Yard birds - Franktown, Douglas

[Hugh Kingery]

A Stay-at-home report.

We tally our yard birds daily, so we can compare seasonally.

Today the normal species: Downy, Flicker, 3 jays, magpies, crows, ravens (overhead), 2 chickadee species, 2 nuthatch species, solitaire, robin, western & mtn Bluebirds, juncos (numbers dropping), house finches, Am. goldfinches, Pine Siskins, Song Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Spotted towhees (increasing). Sporadically & unpredictably, the Fox Sparrow that has showed up over the winter months.

A few Turkey Vultures have soared past, and a couple hung out yesterday & today. A Red-tailed Hawk.

Our local pond has Gadwalls, Mallards, occasional Ring-necked ducks.

Hugh

[Hugh Kingery]

Some more yard bird observations.

Bushtits. They have never patronized our feeders regularly until last month. We now see them in two sets -- one group of 7-9 birds, and one group of 2 (rarely 3) birds. We like to speculate that the two constitute a mated & nesting pair. All we have to do is follow them to their nest--not an easy task for us old guys. I think that Bushtits employ helpers recruited from their kids - that would explain the groups of three.

Turkey Vultures. It appears as if Castlewood Canyon's Turkey Vultures have arrived. We now see one or more on a daily basis.

We heard our first White-throated Swifts, visitors from Castlewood, yesterday afternoon.

Bluebirds continue erratically - no real nesting behavior yet.

Blue Jay(s). They don't stay here in the summer, but show up in the fall, usually. Some winters we have a flock of 5-10; some winters, none at all. Last fall, we saw 1-4 in October, 1-2 in November, but  one, only, since  Nov. 20. We attribute their absence to last fall's frost that zapped the acorn crop.

Hugh Kingery