5/7/16 Yellow-throated Vireo, La plata county, Pastorius reservoir

[Amy Dobbins]

A Yellow-throated Vireo was at Pastorius reservoir this morning. Found by Ryan Votta at 11 am, 5 birders got to watch it feed in a small tree beside the bridge over the inlet canal before it flew to the cottonwoods along the shoreline to the N of the canal. Ryan re-found the vireo about 20 minutes later on the s side of the canal in the cottonwoods along the road. It fed and moved continuously and was last seen by my mom and I at 12:45 pm in the small bunch of trees to the east of the inlet ditch at the property line. Within minutes a hail/rain/storm storm blew in. Hopefully the cutie sticks around for other birders to enjoy.

Robert Winslow got some great photos of it and a Northern Waterthrush that has been been at the reservoir since the 4th. The Green Heron is still enjoying the canal as well. Other new birds for the year: 2 mystery empids, 1 Ash-throated Flycatcher, 1 Western-wood Pewee, 1 Rock Wren.

Happy spring birding,
Amy Dobbins