Birds and Nature

It was so productive last Saturday I went back yesterday (Tues) to Red Canyon Park--and it was fabulous. Saw 2 flocks of Pinyon Jays fly over, on flock with about 75 birds and the other flock with only about 8 birds.

I spotted this Western Tanager, I believe a first fall male, as he flew up after taking a bath in a ditch yesterday. There was a big push of these migrants with at least 2 dozen in areas along the Arkansas River as it flows through Canon City. SeEtta Ws

I led a very productive field trip to Red Canyon Park yesterday with 11 participants from Broomfield, Denver, Manitou Springs, Colorado Springs, Salida and Canon City. I refound the Gray Flycatcher family I have been following for the past 2 weeks and everyone got excellent views of them and heard their frequent contact calls. The juvenile in the photo above was one of the young from that family--the buffy wing bars that are a field marks for juvenal plumage show well in this photo. In addition to these Gray Flycatchers, we saw a couple of more individuals plus another family that foraged nearby as we had lunch and provided views of a parent feeding a fledgling. Other target species for the pinyon-juniper habitat in this park that were seen were several Pinyon Jays (heard well by all participants then seen in flight), Juniper Titmouse (2 birds with fairly close views for all), Virginia Warbler (several birds), several Western Shrub Jays and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. Other flyca