COBirds,
Big congrats and thanks to Jason Bidgood for finding and Mr Roller for getting word to the streets so quickly - what a sweet bird! First GBAN in CO in ~39 years is what I heard talk of today at the spot.
Patience is a virtue looking for this Ani. Such a furtive bird, typical of the species. Was at the spot for roughly 1.5 hours this afternoon and saw the bird relatively briefly about 4 times. It sat up twice in the same low crotch of a cottonwood twice ~5-6 ft up, just long enough for a few shutter snaps, but 99% of the time it was invisible in the dense low thickets of willow etc, totally silent. And apparently during my 1.5 hr visit, the bird seemed to be within 30-40 feet or less of our huddle of birders on the walk/bike path, as it popped up within the same area and never flew in our out, until right before I headed to the car after it flew directly across the river into the low willows on the opposite bank. So unless this bird sticks to this exact same spot in coming day(s), I might suggest having people stationed every 10-20 meters along the path waiting for the bird to pop up and make its appearance periodically.
Be patient and good luck!
Derek Hil
Severance, CO
