Hi all:
First observations of the season are always
exciting and fun. Our long winters and the dearth of birds, makes the newcomers
a welcome sight for our longing eyes.
Jerry Poe and I got great looks today at Sagebrush
Sparrow. There were at least 12 of them that we observed. Their gray heads, eye
ring, central breast spot, brown backs and darker tails where readily visible as
they even sang perched from shrubs. Other birds showed territorial behavior,
fighting and chasing. They can be seen in the San Luis Hills area by following
my suggested routes in my birdbook guide. So todays sightings move the early
date ahead by 4 days, with March 4th being the previous early date.
As we drove the county roads, a Sage
Thrasher flew across the road. It’s long tail and gray body were distinctive as
it flew into the Greasewood brush.
This extends the early date from March 1st to, well, February 29th! So
it’s a leap year bird and well normally it would have been March 1st anyway!
Right!
Lots of birds moving in and about. Refuge is
loaded with a variety of waterbirds. Canvasback were on the pond on the north of
the Auto Tour Loop after the entrance. Cheers....
John Rawinski
Monte Vista, CO