Thanks to Gary Matthews for reporting this fine warbler a few days ago, and thanks to Cole Wild and Nancy Gobris for posting updates and excellent directions.
I arrived today at 0645 and searched the Matthews Reeser nature area, finding the "Golden Swamp Warbler" at 0730 in mountain birch shrubs near the easternmost pine tree in the pine grove. In other words, when walking east, it was near where the path draws near Lake Estes. I was told that this was the same shrub where it was first discovered. It was with a loose flock of warblers (not a flock of loose warblers), but after allowing a couple of brief but stirring views, that rascal vanished, before sitting for a photographic portrait. Other birders arrived and we searched without result, at least until I left. I then went up to Rocky Mountain National Park and found a stroll of Dusky Grouse about 25 minutes walk up the Fern Lake trail from its trailhead. I narrowly avoided stepping on one "Fool's Hen." I found that an effective technique was either to find one on your own (can take some luck) or to ask returning hikers if they had seen one. The first response I got was, "Yes, about 1/4 mile up the trail." My pulse quickened, and after a brisker walk, a second inquiry resulted in a dude escorting me 15 yards up a side trail to where these chickens were quietly feeding. I was told that last fall Dusky Grouse were seen even closer to the trailhead on October 10th. Trivia: The Prothonotary Warbler's name derives from the early garb of ecclesiastical figures, protonotarii, the first notaries, who wore golden hoods. Recent sources state that the preferred color is now purple. *Sic transit gloria mundi*...........but I digress. The Prothonotary Warbler became known in the 1940s as the bird that, in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee, established a connection between Whittaker Chambers and Alger Hiss. Chambers had testified that Hiss enjoyed bird-watching, and had once bragged about seeing a prothonotary warbler. Hiss later testified to the same incident, causing many members to become convinced of the pair's acquaintance. (Wikipedia and common knowledge). The Prothonotary Warbler is a robust bird, weighing twice as much as a Wilson's Warbler (16 grams to 7.7 grams), according to Sibley. A gram is 1/1000th of a kilogram....... but I digress. Joe Roller, Denver -- 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.
