Finding that Virtual Shoebox of Photos - Part 1

Orange-crowned Warbler


So, admittedly it isn't like finding a Micky Mantle baseball card, or a Van Gogh behind a family photograph in an ugly frame - but I did see that my camera had rolled to a new folder and saved another 200 pictures from my walk last Friday morning. Here are some fun shots of Orange-crowned Warblers.

Even on bright, sunny days they are good at hiding in the shadows.

Holding a snowy bill up in the sunlight is a dead giveaway though.

On the rare occasion where they catch the sun right a good shot can even reveal how they get their name.

Reflecting light from the snow helps.

One more set of some odds and ends coming, and pictures from a cloudy lunch today to check through before I wipe my cards and finish packing.

Nashville Warbler

Thanks to a fellow birder I was tipped to the presence of a Nashville Warbler in the trees at on of the lakes in my hometown. So, on my way home from work I stopped off for a look. Much to my surprise there were many warblers still actively working their way through the treetops. There were many of both types of Yellow-Rumped, a Yellow Warbler, and offering several good looks was this Nashville Warbler.

One of the most likely species to confuse with the Nashville is the Orange-Crowned Warbler, pictured above. The Orange-crowned has a broken eye-ring, and its breast is a lightly streaked buff color rather than the bright yellow of the Nashville.

It was great to finally get a nice mixed flock of warblers moving through the tree tops. I am glad to have seen a few of these species before the leaves really fill out. Tonight's cool temps should keep the vegetation opening at a slower rate, but may make the migrants reconsider their moves north.

2010 Count: 127

Lifetime: 214

Fire and Fall Friends

Last things first. As I was returning to work from my lunch I looked up towards the Flatirons, trying to compose a shot that would show off the yellowing shrubs, when I saw this view:



I have seen one other fire in my life in forest land that was about the same size, I was in Junior High School, hiking to a lake high on the Grand Teton with a church group. Walking back down we saw a plume of smoke about that size and watched it grow as we descended. It became the giant fire that devastated a good portion of Yellowstone National Park. Needless to say I did a quick double take. I quickly noticed the shape of the fire though. Note how it has a wide base, fairly parallel to the flat ground. That is a good indication of a prescribed burn. In a normal fire without significant wind a fire will burn uphill. In that case I would expect a single low point, and an inverted funnel shape going upslope.
Even so, I checked the Boulder County OSMP closure page when I got back and confirmed that it had been planned for today and intentionally set.

Now for the birds, I took my time with these first two species and am as confident as I can be about the IDs, but if I am wrong please let me know. Above and below is an Orange-crowned Warbler. Unfortunately the branch was in the way, but oh well. Even without a clear look at the face profile the dark legs and presence of yellow under the bill seem to rule out a MacGillivray's Warbler.

Then, the ever challenging flycatcher species. I am thinking Willow Flycatcher after some back and forth.

The closer I look at Flycatchers the less certain I become, but this one seems to meet the Willow field marks, was hanging around in willows, and is in the same location where I have spotted Willow Flycatchers in the past. Seems like a compelling case to me, but if I have missed the obvious feel free to comment.

These two were both a part of a fairly large loose group of birds that I saw as I arrived, and then passed again as I returned up the trail and they moved south along the creek. The group included eight Black-capped Chickadees, one each of the Orange-crowned Warbler and Willow Flycatcher, and the White-breasted Nuthatch below that was just oozing personality and very intrigued by my "pishing".

Another great day to embrace the arrival of fall. I hope you all are doing the same!

Trip Weekend: Orange City, Iowa

It only seems right that I should have gotten my first Orange-Crowned Warbler in Orange City, Iowa this one showed up and was hopping around just outside the window.


In a rare bit of good timing this Ruby-crowned Kinglet showed up while I still had my camera ready, although he did not move to any non-screened windows. In a Glamour Shots way the screen probably helped to soften all those wet soaked looking feathers.

Much later in the day my Dad and I joined my Brother-in-law to head out looking for a reported Cooper's Hawk a few streets over.

The reports had a Cooper's nesting just off the road. We headed over and shortly found the nest, with a head and tail just visible. It wasn't tough to tell what we were doing in the mist with bins and a long telephoto lens, but even so four different people stopped to make sure we knew about and had found the local attraction. It was a nice bit of Americana, right down to the little girl who asked if we knew about the "Red-eyed Hawk" in the neighborhood.

We had spent our time maneuvering around the nest and had just started heading away when I heard what I called a "Rubber Duck" sound from the tree just across the street. I had been standing below it a few moments before getting shots of the nest.

Looking up I spotted a second Coop' a dozen feet off the ground.


It had a recent kill, and as I have read was more content to remain perched despite our close proximity. I fired away and despite the poor light got some fun closeups.

We continued on our short walk, and were rewarded a few minutes later with more distant looks at Junior. My brother in law, who knows his birds, was surprised that a presumable offspring would be in such close proximity to his parents, but regardless it was cool to get such close and varied looks at the whole family.

The next day my Dad and I braved an even colder wind to walk a bit of the "Puddle Jumper" Trail to see if we could track down any Harris Sparrows. The last bird I saw before the stiff breeze coming across a freshly manured field drove us back to the car and a warm house in town was this Harris.

Just in time!

The bit of birding I got to do was fun, but getting a few days with family was even better! It is always a treat to get to spend time with them.

That wraps up the trip. The return trip was posted out of order and is visible in prior posts. I am so glad I had a chance to do it, and will hope to do pieces of it again. If you get the chance, I recommend Northern Nebraska.