Picketwire Canyon (Otero Co)

[Dan Stringer]

Yesterday 3/11 Michael Kiessig and I hiked down into Picketwire Canyon south of La Junta. It was 32 degrees at 8 a.m., 57 by noon. Two Juniper Titmouse, three Rufous-crowned Sparrows, two Black-throated Sparrows, Canyon Towhees, and a male Northern Harrier on patrol were highlights. 

We had a great study opportunity, two ravens closely interacting with a Red-tailed Hawk. As they weaved around each other the ravens were noticeably smaller, when soaring side by side the wingspan was shorter. Red-tailed Hawk weighs 2.4 lbs 49" wingspan, Chihuahuan Raven 1.2 lbs 44" wingspan. The raven's wings did not appear long and narrow, tails were only slightly wedge-shaped, a bit rounded in appearance. As I played recordings while listening to their calls, these seemed lower-key and flatter than Common Raven.

(Common Raven at 2.6 lbs is slightly heavier than Red-tailed Hawk, and their long, narrow wings at 53" are 4" wider.)

It kind of staggered me to read that CHRA weighs less than half of CORA, and exactly half of RTHA...but in the air with close comparison to the larger buteo that difference showed. I know there's been a lot written about raven overlap, not relying on one characteristic to differentiate, past vs. present range, etc. I believe almost all ravens in this area are Chihuahuan, I've seen them in far SE CO for years, it sure seems to me that they can be ID'd with close study. I'm not an expert and would love to learn more.

Last year on March 5th, I saw hundreds of Mountain Bluebirds and dozens of Sage Thrashers in the area, yesterday no bluebirds and a single Sage Thrasher. Six flyover Sandhill Cranes over Vogel Canyon, Juncos were abundant everywhere and Townsend's Solitaires were numerous.

Dan Stringer

Larkspur, CO