Party Like It's 2006

[Ted Floyd]

Hello, Birders.

I often think about how fast things have changed of late in this Brave New e-World of ours. Perhaps, but today I was reminded of how fast birds and humans have changed.

Yesterday, Wednesday, June 11, at Greenlee Preserve, Boulder County, I heard the Bushtit family and, nearby, a loud Lesser Goldfinch. Today, June 12, I saw a Black-chinned Hummingbird at a little patch of honeysuckle. On both days, of course, I saw and heard Eurasian Collared-Doves pretty much round the clock. Yes, they sing even in the middle of the night.

Pretty ho-hum stuff, I suppose.

But imagine if it were mid-June in 2006. At that time, all my Boulder County Bushtit sightings--and not many of them--had been only in the foothills; at that time, I'd never detected a Boulder County Lesser Goldfinch east of 95th Street; at that time, I'd never seen or heard a Black-chinned Hummingbird anywhere in Boulder County; and that time, believe it or not, I still hadn't yet recorded a Eurasian Collared-Dove at or near Greenlee Preserve. Eight years ago, it would have been notable indeed to have reported Lesser Goldfinch, Black-chinned Hummingbird, breeding Bushtits, and a plague of Eurasian Collared-Doves all at Greenlee Preserve.

I wonder how different things will look in mid-June 2022.

Humans have changed a lot, too. In mid-June 2006, Andrew Floyd was still six months away from being born. This afternoon, he informed me of his intention to introduce the Colossal Squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) to Boulder County reservoirs.

I wonder what he'll be up to in 2022.

Ted Floyd

Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado

[Ted Floyd]

Hi, everybody.

One more quick thought about this.

Yesterday, Friday, June 13th, Hannah and Andrew and I quickly popped in on the newly created "Jasper Road playa" just east of US-287, Boulder County. Not much going on there, but we did get to see a brand-spanking-new baby American Avocet taking its first steps. Pairs of Blue-winged Teal and Cinnamon Teal, too. Last year at this time, the site was dry, fallow pasture.

Change happens.