Birds and Nature

I found a nice size flock of Pinyon Jays yesterday at Red Canyon Park. There were quite a few more than 75 in total when I got these pics as the whole flock flew over but at times smaller groups would fly about.

Yesterday I had a great time in Cave Creek Canyon near Portal,AZ watching Blue-throated Hummingbirds. They were coming into feeders at both the Southwestern Research Station and at Cave Creek Ranch. There were several of these beauties at each location. AllAboutBirds.org says, "The largest hummingbird found north of Mexico, the Blue-throated Hummingbird is also one of the most vocal hummingbird species, and its high-pitched, monotonous peeps are a signature sound of summer. They are found in streamside habitats in mountain canyons, as far north as southeastern Arizona, where they are frequent visitors to feeders and usually the dominant hummingbird species. " They clearly were very large and their calls most distinctive; however, in my limited experience they were not the dominant species at least at these feeders. While fairly common in Mexico these beauties have a very restrictive range in the U.S. as shown in this NatureServe range map. SeEtta

One of my primary target birds for Southeast Arizona was the Elegant Trogon. After abandoning an attempt to find one in Cave Creek Canyon in the Chiricahuas due to a big thunderstorm I was feeling like I wouldn't see one as everyone said it was pretty late and they were no longer calling. But I ran into a fellow named Elias who told me he had seen one in the Patagonia Mountains just a few days before so I drove up there late this afternoon. I was walking along the dirt road looking into the trees in hopes of spotting a trogon. I heard barking nearby--but not the barking call of a trogon, an real dog. There is a ranch nearby and I guess it was a ranch dog. At close to 5:30 pm I spotted this male Elegant Trogon about 25 feet up in a tree right by the road so got a couple of close up shots (photos are tightly cropped). The trogon flew off but I was able to refind it a hundred or so feet away but in a more distant tree from which I got these two bottom pics. I hadn't...

These are two of dozens of Broad-billed Hummingbirds I watched at Ash Canyon Bed and Breakfast in Hereford, AZ. These males are so colorful from their distinctive red bills to to their brilliant blue and green plumage. I am very happy with how nice these pics turned out--do double click on these pics to enlarge them for even better views. SeEtta

I spotted this Common Black Hawk perched in the branches of a tree as I drove around the road on the east side of Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge this afternoon.  It is amazing how that black plumage blends in with the habitat.  Common Black Hawk is a pretty rare species whose range in the U.S. is limited to restricted areas of the Southwest.  Birds of North America online states, "... total U.S. breeding population estimated 220–250 pairs." A search of Ebird shows two sightings of this species at Bosque del Apache in the past month, presumably this same bird. That said a Common Black Hawk was vagrant in my town of Canon City, Colorado for a month in 2006 followed by a short visit in 2007.  You can see that bird on my post about it on my SE Colorado Birding blog that I ran prior to this blog. SeEtta

If you enlarge the pic above (just click on it) there are more than 60 Common Nighthawks in that one photo. All in all this flock of migrating Common Nighthawks totaled at least 75 and more likely 100 birds--absolutely the most nighthawks I have ever seen at one time. Click on this second pic also to see identifiable nighthawks. When I first spotted this flock they looked like a river of birds in the sky and I thought it must be a flock of gulls as I have seen similar flocks flying kind of in a line that were gulls-and I couldn't imagine it was a flock of nighthawks, a species that has been in decline and that I have seen in smaller numbers here year after year. Though they generally headed down the Arkansas River corridor, smaller groups of them would fly around the area as they foraged. I think the most I have seen before migrating through here was around 12 in 2014 (they flew lower so got better pics).   This was just an amazing spectacle. SeEtta

This is an immature Rufous Hummingbird that stays in my neighborhood and feeds daily on pollinator plants in my yard. All the hummers really like this Sunset Agastache rupestris (Licorice Mint Hyssop) that has trumpet shaped flowers.  In the top pic this hummer was perched on a leaf on the Agastache plant then just leaned over to sip the nectar from flowers nearby.

I found a bunch of this native Horsetail Milkweed (Asclepias subverticillata) in the far west part of Canon City. While Horsetail Milkweed is listed as native in Colorado the 'Floristic Synthesis of North America' lists it as a 'Native Species, but adventive in state.' Had to look that up--'adventive species' refers to "a species that has arrived in a new locality" which may have been with help of people or it may not (ie, range expansion). As a native milkweed it is an important plant for Monarch Butterflies as well as other insects. These Tarantula Hawk Wasps (Pepsis sp., Pompilidae) are some of the largest insects in the U.S. "When a female is ready to lay her eggs, she seeks out a tarantula and injects it with paralyzing venom. She drags the tarantula to a burrow and stuffs it down the hole, then lays her eggs on top of the paralyzed spider. Several days later the eggs hatch and the larvae feed on the still living tarantula." (ht...

In southeast Colorado this past week I found several small groups of Lark Buntings including this one that appear to be gathering for migration. This is a female and I believe she is at least partially in her winter (definitive) plumage (per Birds of North America online, "Plumage similar to Definitive Alternate female, except in fresh plumage, pattern more blended, appearing less grayish brown and more strongly tinged with buff; middle secondaries (S4–S6) edged rusty; and chin without black.") SeEtta

8-14-16 correction--I stated below that landbird migration had begun but this was corrected by the following post on Cobirds listserv by Tony Leukering: >> I spotted this Olive-sided Flycatcher this afternoon as it sallied out after insects at Brush Hollow State Wildlife Area just over 10 miles northeast of Canon City. Since this species does not breed in this lower elevation it has stopped over to feed on it's migration south. With indistinct wing bars it appears to be an adult bird with worn plumage ( Sibley says they do not molt until they are on their winter grounds so adults have feathers almost a year old). Like many/most fall flycatchers it was silent but it's clear vested underparts, big head and short tail make it easy to id as an Olive-sided. Landbird migration has begun. SeEtta

I spotted these neat wildflowers several years ago in a pasture in Otero County that often has cattle grazing in it. After I found out these were rarish native plants I was going to try to learn more; but we went into drought conditions in southeast Colorado and though I have looked each year they did not grow again until this year. And this year thanks to some good precipitation in that area they are flourishing. This is the largest area covered with them that I have seen. The Colo Natural Heritage Program , which lists them in their rare plants database, describes their habitat as follows: "Along streams; in wet meadows, pastures, and fields; usually near old stream meanders or at the margins of lakes or ponds. Often in alkaline soils. Elev. 3500 - 6000 ft." The map on the Colo Natural Heritage Program site does not show them in Otero County but it looks like it may not be updated as the most recent reference is 1989. I will make some inquiries to see if there ...

I have found this and another 9 or so male Dickcissel, and at least one male Bobolink, in several locations in the Canon City area. I had found one of each species about a month ago, which was in the usual time frame for them to be breeding in local hayfields, but could not refind any before I left on a 2 week out of state trip from which I returned just a few days ago. . In the past they tended to be in alfalfa hay fields but his year there are mostly grass hay fields in our area. Surprisingly several of these are in hay fields that have already had one cut. Even more surprising is two are in fields that are just tall weeds. The Bobolink and at least 2 Dickcissel are in the field that I have posted about in prior years on MacKenzie Ave halfway from H50 and Grandview Ave. Please be cautious as MacKenzie is a very busy thoroughfare with traffic going 40-50 mph. The safest viewing is possible by going further south on MacKenzie Ave to Adams Ave--turn off to the east on Adams a...

This little flycatcher flew onto a snag in a tree just about 25 feet from where I was sitting in my car at Pueblo Mountain Park yesterday. He perched there for several minutes, calling a few times, which allowed me a good opportunity to photograph him from a reasonable distance. These pics show nicely the description of this species from BeautyOfBirds.com : "Adults have an olive grey upper plumage that is darker on the wings and tail. The plumage below is yellowish. They have conspicuous white eye rings, white wing bars, a small bill and a short tail." Not noted in above description but shown here are the elongated white eye rings. Cordilleran Flycatchers also have distinctive bright yellow mandibles which is also shown in these pics. While not as vital for identifying this species as it is with other empidonax species, it is still useful to note the moderately long primary projection. SeEtta

I found the 4 Eastern Kingbirds shown on this fence plus 2 more further down this same fenceline yesterday at a farm in the Canon City area. It really made me wonder if it was just some amazing coincidence that *6 Eastern Kingbirds* would end up on less than a hundred feet of fence on this farm at the same--or could they have traveled together as they migrated north??????????????????????

Both the Western Tanager and Lazuli Bunting are first of the year birds in Canon City (tho I saw W Tanager on S Padre Island 2 weeks ago so not my first of the year). I spotted 4-5 male Western Tanagers in a one mile walk on the Canon City Riverwalk. Heard a lot more Lazuli Buntings than observed--just this one observed, heard at least 4-5 others singing. This Black-headed Grosbeak had been singing up a storm as were several more of his species today and in the past few days. At least a dozen Cedar Waxwings were in the feeding on fruit of hackberry trees and on tender new buds in other trees in Veteran's Park. I also spotted a first of the year for Canon City male Rose-breasted Grosbeak on the tip top of a 60+ ft tall cottonwood so no pics, and likely a female but too many branches and leaves in that distance to be sure. And I spotted a first of the year for Canon City male Bullock's Oriole but in top of tall tree so no pic for him either. SeEtta