buckets of evening grosbeaks - Rio Grande County

[Sandra Laursen]

I am working in Monte Vista, CO (7700' ), this week, and took a late afternoon walk along the acequia.  I have never seen so many Evening Grosbeaks!  Multiple flocks of multiple birds in the new-leafed trees along a mile-long stretch of the canal, with females and males in full-color plumage and others in paler plumage I took to be immature.  (4-5 dozen in all??) 

I assume they are on their way to summer housing in conifer forests a bit higher than here, but there is still plenty of snow in the mountains and right now the cafeteria menu is presumably better down here on the high valley bottom.  Also saw some Lesser Goldfinch and Killdeer along the way.

- Sandra Laursen
Boulder, CO