonsocial, tending to remain solitary or in highly dispersed pairs (or family groups) through-out the year." So it seems most likely that the 2-3 owls I saw were a family group.BNA states, "Once fledged, young seem to stay close together and one or both parents feed them." So this probable fledgling may have been with one or more siblings and likely a parent. It is possible that their nest site is not far away. Though this species is known to nest in pinyon-juniper habitat as they were found in, there was a nearby ravine with deciduous trees that was likely a riparian area associated with an intermittent stream.

Please note that the middle pic enlarges for a pretty good super close-just double-click on that pic. SeEtta

Black-crowned Night-Heron

2008-07-09T18:14:00.002-06:00

In addition to checking Lake Henry yesterday, I checked nearby Lake Meredith and found 5 Snowy Egrets, the adult Black-crowned Night-Heron in this pic (please note that the bulging red eyes are real and not an artifact of photography) and a juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron. There were some Western and Clark's Grebes swimming around the lake but none with young. There were also distant white headed gulls.

Not far from Lake Meredith I found a mixed flock of early migrating sandpipers in a small section of an agricultural field that was flooded from a few recent downpours. There were 3-5 Pectoral Sandpipers (they moved in and out of the vegetation so couldn't get an accurate count), 2 Baird's Sandpipers and 1 Least Sandpiper. Though I got some pics, they weren't high quality so will wait until shorebird migration is in full swing and I can get some better pics to post. SeEtta

Update--breeding grebes at Lake Henry

2008-07-09T18:10:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I stopped by Lake Henry to check on the Clark's and Western Grebes that have been breeding there. I found several parent's with dependent juveniles like this Clark's Grebe swimming behind it's parent. There were also some grebes still nesting in the floating vegetation that formed a mat on the lake (visible in this pic). If anyone can identify the floating vegetation, shown in this pic (click on the pic to enlarge it for a close-up of the vegetation), I would appreciate your noting what it is--just click on the "comment" link at the bottom of the post. SeEtta

Black Phoebe family update

2008-07-07T13:51:00.005-06:00

I have been able to continue monitoring the Black Phoebe family that I posted on in May and June. I usually see 1 or 2 of the juveniles every day. They have only moved about a half mile from their nest site, and still on or accessible from my friend's property. I was thrilled this week to see all 3 juveniles and a parent.These are pics of one of the juveniles. I waa actually laying on my back trying to get better pics of the Lewis's Woodpeckers I recently posted on when this young bird flew onto a tree branch only about 25 feet away. Unfortunately, it was in the shade of the tree and telephoto lens do best with good light (the same problem I have had with the Lewis's Woodpeckers) so these pics are best displayed in a smaller size than I usually use. SeEtta

Red Racer/coachwhip snake

2008-07-06T23:52:00.001-06:00

So here I am, spotting the snake which was about 20-25 feet up in this tree, watching the snake slither over branches as it moved around adeptly. I had been aware previously that snakes climb trees but had never seen one until now.And this snake appeared more concerned about me than about the Bullock's Orioles that were screeching at it. In fact, this snake appeared to stop it's movement to look directly at me, as shown in the bottom pic. This was more than a little disconcerting to me--yes, I knew it was not going to jump on me, but I am frightened of snakes and to have one in tree branches above me stop to look directly at me was just kind of creepy.

So why would I stay there taking pics of this snake? Just because I am afraid of something doesn't mean that I am not interested in it (I'm also afraid of heights but will stand, albeit holding onto a sturdy railing, at the edge of the Grand Canyon to take pics of it).I haven't mentioned that this snake was about 6 feet long. The top pic shows most, though not the entire length of the snake (it's head is on the left but it's tail is further right outside the photo). SeEtta

Snake-fighting orioles

2008-07-06T23:40:00.000-06:00

Birders learn to pay attention when birds are agitated as this may be an indication that a predator is nearby. Usually that predator is a raptor, and sometimes we can find owls this way. So today when I saw 2 male Bullock's Orioles behaving in an agitated manner, I was drawn closer to see why. I thought it possible that one of males might be upset that the 2nd male was near it's nest, but it seemed more than that. I watched closer and soon saw the object of their anger--a Red Racer snake (referred to as a coachwhip snake in Amphibians and Reptiles in Colorado by Hammerson). And it was in the tree that they were in!!!
The two male orioles were soon joined by a female Bullock's Oriole as they scolded the snake. Likely there is an oriole's nest(s) nearby and they were trying to get the snake away from the nest. Red Racer/Coachwhip snakes eat birds eggs so there was good reason for the orioles to be concerned. These snakes also eat birds and I thought the orioles came awfully close to this predator. More on this snake species in the next post, SeEtta

A birder's last flight

2008-07-05T22:52:00.005-06:00

Today I said good-bye to a local nature lover and conservationist, Joan Williams. Joan was also a birder who enjoyed attending Audubon field trips to view birds around SE Colorado. Joan was a fellow board member in our local Audubon chapter. Though her health had been declining, she attended meetings regularly and served as our refreshments chairperson. She was also very active in volunteering to work at our booths at various events.I looked in my photo files yesterday so I could get a few pics for her family. Though many showed her working our booths, several were of Joan looking at birds brought by the Raptor Center or at those being banded--visual reminders of her enjoyment of birds and of her passion to help promote conservation (sadly, many birders lack this vital link between the birds they enjoy and the activism necessary to ensure their continued existence). I share one of each of those here.As final good-byes were said at the cemetery, two birds sang from nearby trees. How fitting--but was this a musical bon voyage or an invitation to join her avian friends.

Juvenile Clark's Grebes practice independence

2008-07-04T23:36:00.006-06:00

The juvenile Clark's Grebe in the top pic doesn't appear ready to be far from it's parent though it appears too large to ride on the parent's back. I have seen some this side at least try to climb onto the parent's back but the parents seemed to discourage it by swimming away. As can be seen, the juvenile has it's bill wide open--it may be calling to the parent to feed it.
The young Clark's Grebe in the bottom pic was swimming about 20 feet away from than the parent grebe that sleeping (they sleep on the water with their heads tucked in). It does appear to be an older chick (though not as old as the one in the top pic) and apparently both it and the parent considered it old enough to practice a little independence while the parent got some shut-eye. Fortunately this juvenile and it's parent were near the large vegetative mat on the lake which motor boaters and ski-doos stay away from as the vegetation clogs their blades.

Note: these pics came out better than the ones I posted previously due to having a sunny day rather than the cloudy days when I was there before. Good light is really important when taking distant pics like these with a zoom lens(the grebes were about a hundred or more feet away. SeEtta

Grebes still with babies on their backs

2008-07-04T22:41:00.007-06:00

I made a quick trip to Lake Henry yesterday and was rewarded by the sight of a number of Clark's and Western Grebes still with chicks on their backs and some juvenile grebes learning to be independent. These pics are of a Clark's Grebes that was still "back-brooding" (brooding their young on their backs) its chick.
The downside of the trip was the many ski-doos and motorboats that were on the shore near the 40 recreational vehicles that were already camped there and there would likely be a number more arriving later yesterday and today with their motorboats and ski-doos. While I was there, I watched 2 ski-doos driving very fast across the lake causing grebes to dive for their lives.

The really sad thing is that parent grebes will avoid diving with young chicks on their backs until a real emergency as their offspring can drown. It's really unfortunate that recreationists consider their recreational participation more important than survival of birds and other wildlife--tis is true of other motorized recreationists (like those with ATV's) and even non-motorized recreationists (eg, climbers who disturb nesting raptors).

This includes birders who consider their observation and photographing of birds more important than the birds' welfare, especially when it comes to pursuing rare species or those that are listed as Threatened or Endangered. Indeed it's not just selfish ski-dooers that are a threat to birds but birders who should know better. SeEtta

More Lewis's Woodpecker pics

2008-07-02T09:05:00.001-06:00

Here are two more pics of the nesting Lewis's Woodpeckers that I took yesterday. In the top pic, the woodpecker is entering the nest cavity. In the bottom pic, the woodpecker is getting ready to fly out of the nest cavity. The top pic appears almost artificial but the colors are natural and have not been modified though I did have to lighten the pic as the nest cavity is in the shade. Also the eyes are large and dark just as shown in the bottom pic. SeEtta

Nesting Lewis's Woodpeckers

2008-07-01T23:47:00.002-06:00

I found a pair of Lewis's Woodpeckers bringing food to nestlings in the tree cavity that is just in front of the bird in these pics. The nestlings must be older as the woodpeckers (both the male and female feed the nestlings) were making frequent trips to the nest cavity to bring food. I also saw them coming out of the nest hole with fecal sacks in their bills. SeEtta

Bright orange oriole

2008-07-01T23:22:00.000-06:00

Male Bullock's Orioles, they species found here in the west, have such brilliant orange plumage, but it only shows up when you can get a pic in good light. That can be a trick since this species spends a lot of time under the canopy of large trees where their mates are nesting.

These male orioles are good dads in my experience. I see them bring food first to the female when she is in the nest then to the nestlings and finally to fledglings. They seem to do their share of parenting including protecting nest sites with their loud calls, removing fecal sacks from the nest (according to Birds of North America online and accompanying some fledglings after they leave the nest (presumably to show them how to find their own food, etc). SeEtta

W.Wood-pewee on nest

2008-06-30T23:56:00.002-06:00

This pic shows a Western Wood-pewee on it's nest that I found next to the Arkansas River near Canon City. I am beginning to think that this bird is young as I have walked by this nest daily, usually twice a day, and only seen a bird on it one time in 2 weeks (certainly she may be on the nest for many hours when I'm not there).

As can be seen, the nest is compact and well woven. Per Birds of North America online the nests are "neatly woven of grasses, plant fibers, bark, plant down, feathers, and hair bound together with spiders’ webs; lined with fine grasses, hair; decorated with moss, insect puparia, exuvia, or bud scales." SeEtta

Communal feeding-40+ hawks

2008-06-30T23:31:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I found a field south of La Junta with more than 40 hawks. They were mostly Swainson's Hawks, a species known for it's communal feeding, but there were several Ferruginous Hawks there also. There was a mixture of ages with adults and birds in juvenal plumage. And I was really surprised to see 3 quite young hawks, about half the size of the adult Swainson's Hawk that was attending them. These young hawks seemed too small to have fledged from their nest and there were no trees nearby that might support a nest that they could return to.

The field in which these hawks were feeding was a hay field that had been cut. There were cattle grazing on the hay stubble and the hawks followed the cattle as they moved further away. I saw grasshoppers on the road where I was standing and think it is likely that the hawks were feasting on these insects which make up a good part of the diet of Swainson's Hawks (Ferruginous are known to eat insects also but usually feed on small mammals). The cattle may have been stirring up the grasshoppers as they walked around and grazed on the grass.

Unfortunately the nearest hawks were about 200 feet away, too distant for my DSLR camera. This pic is of one of the almost full-sized Swainson's in juvenal plumage that I took by digiscoping, a new modality I am still trying to learn. I couldn't get a pic of the feeding group as they were spread out up to hundreds of feet from each other. SeEtta

Flickr

2008-06-24T01:01:00.001-06:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Please take my short poll on right

2008-06-21T18:46:00.001-06:00

I just added a short poll found on the right side of this page. I would like to get some feedback from those of you who read my blog to see if you are happy with what I am doing or have other preferences. SeEtta

Grebe chick swallowing fish

2008-06-20T23:39:00.006-06:00

I returned to Lake Henry yesterday to watch the grebes some more and try to get some better pics of the chicks (they are so small, the pics of them do not enlarge well). I might add here that Clark's Grebes look quite similar to Western Grebes but the white on their faces goes just above the eye and onto the lores, while the white goes below the eye in Western Grebes. Also, Clark's Grebes have brighter yellow bills, with paler backs, less extensive black on flanks, and some more subtle characteristics. There is a caveat regarding characteristics since during winter some Clark's Grebes have an intermediate plumage including the white not extending above the eye.I was delighted to watch as a parent grebe fed a fish, which looked awfully big for the size of this chick, to a chick. In the top pic, the Clark's Grebe parent has come to the surface with a fish in it's beak. In the middle pic, the chick has the fish in it's beak and with it's head pointed up it is trying to swallow the fish while the parent watches nearby. During the process of swallowing the fish, the parent intervened a few times either taking the fish back or maybe helping reposition it for it's chick (they were over a hundred feet away and there were big waves and so I couldn't always see exactly what was happening).The last pic shows the chick working on swallowing the fish from a more close-up perspective--actually the chick successfully swallowed the fish shortly after I took this pic. SeEtta

Grebe eye color

2008-06-20T23:16:00.000-06:00

I should have noted that Western and Clark's Grebes have red eyes (described as scarlet in Bird of North America online)as shown in this pic. One of the regular blog readers mistook this for the artificial "red eye" sometimes caused by photography.

Additionally, both Eared and Horned Grebes also have red/scarlet irises. Many birds have eyes of various colors including yellow, white and black as well as red.

I have run into the problem of photographically induced "red eye" when taking pictures of owls with a flash. It is also a common problem when photographing dogs. But the red eyes on all the Western and Clark's Grebes pics here come naturally. You can get a real close-up view of the eyes by double-clicking on this pic. SeEtta