03-27-2024, 12:47 PM
Laurel, it was a real pleasure having you and Bill visit yesterday. Next time, we'll try to get views of the Pygmy Nuthatches and Townsend's Solitaires.
The White-winged Juncos that were here all winter, have departed, now replaced by many more Oregon and Gray-Headed Juncos. The White-winged Juncos would be arriving on their breeding grounds in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
A few of the local male Red-winged Blackbirds have shown up, presumably to stake out breeding territories in the mid-elevation willow carrs such as the one between Camp Dick and the PV campground, and those in the South St. Vrain and Beaver Creek drainages. "Carrs" are a type of wetland dominated by shrubs, and a willow carr is dominated by....willow. In most years, I see small flocks of red-wings return to the mountains by mid-February, sometimes in early January. They move back and forth to wetlands on the plains in response to weather events until they begin nesting here.
At Pella Crossing in Hygiene off 75th Rd., an all white, near-albino red-winged can now be found about 200 yards east of the parking lot. Take the southern most trail. It's always a treat to see a leucistic or a full albino bird.
Here's a pair of male Red-winged Blackbirds that came to the feeder on Monday. One is using a dominance display but both are able to display the orange-red lesser coverts of the shoulder.
The White-winged Juncos that were here all winter, have departed, now replaced by many more Oregon and Gray-Headed Juncos. The White-winged Juncos would be arriving on their breeding grounds in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
A few of the local male Red-winged Blackbirds have shown up, presumably to stake out breeding territories in the mid-elevation willow carrs such as the one between Camp Dick and the PV campground, and those in the South St. Vrain and Beaver Creek drainages. "Carrs" are a type of wetland dominated by shrubs, and a willow carr is dominated by....willow. In most years, I see small flocks of red-wings return to the mountains by mid-February, sometimes in early January. They move back and forth to wetlands on the plains in response to weather events until they begin nesting here.
At Pella Crossing in Hygiene off 75th Rd., an all white, near-albino red-winged can now be found about 200 yards east of the parking lot. Take the southern most trail. It's always a treat to see a leucistic or a full albino bird.
Here's a pair of male Red-winged Blackbirds that came to the feeder on Monday. One is using a dominance display but both are able to display the orange-red lesser coverts of the shoulder.