ID help requested-Waterton Canyon

[gene....@yahoo.com]

 

I cannot seem to send this to the entire group. It is only going to “ColoradoDipper”.

Any help will be appreciated.  I realize this post is quite vague.

 

This morning I biked with a group up Waterton Canyon 6.2 miles to the picnic table within view of the Strontia Springs dam.  We observed an adult bird apparently feeding nestlings located high in the interpretive sign structure there.  It was a very small, “cute-shaped” (compact, rounded) bird, dark on top and light under, flying very quickly from the bushes near the canyon edge into a recess in the sign where the nestlings could be heard repeatedly and softly peeping.  This was not a hummingbird; it was smaller than a house finch or house sparrow with a short tail.  I did not see any field marks.  So I tried to remember any small, cute birds I have seen (Pygmy Nuthatch, maybe?, Bushtit, no, not the right color;  swallow, no, not the right shape) ; but I would be happy to have other suggestions of possibilities.  What small bird might be in that location?  What bird might nest in a wooden sign structure?  (There appeared to be two nests inside the roof of the sign, one at each end.) Then I can check Sibley to see if I can determine what bird we saw.

 

Thank for your help.  Jean Stevenson, Aurora CO

 

 

[Ray Brakke]

House wren perhaps?

Ray Brakke
Morrison, CO