North East Colorado Field Trip

Day Two Highlights:

Sad update on the Hotel Bat: apparently he did not move from his spot at all between yesterday and today...

We began the day at Tamarack (very birdy) with lots of Red-headed Woodpeckers, Orioles and Flycatchers. I now have a slightly better understanding of the term empid.

Western Wood Pewee with Dragonfly

Down the hatch!

Willow Flycatcher

We made our way over to Jumbo Reservoir, stopping for assorted peeps and other shorebirds.

Pectoral Sandpiper

Long-billed Curlew!

and Black-bellied Plover!

We finished the day looking for warblers. While looking we happened upon two Common Nighthawks and a young scruffy-looking Downy Woodpecker:

a few more photos from today:

Personal trip highlights:

Mississippi Kites (juvenile!)

Prairie Rattlesnake

Common Tern

Red-headed Woodpecker

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Black Tern

Townsend's Warbler

Gray Flycatcher

Black-bellied Plover

Long-billed Curlew

It might be a little while before I head that far east again, but I think it was fantastic!

Young Things

and other stuff from the last week or so...
I'm learning that around this time when things are pretty quiet, it's nice to stumble upon young things.


Running Deer:

Yup, it's my buddy....inquisitive young mink.

Also at Running Deer right now: frogs, toads and tons

of dragon flies.

The wrens seem to be making a funny frog-like noise lately....

I don't know if this relates to fledgelings or not (or if

I just never noticed it before.)

I've been watching this Red-winged Blackbird nest for

a few weeks. Looks like someone's hungry.

(double-click photo to enlarge a little)

Young Gulch:

Earlier this summer there were bunches of flycatchers 

at Young Gulch. Now, very fluffy fledglings. 

Here's mom with a snack:

And here's the kids.

This one, a little further down the trail.

Pawnee Grasslands:

A friendly Grasshopper Sparrow

A young Meadowlark,  I think....

I did see a few young burrowing owls, but none

braving posts yet.

Two shots of Mom Lark Sparrow, 'cause I think

she's wonderful...

Maybe one day this little guy will look so pretty!

Didn't find any resting Common Nighthawks 

(well other than the ones I accidentally flushed...), but this one 

briefly flew into the tree above my head.

Riverbend Ponds:

First, a stop near Wellington.

What I think is coolest about the dickcissel, it's song:

A little reminder for me today: When it's a little slow and 

maybe kind of dull the Kingfisher embodies 

everything I've grown to love about birds.

Another enthusiastic wren.

A Young Barn Swallow, I think!!

Three guesses (it's not a kingfisher...)

MORE Photos.....

Plenty of Nighthawks

I keep hearing about Common Nighthawks at Crow Valley. After some help, I finally found them.

On the way to Crow Valley I stopped to look for (and listen for) Grasshopper Sparrows.

There were bunches. They have undoubtedly been there the whole time,

me never noticing them!

Female Lark Bunting

Two minutes after getting out at Crow Valley I started looking and "Poof," 

My first Common Nighthawk. I left him and went off in the 

direction of some loud and serious chatter:

Northern Mocking Bird happily commotioning

and

Brown Thrasher causing a bit of a fuss too.

I circled around the campground, finding my first Prairie Warbler

and many MANY mosquitoes. Then another (or the same)

Nighthawk flew towards me:

And landed right beside me. Later I found another one, and eventually 

noticed four or five circling the campground:

Heading towards home, a Cassin's Sparrow:

And of course when it rains, it pours....

Hanging out on County Road 41...

The rest of today's photos: