Custer County Red-headed Woodpecker

[David Suddjian]

DFO's field trip to Custer County yesterday encountered two adult Red-headed Woodpeckers in the town of Wetmore. eBird shows just five other reports of RHWO (perhaps of just 4 birds) for Custer County, with the most recent ten years ago. Here is a picture of one of ours by Diane Roberts. 

Ph. Diane Roberts

We had a fun and diverse day, observing 95 species in the county despite some rain curtailing our actions. Other birds of interest were Clark's Nutcrackers flying west at the county line at Hwy 96 (along the edge of occurrences in Custer, and these seemed to be flying out of Pueblo County in an area with just open juniper woodland, so not typical settings), and two Eastern Phoebes at DeWeese Reservoir. Wetmore was hopping with different birds - four species of hummers at a feeder there in just a few minutes. That area and up Greenwood Road had a number of Lewis's Woodpeckers, Evening Grosbeaks, Blue Grosbeaks, Cassin's Kingbird, and Band-tailed Pigeons. A flock of 53 was exciting as they zoomed over, some featured in this nice flight shot by Gary Witt. Habitat for shorebirds is presently excellent at the head of DeWeese Reservoir, where Grape Creek flows in. There were quite a few shorebirds to look at. 

Ph. Garry Witt

Spaces are available on other adventurous DFO county excursions, now scheduled in varied directions.  https://dfobirds.org/FieldTrips.aspx

David Suddjian

Ken Caryl Valley

Littleton, CO