Blackbirds are back at Jim Hamm Nature Area-Boulder CO

[Jay Hutchins]

Hello All:

Large numbers (10,000+) of Yellow-headed & Red-winged Blackbirds, Starlings and Grackles are back again at Jim Hamm Nature Area (east side of Longmont).   Starting around mid-Sept until the first week or two of Oct, huge numbers gather there and put on quite a show when they leave en masse in the morning.  I estimate there were about 10,000 birds this morning, roughly 7,000 YHBL, 2,000 RWBL and 1000 ish Starlings.

I'd love some confirmation on numbers, so please come check out for yourself!  I usually get there around 6:15 am, today the large body of YHBL's rose at 6:37 am.  The RWBL's left around 6:50 am.  As Union Res is a half mile to the east, there are large numbers (200-400) numbers of geese, ducks and gulls that fly over Jim Hamm.

Here are some links to video I've taken the last couple of years so you get an idea of numbers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDHpOb7EhLQ  (2017, HUGE numbers)

https://youtu.be/n3IUn0KXngk (9/21/19)

Good Birding!

Jay Hutchins

Longmont, CO