Singletree Trail - Superior - Boulder County

Perhaps a couple of the readers who drop by this blog may recall that on a wintry day last December I 'discovered' a new stretch of trail just south of Coal Creek, near Superior, Colorado. The trail appealed to me largely because of a close proximity Coyote sighting, but had a low brush patch that promised even better rewards when the migrants returned. Well, for the past three days I have kept returning to see what goodies I could find. Wednesday started off well, with Blue Grosbeaks popping up to fence posts before I had even reached the brush a few yards down the trail. Unfortunately, I learned that even with a dSLR, it is possible to shoot an entire session without having a memory card present. That is what happens when great birds start showing up before you are ready to shoot...and don't slow down to let you check your settings until your half hour is up and you are leaving. "DOH!"


Needless to say, I was back Thursday afternoon and this morning to make amends. If Wednesday was the day of the Blue Grosbeak, and yesterday featured Western Kingbirds, then this morning was all about the Yellow-breasted Chats. Not that they were the only birds around, but this was the first time I had a chance to see and hear them vocalising, and putting on flight displays.

I checked back to see my previous shots of Blue Grosbeaks, and see that I am ahead of last year, when I saw them on June 1st. I am sorry that the shot above, from this morning, is so distant. I am sure the shots I took Wednesday that didn't end up on a card were spectacular! Even so, I think that the shot below, from yesterday, shows an even younger, or just more brown juvenile Blue Grosbeak than the one I posted last summer. I am not sure if they gain blue over time or if all juv. Blue Grosbeaks just show different amounts of blue until they reach adulthood.

There was another bird that I had been kicking myself about since Wednesday. It was small, yellow, and secretive - and I thought that I may have gotten just enough of it in frame to be sure of an identity. Thursday it did not appear, but this morning my persistence paid off.

A female Yellow Warbler.

She is not as bright as her male counterpart, and from what I can tell less likely to perch outside of the thickest of vegetation. However, these dried nettle heads were worth emerging for.

I wasn't certain if she was pulling plant material for nest building, or using a spider's snare as an opportunity for an easy snack. Either way I am glad she decided to stay out in the open for a bit.

Have a safe and birdy holiday weekend. If you are in the United States, or even if you are not, take a moment as the summer activities kick off to remember all of those people who have given their lives to establish and protect our society and freedoms. If it weren't for them luxuries like birding and photography wouldn't be possible. Then find a kid, tell them, and then take them out to find some cool birds!

2010 Count: 175

Lifetime: 229

Staring Down the Day

Yesterday I tried and failed to relocate the Peregrine Falcon I saw on Wednesday. I did share the sighting, and another birder was able to find it, or another in the same area later that day. The best part of the sighting was that one of the area birders, Christian Nunes, shared some additional information about Boulder County's Peregrine population with me. I had been aware that Peregrines have nested in the Flatiron area since well before I arrived in Boulder in 1994. What I did not know was that there are so many active nesting sites. I also learned something about their range. I had guessed that the Peregrine that I saw was a good ways east in its range, and would hunt between there and its nest a couple of miles west from the spot. Actually it seems that because of their nesting density that they may range up to 20 miles east from that spot, which could take them well beyond and in a direct line over my home! Hopefully before long I will have pictures of this great species.


Instead of Peregrine, I found Spotted Towhee in the morning light, and that's not half bad either.
I am off for some skiing this weekend, so perhaps some high country species will show up in this space soon.

A New Trailhead in a Favorite Area

Any trail that I come across where a Coyote and I cross paths at midday is one that holds good potential for me. This one even more so, because it is fairly close to my work, and is accessible during a lunch break.


My furry, young, companion decided that I was not someone who was going to yield the trail, so it dove for the trailside underbrush ahead of me. I had a feeling that I knew where the wanderer would emerge from the thickets ahead, so I slowed and then stopped, 'pishing' the bushes as I waited.

I tracked the progress of my unwitting helper by the increasing numbers of juncos who were rising from the depths of the brush as a predator slunk below them.

When the path of starting birds merged with the end of the brush I though I was ready, little did I know that the Coyote was many feet closer to my position, and unfortunately I missed the close up as it peeked through a gap. Realizing it was too close for comfort it returned to the depths and reemerged at the anticipated spot seconds later, allowing me the two shots above from a still respectable range.

The opportunities were not wasted by me as the juncos rose from the depths to stay at a safe range from hungry teeth. Above, a Gray-headed representative of the Dark-eyed Juncos posed for a shot.

Not to be outdone, an Oregon race perched at the top of the stack, with only the snowy backdrop keeping the eye from fully resolving. I also had passing picks of Pink-sided individuals, who are close in appearance to their Oregonian cousins, but lack the highly contrasted dark hood.

In lieu of a poor junco shot I will show this Song Sparrow, who thanks to a response to some 'pishing' finally appeared amongst the camouflage of branches and a lichen covered concrete marker. The marker brings me back around to this trail, which is one I will be sure to visit again, especially as spring arrives, and the brush that was so productive yesterday will be full of even more goodies. In addition to the wildlife it features a placard that points out the historic foundations of the old mining town of Superior, Colorado.