Birds and Nature

I spotted this Plumbeous Vireo as it foraged along the Canon City Riverwalk this morning. I watched it actively foraging for about 15 minutes and it did so quietly for the first 10 minutes. It was pretty successful in finding insects to feed on. Sorry I chopped off it's bill in pic below. SeEtta

When I spotted this beauty this morning I said 'wow'-it was such a stunning butterfly especially as it fed on the bright yellow blooms of the rabbitbrush on which it is photographed. Giant Swallowtail butterflies have a wingspan of 4-6 1/2 inches making them the largest butterflies in the United States. And this one was close to the max so I was truly awed by both it's beauty and exceptional size. Giant Swallowtail butterflies range from the eastern states west to the Rocky Mountains and then across the Southwest then south as far as South America. And in 2012 they were found in Montreal, Canada which is a very surprising northern range expansion thought to be related to warming temperatures according to the Montreal Botanical Garden where they were discovered. They are less often found in western states such as Colorado so I was fortunate to find this one. Their black upperwings have contrasting bright yellow diagonal bars while the underwings are mostly yellow....

I heard this American Redstart singing it's heart out this morning on the Canon City Riverwalk. Not visible on these pics was the peach coloration on it's side below it's throat. It does have dark lores as found on this age and gender of this species. Though a 'yearly' (as termed in Birds of North America online, that same reference states that despite their female like plumage they are sexually mature (noting that only 50% reproduce "due to shortage of mates." This species has nested less than a hundred miles north of here. Since it is breeding time I wonder if it found a mate would they nest here. SeEtta

This is one of 3 MacGillivray's Warblers I found this morning on the Canon City Riverwalk (on the half mile of the bluff trail from Sell's trailhead to half mile sign). It had caught a greenish worm/caterpillar down in the leaf litter and has it in it's beak in these pics. I only had of them yesterday but had 4 the day before with most near the McKenzie trail end. Coincidentally (?) birders in Lubbock, TX reported a fallout of MacGillivray's that same day. Though Lubbock is several hundred miles southeast of here some of our migrating birds likely come up through that area. SeEtta

This female American Redstart was found yesterday morning by local birder Rich. I refound it a little later but it stayed in the thick vegetation and didn't fan it's tail much.  Today it came out in the open more and fanned it's tail constantly as is characteristic of this species. As shown on the photos she has large yellow base to tail feathers, yellow on sides, no apparent yellow on wings but some under her wings and along sides which is indicative of a first year female American Redstart. SeEtta

I feel bad that my persistence in trying to identify and photograph this subadult Broad-winged Hawk caused it to fly off away from the riparian forest that provided good stop-over habitat and hope it flew to another section of Canon City Riverwalk. This is a photo of it in flight. It shows a moderate amount of dark streaking on it's underparts, some barring on remiges, a wide dark read edge to wings plus barring on tail as noted earlier. SeEtta

The top photo of this subadult light morph Broad-winged Hawk shows the whitish supercilium, light auriculars and dark malar stripe quite well. And the wingtips show as quite a bit shorter than the tail tip. SeEtta

This morning I spotted an unusual looking hawk mostly hidden behind tree limbs on the Canon City Riverwalk. When I would get closer to get a better view (closer is relative, always at least 150-200 feet away) it would flush but instead of flying off as Red-tailed Hawks generally do it flew further down the forest to another perch. In my binoculars I could see the distinct whitish supercillium and the bright yellow lores plus unusual looking markings on underparts (binocular view not as close-up as these photos as these are strongly cropped to enlarge the bird). Photos show additional field marks for sub-adult Broad-winged Hawk: distinct dark malar stripe; light auricular area (should be a little darker than supercilium but bird was too distant to pick up that subtlety of coloration); brown tail with several dark bands and a wider dark subterminal band; secondaries and greater coverts are darkish brown; primaries a panel paler than color of secondaries; dark markings on belly...

This female Rose-breasted Grosbeak was foraging not far from the male I found yesterday on the Canon City Riverwalk. SeEtta

Couldn't get the great photos that those who have Rose-breasted Grosbeak coming to their feeders have gotten but this guy was 60-80 foot up in the top of a large cottonwood tree yesterday. As can be seen somewhat in these photos, he is eating the new and tender buds coming out on this tree. A female was also in the area eating new buds on the trees. SeEtta

I found this White-throated Sparrow earlier this week on the Canon City Riverwalk then refound it yesterday a few hundred feet west of first location. But it stayed in the middle of the messy vegetation--limbs, twigs, leaves, grass and vines--so not able to even try to get a pic. Today I refound it again and got this one shot of it about 30 feet away surrounded by lots of vegetation but a quick clear view. While not a great pic it does show field marks of yellow supraloral spot, well delineated white throat, dark bill, black and white head stripes. SeEtta

This has been a good spring for Northern Waterthrush here. I found my first today when I opened my car door and started to put on my binoculars--spotted one less than 15 feet away in a small tree then 2 more in the next 10 minutes on the Canon City Riverwalk. I found the one in this photo about 2 miles further east on the Riverwalk. About time I got some good pics of one. SeEtta

I found this Black-and-white Warbler on the Canon City Riverwalk this morning. There are usually only 1 or 2 reported in and around Canon City most years. This has grayish ear coverts and lores so is a female. Since it has a lot of buffy wash on it's underrparts I suspect it is a first year female. SeEtta

After the record numbers of Hermit Thrush moved through the Canon City area over the past few weeks (haven't seen any for a few days) I saw my first of the year Swainson's Thrush this morning on the Canon City Riverwalk. Including the one in this photo there was at least one other in the same area. SeEtta

Found this beauty this morning on the Canon City Riverwalk, the first Blue Grosbeak I have seen so far this year. SeEtta

In addition to the Northern Waterthrush this evening I found at least 4 Lincoln's Sparrows in the area around the Sell's Lake parking area for the Canon City Riverwalk. I found the one in this photo around 6 pm and near the waterthrush but it was more cooperative. I waited patiently as it fed and was rewarded with these very close up pics (I was about 15 feet away but have cropped the photos closely also to get these). SeEtta

Yesterday I got in a half hour of very productive birding at the McKenzie end of the Canon City Riverwalk before I had to drive to Pueblo to chair a water planning meeting (if I wasn't the chair and about 40 attending I would have cancelled to enjoy the big push of migrating birds!). The first uncommon bird I found was a White-throated Sparrow but didn't get a photo. Then I found the Northern Waterthrush in the photo in the messy vegetation near where I saw the White-throat. Today I didn't get much birding in either but due to rain most of the day. It stopped raining late this afternoon so I found the Northern Waterthrush in the lower pic more than 2 miles west of where I saw the other Waterthrush, near the Sell's Lake parking area for the Canon City Riverwalk--at 6 pm. SeEtta

I found this Dusky Flycatcher yesterday also. Unlike many empids, this one was kind enough to give it's 'whit' call 3 times--and I am glad it repeated as it's call is so soft I wasn't sure I heard it the first two times. It also shows the field marks this species with a rounded head, prominent eye ring and wing bars, grayish back with whitish throat and underparts with just a small amount of yellowish wash. SeEtta

I found this Plumbeous Vireo yesterday and is a first of the year bird for me. It was busy foraging and did no singing. SeEtta

I also started finding Nashville Warblers on May 5 and have seen 2-4 each day so far. This is a species that is not terribly common in southern parts of Colorado and per ebird only seen in fall in Fremont County. What fun, I saw a number of these just a few weeks ago in the Texas Hill Country where they were migrating through and now get to them in Colorado as they move north to their breeding areas. SeEtta