A Wonderfully Wintery Day

I was raised in Minnesota, beyond giving me a taste for lefsa, my home state forged in my veins an acceptance of cold as a natural state of being. Were it not for a seventh grade trip to Wyoming, from which I returned knowing that mountains would have to be a major backdrop to my life, I may never have left. Had that been the case, I would probably never have learned that in some places "bone chilling" cold can be hyped on the news casts when the temperatures are still being measured in positive degrees. Not only that, but at times, a couple of days of cold can be wrapped around a day of warm sunshine and no wind. Despite reminding me that I have lost my true Minnesota attitude towards winter, these days are ones that I look forward to as much as any other.
One such day was this past Saturday. The weather was perfect, a break in my pre-holiday, Minnesota preparatory, cold immersion therapy. Just right for meeting folks in the great outdoors and tracking down some birds.


One of the highlights for me were the Western Scrub Jays.

Interesting for me was that I had not previously tallied this species in Colorado.

They are always entertaining, as are all corvids for that matter. I saw many individuals on the day, from a loner huddled in the low branches of an evergreen in the higher wind-swept park, to a group rotating through turns robbing a barn while others stood sentry on the surrounding fence posts, to a last look at one scavenging on the ground below some scrub oak.

We had a good list running with a nice variety of common species, including this Song Sparrow.

This Spotted Towhee was showing off color against the bright blue sky, but a battery change kept me from getting an unobstructed view of its face, or the apparent acorn in its bill.

Another great highlight of the day was getting some good shots of a Northern Shrike. We had one at our first stop early in the morning, but I never had a chance to switch from bins to camera. Fortunately, this individual perched after running off a Black-billed Magpie and sat for a moment letting me snap off a few frames.

The Northern Shrike is a hunter, using its hooked bill to lethal effect. The surprise here is just how small in stature this hunter is.

I wrapped up my day by swinging through Chatfield State Park in hopes that the Tundra Swans reported over the past few days had remained. They were no longer present, but these American Tree Sparrows were suitable, if dissimilar, replacements.

2009 Count: 193

Lifetime: 199

Cooperation

I had a fun opportunity to join several other birders on a morning walk at a few locations in the area of the Denver Botanical Gardens Arboretum near Chatfield Reservoir. More on the birding in a future post.


One of the memorable experiences from this trip was seeing this pair from the vehicles as we traveled between two sites. Both species were content to remain as we observed the symbiotic behavior, despite a vehicle first backing up to get the above shot, and then pulling around the corner to watch them head on.

In the above shot, the Black-billed Magpie is seen working through the Mule Deer's coat. It is clearly enjoying a protein rich meal of mites or ticks. The deer gets a nice clean coat out of the deal, and seemed to be showing about as much "bliss" as any deer could. Deer don't seem to wag tails, or get a foot twitch going when a bird is working on just the right spot, but the look on his face at times was very similar to a certain Golden Retriever I know.

I am sure that this type of behavior isn't at all uncommon, but it was the first time I had a chance to observe it up close. Seeing it for a first time was a really fun experience. Oddest in my mind are how unsuited these two species seem for such behavior. Magpies, typically calling loudly, seem just too confrontational - and Mule Deer, while less jumpy than White-tails in my observations, still don't seem the type to just abide a good sized bird landing on their backs, no matter how itchy. Nonetheless, these two were very "chill". We observed them for long minutes, while neither seemed in any rush to break the partnership. After enjoying the view we pulled away, leaving this odd couple to help one another cope with the winter chill that has descended.

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.

Half a Dozen

Despite a morning with single digit temps the sun was out today. I got an early start, and with good weather had plenty of time to swing by Stearn's Lake on my way into work.

I was hoping for the scene above and got it. A small area of still open water that had the geese concentrated in a relatively small area. Even better, it was on the close side of the lake to the trail, allowing close looks from behind a tree. Unfortunately, there were no Snow or Ross's Geese present yet. Soon perhaps, but well worth a periodic quick check.

While there were no uncommon Geese, there were Red-tailed Hawks. As indicated by the title, I had six individuals split between my drive along the dirt road to the lake and my walk. I am fairly confident that it is my highest count total for individuals in such a short span in one location.

There is something about a Hawk surveying the area from a high perch that just fits with a cold morning.

A closer crop, showing the lighter colored eyes and tail banding of this juvenile bird. (For contrast note the brown-eyed adult in the top picture).

Here, primed for takeoff, the patagial bars on the leading edge of the under-wing are clearly visible.

Then, with a wingbeat, a pump of the fully fanned tail, and a thrust of the legs this young Red-tail is aloft! With so many neighbors about he/she will need an early start to get breakfast. From my visit to the hawkwatch at Dinosaur Ridge last spring I know that as waves of migrants pass through periodic numbers can easily spike for a certain area. In this case most individuals were spaced out amongst the various tree clusters, with no more than two individuals in any particular area. It was a fun first to see so many of those clusters occupied on this chilly, and therefore very private morning with the hawks.

Frosted

A cold clear morning to show off a fresh blanket of snow - just enough to frost the flatirons.

Challenges

I am finding this week to be particularly challenging in a birdy kind of way. Last year about this time I was just over a month into actively seeking and identifying birds, and as such was thrilled with just about anything I could find. Each lunch seemed to turn up new discoveries, and I had plenty of ID work to occupy the dark and cold evenings and chances to seek out early morning opportunities.
So far this late fall season has had far fewer opportunities. Much of it has been a matter of life circumstances, and the reality that in my life birding and photography are merely hobbies, and as such do get bumped down the priority list.
Priorities aside, and who beyond the few professionals out there don't struggle to find a balance, it just seems that the birding fates are conspiring against me. Our Colorado bird list, COBirds, has been filled with reports of White-winged Crossbills and Winter Wrens, all just beyond my midday range.
In the meantime I have been out ranging my familiar stomping grounds, and failing miserably to get on any birds. Yesterday I headed up Coal Creek Drive, where the road overlooks eagle nesting habitat, and had a total of 4 individual birds. The species included one Black-billed Magpie, two likely Starlings (although they were distant and unconfirmed), and yet another Red-tailed Hawk.


Don't get me wrong, I love to observe a perched or soaring hawk! I just prefer a few other species thrown in the mix. In yesterday's case a front was coming that eventually brought snow late last night. For my venture out all it did was hang a dark cloud over my immediate area, with tantalizing glimpses of bright sky in all directions. So, the hawk above had to be seriously modified to show the slightest details.


Today's plan includes a snowy drive to Costco, I need to renew my membership so I can continue to use the gas pump as well as pick up some peanuts for a new tray feeder. (So far my increase of feeder capacity from 1.5 to three has yielded exactly one Northern Flicker). Hopefully while I am out I will spot a gull or some sparrows in the parking lot!

Short Days

Despite the beautiful weather we have been having here in Colorado for late November and early December I have not had many productive birding trips since Thanksgiving that have generated any blog content. A trip to Boulder Creek in the midst of the CU tailgate only produced Mallards, Robins, and a handful of Chickadees.

Monday's lunch was spent running errands, so I used my early afternoon to head to Chatfield State Park, where I picked up a new annual pass. I must say that the pass office staffer was one of the nicest I have met. I had to convince her that I was happy enough to purchase my new pass a few months earlier than my previous vehicles would have expired. My thoughts being that, I had already gotten more than my value from my previous pass, and if there is an organization that I don't mind giving a few extra dollars to it is the State Parks.

I am glad to have my pass again, and am glad to have had a chance to drive through Chatfield State Park while I was there. It was a bit to dark by the time I was done for pictures, but I got a feel for the area, and took a brief stroll in the fading light where I saw a number of geese, a noisy group of Black-billed Magpies, and a lone Great Blue Heron that buzzed my tower as it flew up Plum Creek and over the bridge I was crossing at the time.

Hopefully pics later, in the meantime please consider letting family and friends know about your intentions to donate organs and tissue in the event of an untimely tragedy. It is something that is easy to put off, but something that if clearly stated as an intention before the fact can take a burden off of family members and do so much good for so many others. Don't forget to give blood as well, eligibility comes around every eight weeks!