Hi folks, I've been scheming to head back up to Tamarack Ranch for several weeks now to do some sound recording, and today I finally had time to do it. I hadn't been up there in almost 7 years! I also tacked on a fairly short visit to Red Lion SWA and Julesberg Reservoir before heading back.
I enjoyed most of the same birds recently reported by Austin Hess and Brian Johnson, but with a couple alterations. I spent about 3 1/2 hours birding the East side before making a 1 hr trip to the West side. *Northern Cardinal* - yes, at least 2 singing males (one recorded well) if not more (East) *Great Crested Flycatcher* - yes, a pair calling repeatedly early in the a.m. (East) *Field Sparrow* - yes, one singing commonly around Area 5 (East) and recorded well *Grasshopper Sparrow* - yes, several singing in the grass and sagelands (recorded) *Red-headed Woodpecker* - yes, lost count. Recorded some continuous chatter by Area 5. *Red-bellied Woodpecker* - yes, many heard Bewick's Wren - no. Northern Parula - no, but I didn't search for it. If it was there it was silent. *Red-eyed Vireo* - yes (East). It was mostly silent but it did utter a single strophe once which clued me in to its presence. *Bell's Vireo* - yes, at least 4 (West). Best point-blank looks I've ever had at a pair, and great recordings. I was thrilled to find one at the exact same spot where I had my lifer Bell's at Tamarack 11 years ago with Nick Komar! *Baltimore Oriole* - yes, several. Yellow-billed Cuckoo - no. A bit surprised I didn't find one, but oh well. My big rarity highlight today at Tamarack was a *GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH* scooting along in the upper branches of some cottonwoods with a couple Swainson's Thrushes (east side, around Area 7), providing for a helpful on-the-spot comparison. At Red Lion, I stopped at the dam for Jumbo and made my way down to the small grove beneath the dam. I'd never been there before, and although it was getting on 11:30am by that point, it was still active birdwise. Mostly expected species like *Yellow Warbler* and *Orchard Oriole* (I saw more Orchards today than I ever have in my life, including a flock of about 12 along the Logan-Sedgwick county line road!), but I did have a quick visit from a *Hairy Woodpecker* and a *Veery*. While walking toward the duck blind I apparently spooked a family of Soras which called sharply to each other (while I recorded them) until I gave them peace and vacated the area. Lastly, on Julesberg Res itself there were about 10 *Black Terns* dipping and darting about. Oodles of *Eared Grebes* (meaning ~30-40) way way way up on the north end of the drink, just resolvable in the scope. And really lastly, I passed an *Eastern Phoebe* doing the usual phoebe things on the CO 55 bridge crossing the S Platte on my way back the freeway. Would have loved to have kept going, but I needed to get back home and get ready for the next work week. Good birding, everyone! ------- Eric DeFonso Westminster, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAFjVA_ZrwsRcz7PQmq_9hZ72j0a_2dFxv7LDRfiMGFN47koYoQ%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
