A very biirdy day at Chico Basin Ranch ($15 per person to visit ranch, unless you've paid the Annual Birder Membership), in Pueblo and El Paso Counties.
Bill Maynard and I were able to see over 100 species of birds on the Ranch today. I ended up with 99 species on the Pueblo County side of the Ranch, pretty good for late April. Bill and I watched an female type
American Redstart drop from the sky in the Headquarters area of Pueblo County. We also saw the female
Black-and-white Warbler at the banding station. Also, Alan Ketchum spotted an
Eastern Kingbird, which seemed early for here on the El Paso County side of the ranch. Shorebirds were good, a total of 15 species seen today, at Headquarters Pond and Rose Pond in Pueblo County. The shorebird highlight were three
Whimbrel flying around between the HQ and Rose Pond. Swainson's Thrushes, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lark Bunting, Wilson's Phalarope, Western Sandpiper were some other year birds for me. There were Blue-gray Gnatcatchers everywhere, Yellow-rumped Warblers, with Orange-crowned, Yellow, and Common Yellowthroats. The sparrow list was pretty good, Chipping, White-crowned, Song, Lincoln's, Lark, Brewer's. Cassin's Kingbirds, Brown Thrasher, Bullock's Oriole, Mountain Bluebird, Townsend's Solitaire were around. A flock of American Pipits were hanging out in the cholla cactus grasslands, which seems odd. Other birders saw a Green-tailed Towhee and Marbled Godwit, which we didn't see.
--
Brandon Percival
Pueblo West, CO