Black-and-white Warbler at Grandview Cemetery, Ft. Collins (Larimer), etc.
DAVID A LEATHERMAN
Matt Webb made a great discovery yesterday of a female Black-and-white Warbler at Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins. Nick Komar, E.J. Raynor and I saw it this morning about 9:30 near the intersection of Sections 7, 8 and 9 in the southeastern part of the cemetery. It appeared suddenly and sat at the end of an American Elm branch, apparently soaking up solar energy for at least 10 minutes. It preened a bit, then flew to the base of a spruce trunk, got something unidentifiable from under a bark flake (see photo below) and flew off to the northwest. It was not seen again, despite hours of searching into mid-afternoon by several birders (those mentioned plus Joe Mammoser, David Wade, Josh Bruening and Jay Briedt). In my visits to Grandview over the years, I have only seen two other Black-and-white Warblers: 6May1983 and one detected on 10November1987 seen thru 4December1987. Last autumn about this time I believe Lori found one at the Northern Colorado Environmental Learning Center in eastern Fort Collins. I know three data points don't make a pattern but 3 sightings in November almost seem like one.
Female Black-and-white Warbler first found on 11November2018 by Matt Webb sitting rather motionless in the sun near American Elm branches heavily infested with European Elm Scale insects. The bird was NOT observed eating these, but they would be an abundant
food source for an insectivore well north of where it should be on 12 November in Fort Collins, CO.
Female B&W Warbler with something in its beak procured from under spruce bark. Suspect this is something cached earlier by either nuthatch or chickadee. I have no proof of this, don't know what the object is.
A female Hooded Merganser was in nearby City Park (at Sheldon Lake) November 8th and again early this afternoon on the 12th.
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
John Shenot
John Shenot
Fort Collins, CO
John Shenot
John Shenot
Fort Collins