Birding/ Bird watching in Colorado - Colorado birding with Quetzal Tours

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Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.

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คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

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E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.

Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.

Colorado birding with Quetzal Tours - Day 5

Last day and we will make up plans as we go. Bald Eagle nest and gulls at the garbage dump is what I want to see before leaving Colorado

Monday 9 ^th of April 2023 and my alarm is going off at 4, but I did not wake up until 5 thirty. So, tea for breakfast and I was in the reception at 7. My Guide came to pick me up and we drove south to look for a Bald Eagle nest.

We stopped on the way south to buy a little refreshment. It was just above the freezing point but the temperature came up quickly.

We make a stop on the way to check out a bird feeder and the first thing we see is four elks on the road, and they were for sure not bothered with us coming.

Elks on the road

Driving south towards the Bald Eagle nest

Passing Prairie dogs

There was no bird feeder but we spotted I couple of birds in the bushes. We looked at the female elks and they just ate from the trees don't mind us looking at them.

We reached the Bald Eagle nest area just after 8 o'clock. We could spot the Bald Eagle nest from the road, but it was very far away, but I could see one of the adults and one baby. My Guide had binoculars and he said he could see three babies.

Bald Eagle nest

We drive on to see if we can get closer to the nest and we end up in a village and the name of the road is Nesting Eagles Way in Berthou. So, this was a very fitting name for the road. We could spot the Bald Eagle nest through two houses.

Still far away and now the shadow from one of the branches covered the Bald Eagle.

Bald Eagle nest from between the houses

Female Red-winged Blackbird

Listen to the Western Meadowlark

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder and High Pass Filter applied with Audacity

Bird sitting next to the road. And I kept the recording as it was interesting that the bird continuing to sing even with all the cars passing

We leave the Nesting Eagles Way and while my Guide search eBird for Bald Eagle nests I record one Western Meadowlark. We leave for the eBird hotspot: Boulder Creek--109th St. We arrive but there is no sign of the nest and my Guide contact eBird to find out where it is.

While my Guide work with the eBird I get out of the car trying to get pictures of the beautiful Red-winged Blackbird. The bird is too far away and I am not allowed to cross the fence. I thought it was private property and I don't want anyone start shooting at me for trespassing.

I group of people walked by on the inside of the fence and I asked if it was allowed to get in to take pictures. It was not private land; it was owned by the county but I was not allowed over the fence as they did some research

But they thanked me for asking. I tried to get pictures but they turned out to be nothing but garbage. I made a video but I discovered that it was out of focus, but we can hear the song and we can see how the bird behave.

Listen to the Red-winged Blackbird

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder and High Pass Filter applied with Audacity

Many of them sitting in the reeds singing showing the red shoulders

We left and we were halfway to Boise Bend Natural Area when they eBird guy called and explained where the nest was. But now it was too late and we had already seen one nest and I was happy. The road to the area we were going to look for rails were closed so we had to come in from the back, lucky us.

We parked the car and there was one bird watcher taking pictures of an Osprey nest. Still no babies but the female was pottering around in the nest on top of a platform they had built to help the Ospreys to build nests.

The male was in a tree above us eating the head of the fish as I learned that they always do back in Florida. He flew over to the nest to give the fish to the female, but she was not interested and he came back with the fish and continue eating

Platform to help the Ospreys build nest

Western Osprey

Western Osprey

Western Osprey

The Heron Tree full of Great Blue Herons

Mallard / Gräsand

Mallard / Gräsand

Mallard / Gräsand

Wood Duck

Wood Duck

Blue Jay

Red-winged Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird

American Robin

We leave the parking and I count to 17 Great Blue Herons sitting on nest in the trees. We spot a Wood Duck couple and they swim away and I tried to sit down a little further down the river, but the ducks never showed up.

I went back and I got pictures, but not good as I had the reeds between me and the ducks. There were Mallards and there was a Blue Jay across the river from where we sat on the tree trunk. We continued along the river and I spotted an American Robin sitting on a branch next to the trunk taking cover from the sun.

It went from below ZERO this morning to full summer and I had to take off my pullover. We reached the end of the walk path along the river and we turned around to walk back to the parking and the car for new adventures.

Northern Flicker

We turn around

20 meters after turning back and there is an American Robin sitting in a bush. I bring out my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder and I get very close to the bird. I cannot see the bill moving and I think it is another bird singing.

But I can see through my camera that the bill is moving, maybe 1 mm, very little.

Listen to the American Robin

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder and High Pass Filter applied with Audacity

Sitting next to me in a tree and he don't mind me taking pictures. About 1 meter away. My Guide tell me that it is an alarm call and I don't know for what he is warning about. Obviously, he is not scared of me.

American Robin

American Robin

American Robin

Listen to the Belted Kingfisher

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder and High Pass Filter applied with Audacity

My Guide point out the bird flying over us and by the time I had my ZOOM H5 Handy recorder ready it was gone.

But the bird came back and I recorded the flight call when the bird flew over us.

Walking back to the car and I managed to make one sound recording of a Belted Kingfisher flying over us when we walked back to the car. And the day had turned in to an excellent day and it was very nice to walk in my summer shirt only.

We are back at the car and the other bird watchers have left the area. The Ospreys are still attending to their nest.

eBird Report

Boise Bend Natural Area, Larimer, Colorado, US
Apr 10, 2023 09:57 - 11:14
Protocol: Traveling
1.19 kilometer(s)
12 species

Wood Duck 2   One pair
Gadwall 26
Mallard 7
Great Blue Heron 17   On nest on what they call the Heron Trees
Osprey 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker 1
Blue Jay 1
Black-capped Chickadee 2
American Robin 2
Song Sparrow 1
Red-winged Blackbird 3   Singing bird

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S133320924

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track at Boise Bend Natural Area

We left Boise Bend Natural Area and the next stop will be at the Garbage Dump. But they call it a landfill, of course, that sounds better. Larimer County Landfill, is a restricted access area. We stop to eat at a dinner and my Guide send a text to the landfill Manager and we get approval.

My Guide is well known at the place, he has even been in the newspaper as the find it strange that he is interested in gulls and not eagles as all other people.

We have an excellent lunch and we finished with Lemon meringue pie my first sweet in a very long time. Not good for the sugar levels. (Meassured the levels in the evening and it was 95 so it is OK)

We left for the garbage dump and we met the Manager and it was OK for us to go up on the landfill to look for birds.

The landfill

We drive up the landfill and there is a lot of gulls. We drive past about 100 Common Starlings sitting on a pore wire. It is impossible to give the birds a correct count, but there was about 50 Ravens flying around the landfill.

We have one juvenile Bald Eagle soaring above the landfill and I manage to get a picture of the bird. We stop the car but it is too far away for any pictures of the gulls and we are moving closer. They should be used to cars moving around so the willhopefully not take off.

Ring-billed Gull

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

Ring-billed Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Franklin's Gull

California Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Feral Pigeon

Feral Pigeon

We spotted three different gulls at the landfill:
1) Ring-billed Gull

2) California Gull

3) Franklin's Gull

eBird Report

Larimer County Landfill (restricted access), Larimer, Colorado, US
Apr 10, 2023 12:41 - 13:47
Protocol: Traveling
6.06 kilometer(s)
7 species

Feral Pigeon 32
Franklin's Gull 3
Ring-billed Gull 25
California Gull 175
Bald Eagle 1
Common Raven 50   Many
Common Starling 100   All birds sitting together on wires

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S133337998

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track at the Larimer County Landfill

We spent about one hour at the landfill and it was almost time to call it a day. I need to go back to my room to pack but we decided to make one more stop on the way back to Best Western University Inn. And we will give the rails another try, but this time at Running Deer & Cottonwood Hollow Natural Areas.

Say's Phoebe

We walk in a loop around the wetland and there are not many birds in the area. And we did not see any rails so we were soon back in the car. There were some birds when we approached the parking but no pictures. My last birding in Colorado had come to an end.

eBird Report

Running Deer & Cottonwood Hollow Natural Areas, Larimer, Colorado, US
Apr 10, 2023 14:07 - 14:49
Protocol: Traveling
1.36 kilometer(s)
7 species

Canada Goose 6
Mallard 1
American Coot 1
Say's Phoebe 1
American Robin 2
Western Meadowlark 1   Heard only
Red-winged Blackbird 2   Singing

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S133344522

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track at the Running Deer & Cottonwood Hollow Natural Areas

I was back in my room and I had tea and I will go to the airport tomorrow for my flight to San Fransisco where there will be more birds to be seen. You just need to click HERE to find out if I see any birds.

eBird Trip Report

Since April 2023 eBird offer a new feature, to create Trip Reports. At least this is when I first heard of this feature and I have decided to make the eBird Trip Reports instead of my list of OBSERVED birds.

And of course, this also means that I will HAVE TO go back and do the same for my old birding adventures, WHEN I HAVE THE TIME!

Today's Trip Report: Bird watching in Colorado - Day 7 | Click HERE

Download | PDF

Lifers
Icons for lifers used in the eBird trip reports

Species lifer:First time that someone observes a species in their life

Photo lifer:First time that someone photographs a species in their life

Audio lifer:First time that someone audio records a species in their life

Exotic species
Exotic species flags differentiate locally introduced species from native species.

Naturalized:Exotic population is self-sustaining, breeding in the wild, persisting for many years, and not maintained through ongoing releases (including vagrants from Naturalized populations). These count in official eBird totals and, where applicable, have been accepted by regional bird records committee(s).

Provisional:Either: 1)member of exotic population that is breeding in the wild, self-propagating, and has persisted for multiple years, but not yet Naturalized; 2)rarity of uncertain provenance, with natural vagrancy or captive provenance both considered plausible.

When applicable, eBird generally defers to bird records committees for records formally considered to be of "uncertain provenance". Provisional species count in official eBird totals.

Escapee:Exotic species known or suspected to be escaped or released, including those that have
bred but don't yet fulfill the criteria for Provisional. Escapee exotics do not count in official eBird totals.

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