Hale Ponds, Yuma County - Alder Flyatcher

[Steven Mlodinow]

Greetings All.

I spent 5 or so hours wandering around the Hale Ponds area. Like most of NE Colorado, migrant passerines were few. I don't know what happened to our Yellow Warbler passage, that should have peaked a week ago, nor our Wilson's Warbler passage, which should be in full force right now.

So, I had about 6 Wilson's and 6 Yellows, but also 6 American Redstarts. It's a weird fall.

The main highlight was an Alder Flycatcher, which I managed some halfway decent shots of.

Also, 2 MacGillivray's Warblers, a Dusky Flycatcher and a Hammond's were pretty since I could have... well.. into KS at the time.

There were still several GC Flycatchers about and a spanking male Indigo Bunting was nice. The 4 RE Vireos could have been migrants or local breeders. 

I wonder if the seeming lackluster passerine migration is due to the diffuse lushness of the landscape. Could it be that the birds are really spread out, the opposite of fall 2012????

Good Birding

Steven Mlodinow

Longmont