RE: [cobirds] Late Lesser Goldfinch Jefferson County

2012-10-14 Thread Kayleen A Niyo 
Bob and all,

 

I still have several Lesser Goldfinches (LEGO) at my thistle feeders at the
N base of N Table Mt.

 

When I took to heart the post on NEBirds about rancid thistle seed and NO
goldfinches and started using fresh seed on 6/26/12, I have had my usual
dozen or two LEGO and a few AMGO at each of my two thistle feeders all
summer.  The past couple weeks when the cold fronts go through it ramps up
to a couple dozen fighting over a place at the feeders.  Now I have 6 or 8
LEGO on the feeders every day including at least 1 green-backed male.  A
week ago I still had fluttering-winged juvs begging at the feeders.  All
summer I had 2 black-backed males on the feeders at the same time.  I have
had a couple black-backed males every summer; see bottom of page at
http://www.kayniyo.com/birds_finch.htm.

 

Now the annual dilemma is how to feed safflower or black oil to other birds
without getting the neighboring horse stable flocks of pigeons on the ground
too!  And my fem flicker was calling from my patio roof on the Wed saying
"where is my winter suet cake?"  Shades of Bob Spencer's recent posts!

 

Kay

Kayleen A. Niyo, Ph.D.
Niyo Scientific Communications
Kay Niyo Photography
  k...@kayniyo.com

  www.KayNiyo.com
__
5651 Garnet Street
Golden, CO 80403
Phone: (303) 679-6646
Fax: (866) 849-8013 

 

From: cobirds@googlegroups.com [mailto:cobirds@googlegroups.com] On Behalf
Of birderbob
Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2012 10:05 PM
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com
Subject: [cobirds] Late Lesser Goldfinch Jefferson County

 

10/13/12 While birding with Urling's Beginning Birding Class at Wheat Ridge
Greenbelt we encountered a mixed flock of goldfinches in the tall willow
trees at the southeast corner of Bass Lake (Bass is the smaller lake east of
the larger West Lake).  I had set up my scope to allow the class members
view the birds and I focused in on a male Lesser Goldfinch.  Several of the
class members took turns watching this particular  bird through the scope
for a couple of minutes - I also rechecked the position of the scope several
times to make sure it was kept on the bird.  I was careful to point out the
distinguishing features emphasizing the black back and the yellow front of
this species (as a rule we are not allowed to identify the bird for them,
they must make the i.d.)

 

After the flock moved out of sight (to the west) in review for the class,
Urling talked about the American Goldfinches - and several of us revealed
that we had been watching a male Lesser.  She advised me to post this on
COBirds saying that it was significant because it is so late in the season
to see a Lesser Goldfinch.

 

Bob Santangelo

Wheat Ridge

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Re: [cobirds] Late Lesser Goldfinch Jefferson County

2012-10-14 Thread Chip Clouse 
Kay, Bob, and CObirders,
Having barely birded in the state of CO since taking a job with Opticron
optics last February, I take the opportunity to at least watch my feeders
when home. My fiance and I have started a once-a-month birdwatching club
for kids in Olde Town Arvada.  After visiting the Ralston Creek Trail with
mixed results last month, the kids came to our house yesterday to learn
about feeder birds and backyard habitat.  Imagine my surprise at seeing two
new yard species - Lesser Goldfinch and Pine Siskin - before their arrival.
 I had one male and 3 female-types of Lesser Goldfinch and two Pine Siskins
that accompanied all the usual suspects.  I've started using a mix of
finely ground sunflower seed and nyjer in my thistle feeders this year and
have enjoyed a family of Northern Flickers (the adult female is an
intergrade) tonguing out the sunflower all summer.  Lately, my Downy
Woodpeckers are enjoying this feeder more than the suet too.  The kids had
a blast culminating with an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk taking a House Sparrow
and perching on the open ground for a while before retiring to a tree to
pluck it.  When it departed we went out and looked at the pile of feathers.
 Very cool!  Anyway, the goldfinches must have just been passing through as
I haven't seen them since the hawk episode.

Good birding,
Chip Clouse
Arvada, CO

On Sun, Oct 14, 2012 at 11:15 AM, Kayleen A Niyo  wrote:

> Bob and all,
>
> ** **
>
> I still have several Lesser Goldfinches (LEGO) at my thistle feeders at
> the N base of N Table Mt.
>
> ** **
>
> When I took to heart the post on NEBirds about rancid thistle seed and NO
> goldfinches and started using fresh seed on 6/26/12, I have had my usual
> dozen or two LEGO and a few AMGO at each of my two thistle feeders all
> summer.  The past couple weeks when the cold fronts go through it ramps up
> to a couple dozen fighting over a place at the feeders.  Now I have 6 or 8
> LEGO on the feeders every day including at least 1 green-backed male.  A
> week ago I still had fluttering-winged juvs begging at the feeders.  All
> summer I had 2 black-backed males on the feeders at the same time.  I have
> had a couple black-backed males every summer; see bottom of page at
> http://www.kayniyo.com/birds_finch.htm.
>
> ** **
>
> Now the annual dilemma is how to feed safflower or black oil to other
> birds without getting the neighboring horse stable flocks of pigeons on the
> ground too!  And my fem flicker was calling from my patio roof on the Wed
> saying “where is my winter suet cake?”  Shades of Bob Spencer’s recent
> posts!
>
> ** **
>
> Kay
>
> Kayleen A. Niyo, Ph.D.
> Niyo Scientific Communications
> Kay Niyo Photography
> k...@kayniyo.com
>
> www.KayNiyo.com
> __
> 5651 Garnet Street
> Golden, CO 80403
> Phone: (303) 679-6646
> Fax: (866) 849-8013 
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* cobirds@googlegroups.com [mailto:cobirds@googlegroups.com] *On
> Behalf Of *birderbob
> *Sent:* Saturday, October 13, 2012 10:05 PM
> *To:* cobirds@googlegroups.com
> *Subject:* [cobirds] Late Lesser Goldfinch Jefferson County
>
> ** **
>
> 10/13/12 While birding with Urling's Beginning Birding Class at Wheat
> Ridge Greenbelt we encountered a mixed flock of goldfinches in the tall
> willow trees at the southeast corner of Bass Lake (Bass is the smaller lake
> east of the larger West Lake).  I had set up my scope to allow the class
> members view the birds and I focused in on a male Lesser Goldfinch.
> Several of the class members took turns watching this particular  bird
> through the scope for a couple of minutes - I also rechecked the position
> of the scope several times to make sure it was kept on the bird.  I was
> careful to point out the distinguishing features emphasizing the black back
> and the yellow front of this species (as a rule we are not allowed to
> identify the bird for them, they must make the i.d.)
>
>  
>
> After the flock moved out of sight (to the west) in review for the class,
> Urling talked about the American Goldfinches - and several of us revealed
> that we had been watching a male Lesser.  She advised me to post this on
> COBirds saying that it was significant because it is so late in the
> season to see a Lesser Goldfinch.
>
>  
>
> Bob Santangelo
>
> Wheat Ridge
>
> --
> 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.
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msg/cobirds/-/qjRjS724oZsJ.
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
>
>  
>
> --
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RE: [cobirds] Late Lesser Goldfinch Jefferson County

2012-10-14 Thread Kayleen A Niyo 
Thanks, Chip!  Good idea!  I fed sunflower chips in IA and when I lived on
Bear Mt in Evergreen.  I will go back to that.  I remember the woodpeckers,
pygmy nuthatches, everybody else loved it too.  I haven't had Pine Siskins
down here since I left Evergreen, but this year is supposed to be an
invasion year.  I don't have much trouble with starlings here in this new
development yet (not very big trees), but in IA, I thwarted them by laying
the small-cake wire suet feeder flat with a cedar shingle wired to the top
flat side with enuf overlap so the starlings couldn't stand on top and reach
over the edge.  They are not good at hovering underneath.  That worked!  I
use a caged feeder too.  But I have to also have a tray under a bigger
feeder so I get an occasional stray rosy-finch, or once, a male kestrel that
landed on the tray to probably hunt voles underneath and sun himself in the
W winter sun!

 

Glad you are having fun teaching the kids about birds!

 

Kay

Kayleen A. Niyo, Ph.D.
Niyo Scientific Communications
Kay Niyo Photography
 <mailto:k...@kayniyo.com> k...@kayniyo.com

 <http://www.KayNiyo.com> www.KayNiyo.com
__
5651 Garnet Street
Golden, CO 80403
Phone: (303) 679-6646
Fax: (866) 849-8013 

 

From: cobirds@googlegroups.com [mailto:cobirds@googlegroups.com] On Behalf
Of Chip Clouse
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2012 12:51 PM
To: k...@kayniyo.com
Cc: birder...@comcast.net; cobirds@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [cobirds] Late Lesser Goldfinch Jefferson County

 

Kay, Bob, and CObirders,

Having barely birded in the state of CO since taking a job with Opticron
optics last February, I take the opportunity to at least watch my feeders
when home. My fiance and I have started a once-a-month birdwatching club for
kids in Olde Town Arvada.  After visiting the Ralston Creek Trail with mixed
results last month, the kids came to our house yesterday to learn about
feeder birds and backyard habitat.  Imagine my surprise at seeing two new
yard species - Lesser Goldfinch and Pine Siskin - before their arrival.  I
had one male and 3 female-types of Lesser Goldfinch and two Pine Siskins
that accompanied all the usual suspects.  I've started using a mix of finely
ground sunflower seed and nyjer in my thistle feeders this year and have
enjoyed a family of Northern Flickers (the adult female is an intergrade)
tonguing out the sunflower all summer.  Lately, my Downy Woodpeckers are
enjoying this feeder more than the suet too.  The kids had a blast
culminating with an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk taking a House Sparrow and
perching on the open ground for a while before retiring to a tree to pluck
it.  When it departed we went out and looked at the pile of feathers.  Very
cool!  Anyway, the goldfinches must have just been passing through as I
haven't seen them since the hawk episode.

 

Good birding,

Chip Clouse

Arvada, CO

 

On Sun, Oct 14, 2012 at 11:15 AM, Kayleen A Niyo  wrote:

Bob and all,

 

I still have several Lesser Goldfinches (LEGO) at my thistle feeders at the
N base of N Table Mt.

 

When I took to heart the post on NEBirds about rancid thistle seed and NO
goldfinches and started using fresh seed on 6/26/12, I have had my usual
dozen or two LEGO and a few AMGO at each of my two thistle feeders all
summer.  The past couple weeks when the cold fronts go through it ramps up
to a couple dozen fighting over a place at the feeders.  Now I have 6 or 8
LEGO on the feeders every day including at least 1 green-backed male.  A
week ago I still had fluttering-winged juvs begging at the feeders.  All
summer I had 2 black-backed males on the feeders at the same time.  I have
had a couple black-backed males every summer; see bottom of page at
http://www.kayniyo.com/birds_finch.htm.

 

Now the annual dilemma is how to feed safflower or black oil to other birds
without getting the neighboring horse stable flocks of pigeons on the ground
too!  And my fem flicker was calling from my patio roof on the Wed saying
"where is my winter suet cake?"  Shades of Bob Spencer's recent posts!

 

Kay

Kayleen A. Niyo, Ph.D.
Niyo Scientific Communications
Kay Niyo Photography
k...@kayniyo.com

www.KayNiyo.com
__
5651 Garnet Street
Golden, CO 80403
Phone: (303) 679-6646  
Fax: (866) 849-8013   

 

From: cobirds@googlegroups.com [mailto:cobirds@googlegroups.com] On Behalf
Of birderbob
Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2012 10:05 PM
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com
Subject: [cobirds] Late Lesser Goldfinch Jefferson County

 

10/13/12 While birding with Urling's Beginning Birding Class at Wheat Ridge
Greenbelt we encountered a mixed flock of goldfinches in the tall willow
trees at the southeast corner of Bass Lake (Bass is the smaller lake east of
the larger West Lake).  I had set up my scope to allow the class members
view the birds and I focused in on a male Lesser Goldfinch.  Several of the
class members took turns watching this p

Re: [cobirds] Late Lesser Goldfinch Jefferson County

2012-10-20 Thread Nicolle Martin 
I still have lots of Lessers at my thistle feeder.  On a sad note, sometime
during the windstorm last week, I lost a very large branch from my Willow
tree.  Upon cleaning up the debris, we discovered a dead Goldfinch under
the branch.  I don't know if it happened at night, or the following windy
day.

Nicolle Martin
Littleton, CO

On Sat, Oct 13, 2012 at 10:05 PM, birderbob  wrote:

> 10/13/12 While birding with Urling's Beginning Birding Class at Wheat
> Ridge Greenbelt we encountered a mixed flock of goldfinches in the tall
> willow trees at the southeast corner of Bass Lake (Bass is the smaller lake
> east of the larger West Lake).  I had set up my scope to allow the class
> members view the birds and I focused in on a male Lesser Goldfinch.
> Several of the class members took turns watching this particular  bird
> through the scope for a couple of minutes - I also rechecked the position
> of the scope several times to make sure it was kept on the bird.  I was
> careful to point out the distinguishing features emphasizing the black back
> and the yellow front of this species (as a rule we are not allowed to
> identify the bird for them, they must make the i.d.)
>
> After the flock moved out of sight (to the west) in review for the class,
> Urling talked about the American Goldfinches - and several of us revealed
> that we had been watching a male Lesser.  She advised me to post this on
> COBirds saying that it was significant because it is so late in the
> season to see a Lesser Goldfinch.
>
> Bob Santangelo
> Wheat Ridge
>
> --
> 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.
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msg/cobirds/-/qjRjS724oZsJ.
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
>
>
>

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