Hi all, I did some birding today from 630am to 2pm or so around Pueblo.
I started early by checking Sailboard launching area at Pueblo Reservoir to see if I could see the Common Loon, that I saw there yesterday, I didn't see it. While driving down the hill from the dam at Pueblo Reservoir around 645am, the first tree on the right, there was a big blob in the tree. It turned out to be a Bobcat in the tree. http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandonsbirdphotos/5604170960/ Since I had plenty of time, before meeting up with Aiken Audubon group at Valco Ponds parking lot, I went over to Pueblo City Park. I walked around there for 45 minutes or so. The highlights were the Pygmy Nuthatches and Mountain Chickadees that have been there all winter. Other than that, it was pretty quiet. I then got to Valco Ponds parking lot, a bit early, just before 8am, and there was one car load of birders already there. Since the trip wasn't meeting until 830am, four of us decided to walk west of the parking lot at Valco Ponds just a short ways and we saw the pair of Black Phoebes, and quick look at a flyby White-winged Dove. When everyone else showed up at 830am, we walked east of Valco Ponds parking lot and checked all three ponds. We saw a Snowy Egret, two White-throated Swifts, many swallows (Tree, Barn, Cliff, and Bank), two Yellow-headed Blackbirds, a Lincoln's Sparrow, several Turkey Vultures, a female Common Merganser, and other birds. Then we walked west of Valco Ponds parking lot to the Fish Hatchery Ponds and back. We saw the Black Phoebes again and a Say's Phoebe, more swallows (same species as above), an Osprey, and at the ponds, two Cinnamon Teal and a female Hooded Merganser were the highlights. We then drove over to the Osprey Picnic Area in Rock Canyon. We finally we able to see a Bewick's Wren, we had heard a few before this, though they were being difficult. We also saw a few Myrtle Warblers. Just before lunch, we were able to look at some all green tiger beetles, which have been around for a few weeks at this location. After lunch, the wind gusts were getting bad. We quickly saw a couple of fuzzy Great Horned Owl babies in Rock Canyon, and then headed to Sailboard launching area for a minute. The waves were coming over the paved parking lot there. So, we didn't stay, since there was no way we could pick out a loon or anything else there. Then we headed west, and saw a couple Burrowing Owls near the north west entrance station at Pueblo Reservoir. Then we went over to the State Wildlife Area, and saw two Greater and one Lesser Yellowlegs, and a pair of American Green-winged Teal. No sign of the Common Teal from a couple of days ago. We then went to Pueblo West. We saw a Scaled Quail in my yard, though couldn't find a Curve-billed Thrasher in howling winds. We ended with a quick check of Cattail Crossing in Pueblo West, and saw Great-tailed Grackles and a female Canvasback. All and all, it was a good trip, the wind wasn't that bad before lunch. I saw around 70 species of birds today, and a Bobcat in a tree, so it was a good day. Good birding, Brandon Percival Pueblo West, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@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.
