Getting very excited.....

No, I haven't been out doing any more birding than I had two weeks ago - but I will be soon.

For everyone checking back periodically I appreciate your patience, and will hope to reward it with some birding adventure reports in the coming weeks and months. First up, a return to New Orleans in a few weeks to see if I can add a bit more intensity to the birding part of my trip this year. I coordinated with my work to arrange a week long visit this year, and in the midst of doing some real work will have more mornings and some weekend days to get out and about.

Then, this blog is going to get international! Its about time too. I'll save the details for future installments, but a flight has been booked and I can't wait.

For now a couple of pictures from a June trip to Rocky Mountain National Park:

A few leftovers from the CFO convention trips before I begin to try to catch up this current week. It is so good to have too many birds to share!

While up in the high country meadows on our Red Feather Lakes trip, we were unsuccessful in our attempts to track down a Williamson's Sapsucker, we had a very cooperative Lincoln's Sparrow. It was perched in front of a willow thicket, and sat as an entire birding crew got long looks at it. I tried to move around it to get a bit better angle in the mid-day glare, and was somewhat successful.


The trip to Phantom Canyon was not one that was well suited to photography, but I did get a slightly closer shot of a Green-tailed Towhee to share. My previous post didn't have the same camo pattern of shadows going on, but what this one sacrifices in face detail it does regain by showing a bit more of the tail color.

Finally, there was that last life bird that I added on the impromptu stop returning from Wyoming. Just as we were reaching our turnaround point our trip leader heard a bird calling from the bushes, and I was fortunate to get this shot of a female American Redstart.

Once again I would like to express my gratitude to the CFO board for coordinating the event, the trip leaders who got us out to the primo sites, and to all my fellow birders on the trips who shared their experience and enthusiasm to make sure that everyone was getting on the good birds. I arrived as a mostly anonymous individual, and am sure that next year if I am able to attend I will be seeing more familiar faces, and generally more familiar with the whole event.

I find that in life there are certain situations that you only get to experience as 'firsts' once. This was one of those events. I know that any future bird trips or conventions I attend will be different, because I will have this one to compare them to. My slate is no longer blank, but I couldn't have picked a better event to fill it on. Watch out birding world and CFO, my bar has been set high!

Preview

I got away a bit early this afternoon and took the opportunity to do a bit of solo birding at the Running Deer Nature Area in Ft. Collins. If the pre-birding was any indication it is going to be a good weekend. I had 33 species on a casual walk, including this displaying Black-crowned Night Heron. One of which was a Least Flycatcher (I had a Western Wood Pewee for comparison), giving me a new life species before the convention birding has begun.

2010 Count: 148

Lifetime: 219

Estes Park / RMNP Trip Wrap-up

I hope that readers have enjoyed my thoughts and pictures following my trip up to the mountains around Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Park. It is a beautiful country, and an area that has the ability to surprise on your first visit or 800th. The shot above was taken looking from Upper Beaver Meadows towards Long's Peak in the distance. The natural side of this trip was enough to make great memories, but it was even more enjoyable for me having all of my immediate family in Colorado together for the first time in years.

There are a few species that could vie for poster bird of the park. Everyone sees them when they visit, and because they are so common they fail to get quite the attention of their less likely cohabitants. So I start this wrap up with a couple of shots of Steller's Jays.

They, along with Black-billed Magpies, are everywhere in the park, and very likely to approach humans in search of a picnic dropping or free handout. I resisted shooting hundreds of pictures of Magpies on this trip, but the Steller's Jays still win me over.

Another of the reliable mountain species is the Red Crossbill.

I watched this pair as my nephew and I searched for perfect pine cones just before I left. The male, (above) has the namesake red coloring, the female, (below), is more of a greenish yellow.

Fun to get to see them up close rather than peering up at the top of a pine tree.

So for the trip I totalled 48 species, including 4 that I added to my life list. Those were; White-faced Ibis, Green-tailed Towhee, Red-naped Sapsucker and Dusky Grouse.

Tomorrow evening I am off for Ft. Collins and the Colorado Field Ornithologists Convention. This morning I received confirmation that I got my first choices for field trips on the first two days. Friday I will be going to Red-feather Lakes, and Saturday there is a trip to Phantom Canyon, a private holding that is normally restricted from public access. It will be my first convention, and really my first birding destination event of any kind. I am sure that I will be wow'd by all of the talent and experience of my fellow attendees, and hopefully I will pick up a few tricks along the way. Since tonight will be spent in a frantic effort to finish turning my laundry and getting repacked to leave directly from work tomorrow evening the next update will either be from the hotel or the first in a series of post convention posts. Should be fun!

Moraine Park - RMNP Ranger Led Birdwalk

On Friday May 14th I headed into the park early to join a ranger led birdwalk. I started early, and had a chance to get the snowy morning pics before the others arrived. The walk itself was one on which I hoped to add a couple of alpine species that I had not seen previously. In one spectacular instance I fulfilled that goal. The Red-naped Sapsucker. I actually spotted this bird, was correct on the ID, (I had done a bit of checking on some targets), and was able to get the rest of the group on this bird as well. Getting a life bird for myself was one thing, but sharing it with the rest was even better.
This shot illustrates the namesake red nape:

Sapsuckers are woodpeckers, but they drill a series of holes into a tree to get the sap flowing, then they use the sap like flypaper to catch insects. They make their rounds of their territorial wells, and gather the insects that are stuck there until they arrive. Those wells, I also learned, provide an alternate food source for Broad-tailed Hummingbirds. They must be useful during snowy snaps like this one.

We developed a good list of species as we walked, most of which were fairly common for me. I did have a nice flyover from a Clark's Nutcracker, but was unable to get any pictures of it as it flew past multiple treetops before heading off into the rising sun. I did note that it has a "flickery" shape in flight, but with a predominantly white underside of it's tail and wings.

Driving back from the Cub Lake trailhead I stopped to get a few shots of Mountain Bluebirds as they perched along the road in the sunlight. I pointed them out to some of my fellow birders, an karma came back my way as I caught up to our leader as he had stopped further along.

I pointed them out to some of my fellow birders, and karma came back my way as I caught up to our leader further along the road. As I took a few frames I thought I was looking exclusively at more male and female Mountain Bluebirds, so I was pleasantly surprised to find American Pipits mixed in as well as I looked through my pictures more closely.

I didn't stop for long, as I was racing down the 'hill' to meet my brother-in-law and his students for a hike outside Ft. Collins. We hiked the Greyrock Trail, and after my spectacular morning birding it seemed fairly quiet, but one last surprise was in store as I descended the trail with one of the students. A large grouse was just off the trail below one of the many switchbacks, and gave us good looks before flying up to a nearby tree. At that point I pulled the camera back out of my bag, and got a few shots from a less than ideal angle. It was enough for confirmation of a Dusky (formerly 'Blue') Grouse.

Ranger led birdwalks occur every Friday and Saturday morning at 8:00am at the Cub Lake Trailhead. I checked at the Visitor Center the day before and confirmed that no reservations are required, and oh yeah, they're free. If you are in the area and interested I would check the park's website to make sure that they are being held at that time of year.

After discovering the Pipits amongst my pics my counts are now:
2010 Count: 144
Lifetime: 218

Late Season Snow?

Nah, just another reason to play!

In case inclement weather should threaten your plans, take a lesson from the Wyoming Ground Squirrels. They have to live in it, but when the sun is shining and the white stuff is on the ground there is nothing to it but to have yourself a powder day!

I love snow, apparently they do too.

Getting Just Desserts

Proud American Robin says, "I can hold my head high, 'cause I did the right thing when no one was looking"

On one of my very first birding walks in the fall of '08 I bumped into a local birder named Eric. We have crossed paths several times since then, but on that early trip he was one of the first active members of the birding community that I had met. As we checked the habitat around Plaster Reservoir in Broomfield his ability to locate and identify birds began to shed light on just how little I knew, and how much there was out there that I had not been experiencing. The most memorable such case was his asking if I had seen the Green-tailed Towhee in the Russian Olives we were scanning. I replied that I had, added it to my list, and on we went. Later when I was at home and reviewing some of my pictures I checked through the only guide I had at the time, "Peterson's Guide to the Birds of Western North America". As I flipped through I came to the entry for the Green-tailed Towhee, and I was instantly sure that I hadn't seen that bird. At the time I had in all good conscience thought that I knew which bird he was talking about, and that it was a Green-tailed Towhee. After I realized my mistake I adjusted my list, already knowing that marking off a bird I wasn't sure of would take away some of the reward when I actually did see and identify it at some later point.
A year and a half later the bird and I finally crossed paths once again; the species not the individual - of course.

This time I spotted it as I stood on the deck looking out behind the Beaver Visitor Center at Rocky Mountain National Park. I was looking through my camera's eyepiece - I didn't have my bins in the visitor center - but even at a distance I was confident that this was one of my long sought after targets. I honestly don't know how I missed it for all of last year. They are fairly common, at least for others, but this was my first. Let me confirm that the wait was completely worthwhile.

On a side note, if you are a local, or ever happen to visit RMNP be sure not to overlook the deck off the back of the visitor center. The wrap-around walkway raises you up into the Ponderosas and seems to keep the birds in the area comfortable as humans watch their activity.

One of the best way's to observe wildlife is in the company of children. The large herds of Elk that had descended into town with the snow were all fascinating to the eyes of a three year old.

At least pawing through snow must not be too bad when there is new sprouting grass and vegetation below.

To a child, referring to such a beast as "Antler" rather than Elk just makes sense I guess. To an adult, getting to watch a couple of males meander down the sidewalk as you crawl along shooting out the window of a vehicle was pretty cool as well.

Below the Dam at Lake Estes

After arriving in Estes Park on Wednesday evening I was greeted by my Brother-in-law with the news that he had seen an Ibis below the dam, while leading his students to a tour at a water treatment facility. Having not yet tracked down an Ibis, I decided to start my day there the following morning. Jack Frost had been busy with some late season work on the thickets along the Thompson River that night. When I arrived everything that wasn't buried in deep snow was covered in frosty crystals. I was casting about, and had headed upstream towards the dam without finding much other than the Chipping Sparrows (above) and a few other Red-winged Blackbirds. I was beginning to think that I would have to fight the glare and head downstream when my target exploded from a clump of brush off to my right:

I was treated to this White-faced Ibis taking off and making a circuit above me, before heading out of sight above the dam. Filled with the excitement of having seen a life bird on my first excursion I started wandering back down stream, and took a few minutes to watch this Brewer's Blackbird in what had to be a cold bath.

It didn't dawdle, and was off for a drier perch quickly.

After an hour or so I was back in the 4runner, and headed for breakfast with my family who had been warm and toasty in their beds. As I left the area I was able to enjoy one last opportunity in the bright light before the clouds settled back in, a Tree Swallow sunning itself on a fence, it was unusually tolerant and let me pull along side and take all the pictures I wanted.

Updated Counts: (Found a couple more F.O.Y species while looking closely at pics)

2010 Count: 143

Lifetime: 218

Don't Leave Home Without It!

Your Wingscapes Birdcam that is. Specifically if you are heading to the mountains during a spring snow, and have a Nephew and Niece to entertain. Stopping off at the Wild Bird Center of Boulder for a hummingbird feeder didn't hurt either.

I continue to be amazed at the versatility of this little camera. I had no control over the position of the feeder in relation to the camera. In fact, I was lucky that the one hook I found was in a spot where I could set it up next to a pole for the camera mount. I was a bit concerned at first, the feeder was only a foot or so from the camera lens and the focusing guide only dials down to 18 inches, but after my first download I found plenty of good shots. A few rocks wedged in behind the camera helped the angle, and presto - Broad-tailed Hummingbird shots to look at every night!

I have to think that the little guys and gal, (female immediately above - note the spotted white throat and tan sides), were happy to find a feeder as the snow took wild nectar off the menu for a few days.

The birdcam captured a couple of shots that really made a nice motion effect out of the wing beats.

Some parts blur softly...while others disappear - very cool.

I even had a chance to dive into the settings a bit deeper and got one result from activating the automated flash!

That forager was too early for breakfast. Area bear activity has the YMCA request that guests who do put out feeders remove them nightly to avoid attracting the less welcome visitors. Fortunately for other early scavenging hummers I didn't find that regulation until after the snowiest mornings, so by that time they may have had a few hardy flowers or a better chance of finding insects.

The feeder was so popular that even this House Finch decided to check it out. It may have just found the perch convenient for checking out the camera, they will try to build their nests on or around anything in my experience.

**For clarity, I am not receiving any compensation for endorsing either of the retailers referenced in this post. I own and use some of their products, but the links above do not represent any affiliation with them beyond my being a satisfied customer.**

Trail Ridge Road Birding

There are two species that draw birders up where the air is thin more than others. They are the White-Tailed Ptarmagin and the Rosy Finch. I was, of course, hoping for good looks at each.
Unfortunately, finding their habitat doesn't automatically translate into locating the species themselves - but then if it did there wouldn't really be a thrill of discovery.
In my previous post I described the great experience I had at sunrise, and the good fortune I had to see a Ptarmagin just as I was coming down off the rock. Like most birds, I heard it before I saw anything. There was a throaty call, not quite a cluck, but much closer to that than a songbird tweet. Then I saw a large shape rise several feet above the ground before settling back into the rock field.


I was lucky to have seen the motion. Their summer camo pattern perfectly matches the lichen covered rocks in the area. Unfortunately, the distance and lack of a tripod kept me from getting remarkable shots, but these are the first I have gotten of the species, so I'll take what I can get, for now....

Having a White-Tailed Ptarmagin as my first bird of the day seemed a good omen, and I envisioned that soon I would be snapping frames of Rosy Finches on snow fields, but it was not to be. Ironically, the two birds that I feel were most likely that target species landed behind me on the trail as I was approaching the three Elk just after sunrise. They were blindingly back lit however, and with walking restricted to the developed trail I couldn't make an attempt to circle them for better light. Oh well, there will be other chances.

As mentioned previously I made stops at the Alpine Visitor Center and Medicine Bow Curve looking for the finches and additional species. While no finches or ptarmagin were about, I did get great looks at Mountain Bluebirds who seem habituated to humans - probably getting used to the late day crowds.

Later, as I descended I pulled off at Lake Irene, where I watched Gray Jays moving through the treetops.

If you live in the area, or can arrange a visit be sure to make it a priority to visit Rocky Mountain National Park and drive Trail Ridge Road. Getting up in the middle of the night to do so may earn you some funny looks, but just think, you can give some funny looks right back as you drive by the lines of cars as you are leaving. I promise the experience is worth it.

Spectacular Sunrise

Guess where I started my day on Friday!



Here's another clue.

I'll have more pictures from one of my favorite visits to this popular destination coming soon....there are a lot of pictures to sort through.

Spring and Winter

I started off Friday in the Ft. Collins area trying to see a Eurasian Wigeon. Apparently they are quiet rare here, and not being familiar with the lake where it had been found I took a shot. I learned that at that lake a scope is needed to see waterfowl clearly from the side of the road. So unfortunately I came up empty handed in my wigeon hunt. I then swung through Boyd Lake State Park on my way to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National.

Boyd Lake was popping with signs of spring. I heard the Western Meadowlark above before I saw him, but shortly after I did see him mid-song.

After seeing the meadowlarks and some great Bald Eagle and Red-tailed Hawk flyovers I headed up to the mountains for a bit of a day trip and some hiking.

Just after entering the park I had a treat as a Coyote crossed the road just ahead of my car. The local news media continues to air stories from the Denver area where concerned citizens are looking for answers to a recent uptick in aggressive behavior and encounters. Despite all that I still get excited when I see a Coyote while driving to work or in a setting like RMNP.

I took a nice little 2 mile hike in the Glacier Gorge area of the park. It was so much fun to go from a cool sunny springlike day to snow showers in an hour or so. The birds were scarce, only a pair of Townsend's Solitaires would perch in anything resembling good light, but the scenery was spectacular as always.