Huerfano County Update: Blue Grosbeak, Bobolink and fallout!

[Polly Neldner]

We went out to Rouse Road with an out of town birder to try for Hepatic Tanager. Searched and searched but could not find one. We did have quite a few Blue Grosbeaks, Lazuli Buntings. some Western Tanagers, a White-breasted Nuthatch attending it's young,  Western Bluebirds and a Golden Eagle! Paul did find a Ladder-backed Woodpecker.

We then went out County Road 360 and were able to find at least 4, possibly 6 Bobolinks...all very far away.

After yet another cloudy morning and a Spring time squall we decided to head out Valley Road thinking we might find Lark Buntings. We were unable to locate any Lark Buntings, but suddenly found ourselves in the midst of hundreds of birds! There must have been some sort of small fallout going on. On ONE stretch of barbed wire fence approximately 20 ft. long we saw the following:

8 Bullock's Orioles

4 Western Tanagers

more than a dozen Lark Sparrows

equally as many Chipping Sparrows

6 Western Wood Pewees

5 Western Kingbirds

3 Eastern Kingbirds

Barn Swallows

Western Meadowlark

6 Blue Grosbeaks

One lone male Bobolink singing it's fool head off!

Farther along we found Ash-throated Flycatcher

Swainson's Hawk

Cliff Swallows

Yellow Warblers

Mountain Bluebirds

Savannah Sparrow

This appears to be a very good year for Bullock's Orioles. We have more than a dozen coming to our backyard feeders and found 50+ along Valley Road today!

We have never seen so many Blue Grosbeaks along one stretch of road. We stopped counting at 35!

Paul and Polly Wren Neldner

La Veta, CO