Birds and Nature

I took this video clip yesterday (and it has taken me until today to get it in a format for uploading) of the possible hybrid Black X Eastern Phoebe that I posted about in my last posting. The song the bird sings is consistent with the primary song of the Black Phoebe and the calls it emits also sound like Black Phoebe calls. As it flies off I lose it briefly then get on it again. At the end it flies after it's apparent mate which seems likely the reason for the fluttering of it's wings in the display before it takes off. SeEtta

Here are two more pics of the intermediate plumaged phoebe that I took today. You can see the small hook at the tip of the phoebes bill, a characteristic of Black Phoebes but one that is seldom seen in the field. These pics enlarge nicely for super close ups by double-clicking on each one. SeEtta

I took these pics of an intermediate plumaged phoebe today in Fremont Co., Colo. As can be seen in these pics, this looks a lot like a Black Phoebe but there are white feathers invading the upper chest area that should be black outside of the 'V' of white from the belly. Also there are some white feathers under the chin. I have seen several probable hybrid Black-Eastern Phoebes in my county in the past and this is likely one. Also it was located at a nest site that was attended last year by an intermediate plumaged phoebe and an apparent Black Phoebe--and the nesting was successful. The top 2 pics enlarge nicely so double-click on them. SeEtta

For the last several years one to two American Dippers have spent the winter on the Arkansas River just east of Canon City, CO. Since the Arkansas River freezes in many areas it isn't unusual for this species to go downstream to open waters. This dipper really filled it's beak with nesting material. The bottom pic shows the undertail coverts, a view seldom seen in photos of this species. SeEtta

These are the parents to the Great Horned Owl nestling in the post below. SeEtta

I'm back and there are already some new baby birds including this young Great Horned Owl nestling I photographed at dusk tonight in Pueblo, CO. I saw the parent birds a little earlier in trees a few hundred feet from this stump nest. When I returned I saw this baby owl and a second one that retreated into the stump when I approached. Double-click on the pic for an enlarged view of this cutie. SeEtta