I found an adult Lewis's Woodpecker with several young in juvenal plumage near Canon City on Aug 13 hopping and flying around a cottonwood which has been a nest tree for this species for several years. However they flew across the river before I could observe if there were fledglings still being fed. I refound the family over the week-end only about 200 feet from the tree where I first saw them and the young were busy foraging for themselves. I got still pics and some video that I have posted to my BirdsAndNature <http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com> blog. One video clip shows one of the juveniles with an insect in it's beak at the top of a snag. It is either pushing the insect into the crevices of the snag or instead pushing it's beak in to get more insects--I can't tell which. *Birds of North America *online states that this species does cache acorns but says nothing of caching insects. It also says they will gleen for insects on snags--so it could be doing either behavior.
I recently posted some video and still pics of the immature male Barrow's Goldeneye that remains near Canon City on Arkansas River. I am suspecting that it is not capable of flight due to molt status but fortunately it is located in a relatively safe part of the river where there is an island and attached gravel bar where it hangs out. He stretches and grooms in the video clips providing nice views of his plumage. It is also interesting to see his head profile seemingly change as he comes up with wet plumage pressing the feathers down. Though they are known for diving for their food, this bird spends a lot of time feeding in shallow water (inches deep) which is shown in the video clips. I wonder if it's molting status interferes with diving behavior? He also demonstrates his youthful developing coordination as he falls off a rock on which he is perched due to losing his balance while exercising his wings--also shown in a video clip. Only one of the probable hybrid BlackXEastern phoebe juveniles remains near the location where the nest site is in the Canon City area. Tonight I did see a second juvenile phoebe about 1/4 mile downstream of the nest location and speculate that this is the other juvenile that had remained near the nest until a few days ago. I also posted a link on my blog to Ted Eubank's latest insightful and inciteful (as in 'The desire to incite or provoke people or things to action") essay that challenges old ways of birding. SeEtta Moss Canon City http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobi...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
