Unexpected Subject: Merlin

I headed out today in search of paved walkways, knowing that our recent snow was melting fast, and a lunchtime walk is no good for a bog walk. I stopped by the South Boulder Trail and happened upon this Richardson's (Prairie) Merlin.

It was perched above a footbridge on the pathway, and had already allowed a pair of walkers and one snowplow to pass below it when I approached.

Seemingly well conditioned to pedestrians, it sat as I passed below allowing some great looks from below.

At first the identification escaped me. I was trying to resolve between a Sharp-shinned Hawk and Prairie Falcon, but obviously neither fit. Sharpies were quickly eliminated, as this bird has too many falcon features. Check out the yellow fleshy rings around the eyes, and the 'teeth' on the sides of the bill - both are falcon traits. What threw me off was that this bird lacked the vertical striping on its face so typical of other falcons.

After some flipping I finally got it. My only previous Merlin had been a Boreal subspecies, which is much darker, so this lighter variety was not what I was expected. For a first opportunity to photograph a Merlin I could not have hoped for a more cooperative species.

Here's hoping that there will be more sightings to rival this one on future walks!

Doomed Dusting

Sunday morning dawned cold, with a fresh dusting of 4 inches of dry, light snow. It wasn't long for solid form though, as quickly as the clouds receded the sun made fast work of anything that had landed on pavement or solid exposed surfaces. The bit that landed on the rock formations above the South Mesa Trail complex outside Boulder sure was nice while it lasted.

As I crossed South Boulder Creek I heard what is fast becoming a familiar sound. It was coming from the area of a cavity where the flooded creek erodes the base of a large tree. The source is just left of dead center on the picture above. Here it is with a bit more contrast and a tighter crop.

Another Brown Creeper. It just goes to show that once your mind gets attuned to a specific set of stimuli you are more responsive to it. I still couldn't describe exactly what makes the Brown Creeper's higher pitched, slightly staccato chirp distinct, but I keyed in on it over the many calling Chickadees and the sound of the creek flowing below me. Here it is again, contrasting nicely against the lichen decorated boulder.

The creek, tree and rock themselves may make a nice study of the forces of nature in the future, but that will be another day. Instead here is another shot of our friend, this time after working up to the upper side of the twisted trunk.

...and such is the state of the human condition, that after several sightings in a week I am craving variety once again, so I may be off to the Ponderosa Pines in the foreground of the first picture next, in search of things that go hoot in the night!

Spring Fever

It is way too nice for the 12th of January. I spent my lunch in a short sleeved button down shirt, and was warm, standing still in the shade on a snowy trail. Snow will fall again soon enough, but today was so worth it.

There is a very mild bit of rodent steak visible at the end of this post - so little I hesitate to add a warning - but some are grossed out by the realities of nature - you have been over warned!


I headed to the South Boulder Creek Trail today and didn't ever make it far from the Bobolink trailhead. A male Belted Kingfisher posed for me above the bit of open water emerging from the overpass. Most of the creek is solid, but won't be for long if these temps remain mild.

After a few hundred yards of mostly quiet going I found the birds. It was springlike. I was in the midst of a group of finches, both House and Goldfinches, with a number of Juncos and the lone Downy Woodpecker (above) joining in for good measure.

All of the species were singing, and with the mild temps it was nice to just stop and watch them all busy moving about the underbrush. It truly was one of those days when playing hooky would have been all to welcome, but responsibility does tend to win out, and I left group to its own devices.

As I neared the parking lot on my return I was looking up to id a poorly lit flicker, when movement caught my eye from the next tree along. I found something enjoying a big old lunch!

This American Kestrel was more distant and naturally posed than the one that was so cooperative on Saturday. Fortunately, the feeding shots more than made up for the lack of clarity and harsh light. Kestrels are fairly common, and seeing them hunt and consume critters like grasshoppers and crickets is something I have been able to do in the past. I know that they also add small rodents such as mice and voles to their diet, but seeing this little guy consume a prey item that appears to be half its size was impressive.

Beware, in nature the colorful face that you note for its beauty one day may be the hunter, noted for its ferocity, the next.

Warmer Temps and a Hint of Variety

While checking out the South Boulder Creek Trail at lunch today I did see a Red-tailed Hawk, (I would have been alarmed if I hadn't at this point), but I was fortunate to see a bit of a mix as well. The Great Blue Heron above was cutting behind a tree, but the more overcast sky did more to accent the longer white feathers on the breast.

I had a good long look at two American Tree Sparrows who were eating seeds near some scrubby brush. The breast spot, pronounced white wingbars, and white edging on the tail all help to identify this species as compared to a Chipping or other sparrow.

Another pair of solid field marks, if they can be seen, are the bi-color bill, and rufous eye-line. Note the yellow on the bottom half of the bill, and the closer view of the face below.

I find that in the field the facial differences between the two are tough to distinguish as they bounce around in heavy cover. Perhaps the easiest way to keep the two similar species straight in Colorado is to remember that the Chipping Sparrow breeds here in the summer, and the American Tree Sparrow has returned to its wintering grounds from the far north.

As always the colors of an American Kestrel are a good sight on returning to the parking lot.

Have a safe and fun weekend, I am off to a CFO (Colorado Field Ornithologists) trip at Chatfield tomorrow, and may try to get up to Ft. Collins to try to find the White-winged Crossbills Sunday. They were confirmed still in the area today, so we'll see.

Worth the Wait

Its been quiet up in here. The reason, ....


three full days of Midwestern March weather, in Colorado, in late September. There has been a serious case of socked in, leaden skies around here, and the migrants and birders were none to happy about it. I didn't get any local snow, but could see it falling just above my elevation on the foothills several times this week. Despite it all I ventured out both Tuesday and Wednesday at lunch, and both times came back damp, with very little to show for it.

Today Mother Nature seems to be pulling out all the stops to make up for it though. I was out at lunch on a beautiful, crisp, fall day. Fortunately, I had forgotten a memory card and had to immediately head back to my car. When I got back to the start of the woods on the South Boulder Creek Trail I caught a group of Chickadees moving across the trail just beyond me. I caught up to where they were crossing, and looking back caught this young fellow moving from branch to branch.

It was the first time I had seen a Yellow-rumped Warbler, (Audubon's - *note the yellow chin*), in first year winter plumage. Until I got back and had a look at a guide I wasn't aware that Yellow-rumpeds could have so much brown on them. A good close up view, but nothing compared to what I would see as the Yellow-rump passed me by...

A Ruby-crowned Kinglet not more than five feet from me, and ranging from one to four feet off the ground. I have seen this species before, but only breeding males, and only at a distance. Today I had a few good looks from close range. They seem even more tiny up close! The view above is better than what I have typically experienced, a head here, a tail in a different shot - always obscured by leaves or branches, or better - looking up into a pine tree - towards the sun.

This little lady, (maybe a non-breeding male?), was willing to sit in the relative open and give me a few nice looks. Even so this little spec was a constant blur of motion. Capturing it in the dark shade of the plum bush where it was moving proved to be far from ideal, but a satisfactory experience nonetheless.

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!