Late Birds and Others, Boulder and Weld Counties

[Carl Starace]

 Hello,         Yesterday morning Sally Swain and I spotted a perched  Swainson's Hawk along 79th St. in Niwot just north of the transfer station. We've been seeing one along this section of road all season. Later, as I excited the car at the upper lot at Sandstone Ranch a really dark Merlin took up from the bluff and cruised passed me pistons humming, heading in the direction of Union Reservoir. This morning I had just settled into the car after a hike at Rabbit Mountain when a Rednaped Sapsucker flew into the closest tree. Had my first flock of,[10], Bushtits in a while along the Eagle Wind Trail there as well. At midday I found an Osprey atop a wooden post at the western end of Clover Basin Reservoir. Nearby were 2 juvenile Little Blue Heron  perched above the mud on a large metal pipe . Good October Birding All,          Carl Starace,  Niwot