Zonotrichia Hat Trick at Ken Caryl, JeffCo

[David Suddjian]

My breakfast on the front porch was spiced up by a Zono Hat Trick, as the usual few White-crowned Sparrows were joined by a gorgeous adult White-throated Sparrow and a spiffy hatch-year Harris's Sparrow. It was so interesting to compare their relative sizes, shapes and colors as they fed side by side on the lawn under the feeders. 

I don't know if a Zono Slam (WCSP, WTSP, HASP and Golden-crowned) has ever been enjoyed in a Colorado yard, but I'm watching for that western wanderer to appear to make it a party of four!  Have all four of Colorado's Zonotrichia sparrows ever been seen simultaneously in the state, or even all on the same day? I'd guess some red hot birder has maybe pieced all four into a single day, but maybe not all together. It is something to dream about. 

Out on Monterey Bay the term Skua Slam was part of the birding lexicon when South Polar Skua and all three jaegers were seen on the same boat trip, but that was less rare than a Zono Slam would be. A Colorado Skua Slam is something else to dream about. Dream on!  Say, why are jaegers so lacking this fall? eBird suggests just one Parasitic at Jackson Lake was all there was.

David Suddjian

Ken Caryl Valley

Littleton, CO

[Dan Zmolek]

As per the ‘slam’, Red Rocks trading post back in Nov 2010 comes to mind.  In one session there, my little brother and I observed all of the Zonos mentioned ( a nice Curve-billed Thrasher was the primary motivation for the visit ).  I think we saw the WTSP in an adjacent field on the way out, so maybe doesn’t count as all in the same yard though.      Good times then, that I appreciate even more in retrospect.   

Dan Zmolek

Gunbarrel

[Mary Keithler]

Hi David,

On November 1, the Tuesday Birders saw all three Zono sparrows in the same field by the boat launch at Bear Creek Lake Park, also in Jefferson County. There were probably at least a dozen of us observing these birds together.  It was quite exciting!

Mary 

Sent from my iPad

On Nov 8, 2022, at 9:28 AM, David Suddjian <dsud...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Mark Miller]

Hi Everyone, 

I'm pretty sure that the Boulder CBC has had all four Zonotrichia on the same day, but I don't think they were all seen by the same person. My contribution was a Golden-crowned at Teller Farm.

Mark Miller

Longmont, CO 

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[Ira Sanders]

Birders 

On a DFO trip to Canyon City several years ago we had the Zono Grand Slam. The GCSP was at Tunnel Drive.  The WTSP and HASP were along the river walk with WCSP.

Ira Sanders 

Golden

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