Not so Common Yellowthroat, West Estes Park, Larimer Co.

[Jim Nelson]

On my daily morning walk today on the west end of Estes Park, with snow falling, I found a male Common Yellowthroat. Checking eBird I could not find any sightings for this year above the plains. This bird was in my favorite little hot spot, behind The Other Side restaurant near the intersection of Moraine Avenue and Marys Lake Road. There is a small pond on the south side of the restaurant and thickets of willow and alder around the pond and along the stream just behind it and next to a parking area below the buildings in the small shopping center. I had my Orange-crowned Warbler here yesterday and have found Nashville Warbler and Northern Parula in this area in prior years. Quite a pleasant surprise today in the snow.


It was not as birdy this morning with lower temperatures and snow falling. No Yellow-rumps today on my walk. I found a large flock of Common Grackles, quite a few Red-winged Blackbirds, and my first Brown-headed Cowbirds.


Unfortunately, I will be leaving Colorado just as the weather moderates and gets more spring-like. But it's been interesting to see what is here in the spring snow.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland