Wild Turkey thread, plus Grandview Cemetery, Fort Collins (Larimer) on 3/27/2020

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Furthering the thread of Wild Turkeys close to town today by Elena and Todd, I had species #203 for Grandview Cemetery today - Wild Turkey.  It wasn't actually IN the cemetery but I could see the entrance from where the single Wild Turkey crossed Mountain Avenue west of Roosevelt.  I got one bad photo as it scurried thru a side yard as a heavy rain began to fall.  I am all but certain it was not an escape.  We have been seeing lots of Wild Turkeys around the periphery of Fort Collins in recent years, especially the west side (which this instance sort of is) and along Prospect near the Poudre R just east of the main residential area.  Maybe the inclement weather coming in has them pushed a little lower than normal, or else they are just well-adapted to human sprawl/semi-rural areas.  Like all the rabbits, this upsurge will probably wane or end with the return of normal red fox populations.

Other birds at or near Grandview Cemetery today:

Red Crossbill male leaving the nest tree in the ne corner of Section 1.

Continuing Red-naped Sapsucker adult male in pine just s of road that divides Sections 2 and 7 about midway along the south boundary of the cemetery.  There are two pines in the location, just out on the City Park 9 golf course, the sapsucker being in the unforked one, about 2/3s of the way up on the sw side of the trunk.  These are pines often described as being "east of the big gray portapotty".  The red-nape was present in late morning and was seen again in the same exact spot in mid-afternoon.  This tree was a favorite of the adult male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker that wintered but is now gone.  The red-nape is taking advantage of sap wells provided by his relative.

Common Grackle, FOY, at nearby Sheldon Lake in City Park, right on schedule or maybe a tad early.  I used to figure grackles were an April Fool's Day joke but the joke has been edging earlier and earlier.

Mallards, confined to Sheldon Lake all winter, are now being seen more and more as flyovers of the cemetery or neighborhood as they pair up and search for terrestrial nesting sites in tree crotches or up against tree trunks, bushes, headstone plantings, etc.

Saw 5 Turkey Vultures the other day, four of them over the traditional migratory congregating spot (and sometimes summer roost) along Mountain Avenue a few blocks e of Shields.

Bushtits continue and appear to be dividing into pairs.  They will likely nest in the cemetery and neighborhood just to the east.

As has been stated a few times, the Great Horned Owl nest in Grandview has failed once again, this being the 3rd year in a row.  This particular female just has a tough time with spring cold and snow.

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins