Apple Valley bonanza!!

[Paula Hansley]

CObirders,

I took one of my favorite May drives on the Apple Valley Rd., which is just west of Lyons and is accessed from hwy. 36. The road roughly parallels the St. Vrain River. Many shrubs and trees are blooming on hillsides to the south of the road. 

It was this blooming vegetation that was full of birds just west of the cliffs where the White-throated Swifts nest — I saw primarily Black-headed Grosbeaks (a couple dozen), W. Tanagers (at least 16), and many Yellow Warblers — the tanagers were fly-catching and the other birds were gleaning bugs (some were little caterpillars) from the leaves in this one area!!  It was amazing. There were lots of other birds there— nothing unusual, and I’ll report them in an ebird list later. 

I needed Dave Leatherman to identify the bugs! 

I heard one Am. Redstart and one Yellow-rumped Warbler. Both were singing closer to the creek in the taller trees.  They seemed to be hanging out together. I also heard one possible Rose-breasted Grosbeak - it was easy to pick out it’s dong among all the singing Black-headed Grosbeaks. 

I was in on the road between 1 and 2 pm. I suspect the birds will be there as long as it remains cloudy/smoky.

(This area is in NW Boulder County)

Paula Hansley 

Louisville  

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Paula Hansley

Petrographic Consultants International, Inc.

Ph:  720-890-2628