Boulder County varia, Mar. 27-Apr. 2

[Ted Floyd]

Hello, everybody. No real rarities to report, but it's that time of year--when new arrivals appear practically daily. Here are are some recent Boulder County sightings (and soundings):

Sun., Mar. 27; Bear Creek at Baseline Road. One lesser goldfinch; with all the pine plantings and feeders, I wonder if it wintered there.

Sun., Mar. 27; Stearns Lake. Pretty quiet, but check out these black-billed magpies living dangerously.

Mon., Mar. 28; Greenlee Preserve. African collared-doves continuing; now don't y'all come running here all at once... :-)

Tues., Mar. 29; Greenlee Preserve. An amazing turkey vulture flight. For about 15 minutes starting around 4:45 p.m., ca. 250 vultures were flying south over Lafayette; I think they were backed up by, or retreating from, rain coming in from the north.

Wed., Mar. 30; Eco-Cycle Pond off 63rd Street. One male mountain bluebird.

Thurs., Mar. 31; Greenlee Preserve. Two wood ducks having a lovers' spat; A drake cinnamon teal paired with a female of unknown parentage; sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks; a trio of bald eagles; a marsh wren, my 234th eBird species at the site; a ruby-crowned kinglet; the baddest American robin you will ever see; and a white-throated sparrow.

Fri., Apr. 1; South Teller Farms. FOY osprey and 5 FOY American white pelicans. 

Sat., Apr. 2; Walden Ponds. Ten wood ducks; a flock of demon-possessed American white pelicans; a pair of vocal eastern screech-owls; and a flyover eastern bluebird.

The coming week should be even better! 

Ted Floyd

Lafayette, Boulder County