Yellow-billed Cuckoo family, Dickcissels, Chimney Swifts and Mississippi Kites in lower Arkansas Valley

[SeEttaM .]

This morning I found an adult Yellow-billed Cuckoo and observed it feed an apparent fledgling cuckoo in Lamar Woods in Lamar.  Interestingly the fledgling has  grayish upper and lower mandibles and I learned from Birds of North American online that they do not get their black and yellow mandibles until around 60 days of age.  I got some photos of the fledgling cuckoo that I have uploaded to my Birds and Nature blog  with more info on the birds.

Yesterday I saw at least 20 Mississippi Kites, many of them juveniles, in Las Animas as well as at least 5 Chimney Swifts.  I refound more than one (still can't tell how many) Dickcissels in the Ft Lyon area.  And last night I saw at least 8 Chimney Swifts in Lamar plus found a chimney into which 2 Chimney Swifts flew at dark.  I have uploaded some photos of those Chimney Swifts on my blog also.

SeEtta Moss

Canon City

http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com