Birds and Nature

I found this female Black-throated Blue Warbler earlier this month on private property in the Florence, CO area. This species is quite rare in my area. SeEtta

These warblers were pretty challenging to photograph as, in addition to the bright gray overcast sky, they are in almost constant motion and often engaged in chasing each other away from some juicy morsel. The mixed flock in which this Tropical Parula was foraging included at least 2 Orange-crowned Warblers, 1-2 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 2 or more Ruby-crowned Kinglets and the Black-throated Gray Warbler in the less than complete pic below (have to look close as pic not good enough quality to enlarge much). SeEtta

Having missed the Black-throated Blue Warbler in So Texas, I was pleased to see one today back home in Canon City, CO. I was birding on the Canon City Riverwalk late this morning when I came across a local birder, Rich, who told me had just found a Black-throated Blue Warbler and had heard a Hooded Warber singing. I told him I was hearing a song I was unfamiliar with and we decided it was a Black-throated Blue then Rich refound the male in these pics (though it foraged where we could see it for several minutes, it was about 50 feet back in the dark foliage so the pics came out dark) and a male Hooded Warbler. Nearby a Gray Catbird was giving it's whiny call. While birding in different areas, Rich also found a female Hooded Warbler, a species that has nested in Canon City. We ran into each other again where the male Western Tanager in the bottom pic (demonstrating how a little light can really improve a pic) and a quiet Wood-pewee (likely Western) were foraging. SeEtta