Blackburnian Warbler at Prospect Ponds (Larimer)

[Andrew Bankert]

I just got a text from Dave Wade about a Blackburnian Warbler at the Prospect Ponds SE parking lot.  He said there were a lot of birds around.

I checked some migrant traps in the eastern part of the county before work this morning without much luck.  I wonder if the river corridors are the place to be with this weather!

Good Birding!

Andy Bankert

Fort Collins

[David Wade]

Hello birders, with high hopes that this change in weather would bring in some migrants, I went to explore the area around Prospect Ponds NA and CSU's Environmental Learning Center early this afternoon. In the shoreline trees west of the parking lot to Prospect Ponds NA (near the water treatment plant) was a brilliant male Blackburnian Warbler. I saw it for only the briefest moment but the instant I saw it, I recognized it immediately. Out loud, I said, Oh My God...Blackburnian! I whipped out my camera but soon thereafter, it was gone. I sent an alert text and quickly had Joe Mammoser, Andy Bankart and Dave Leatherman all looking for it but we couldn't relocate it. It was traveling in a large mixed flock of mostly Wilson's, Townsend's and Chickadees. We refound the flock and I pulled out a female American Redstart but not the Blackburnian.

Good luck and good bird'n
David Wade
Ft Collins, CO