Kit Carson county --- Sprague's Pipit, 9/26/17

[Mark Peterson]

Hi COBirders,

Yesterday while out at a private ranch I flushed a SPRAGUE'S PIPIT in a recently grazed tall grass pasture.  The pasture is now a short grass pasture.  The bird did its typical shoot straight up to around 100 feet and then stair stepped its way back to the ground where I was able to relocate it and get some decent photos.

I realize this is on private land but I know some of you like to go look for them and I thought it would be good to know that they are around now.

One other cool thing I observed yesterday was a MERLIN and a NORTHERN HARRIER hunting in tandem, okay, I don't think the Harrier really wanted the Merlin around but nonetheless.  The Harrier was doing his typical cruising for prey while the Merlin would stay way up above him.  At one point the Harrier flushed a VESPER SPARROW and the Merlin gave immediate chase.  The Vesper made it to the corn before the Merlin go to it so the Harrier came in and dropped right down in the corn where the Sparrow had gone down.  The Merlin then proceeded to rip in and out of the corn while the Harrier was working it.  They did this for about 5 minutes (approximately 10 minutes total) before finally giving up and flying off "together" to the north.  All of this happened about 100 feet from where I was standing, very cool!

 

-----

Mark Peterson
Colorado Springs