Lamar (Prowers) of late

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

I got here late afternoon on the 15th, went to Cheyenne Bottoms/Quivera for three days 18th-20th (gorgeous landscapes, birding was so-so) and have the following report from the mythical "Lamar CBC circle":

First off, it sounds like spring has been more exciting west of here than here.  In my experience Lamar is usually about 7-10 days ahead of my hometown of Fort Collins during spring migration.  Does NOT seem that way this year.  Perhaps it has been too hot and dry here for too long for migrants starting further south to dare to come this way.  Who knows?

Since the 15th, I have seen 103 species.  In itself, that sounds like a decent number but rarities have been virtually non-existent.  On my way down, 2 Long-billed Curlews flew over the Eads Cemetery.  Briefly on the evening of 4/15, a male Black-chinned Hummingbird visited a private feeder e of Willow Creek Park in Lamar and has not been seen since.  Today, a female BcHummer visited the same feeder one time.  A Northern Parula fueled up in a private yard south of Lamar for a few days, where I saw it on 4/17.  On 4/17 two American Bitterns stood within a few feet of each other in the cattails at Thurston Reservoir north of Lamar.  A Red-breasted Nuthatch comes daily to a feeder e of Willow Creek Park and may well nest out on the southeastern plains as they occasionally do.  First Western Kingbird for me this year, carefully scrutinized for the possibility of being one of the other yellow kingbirds, was along Memorial Drive in Lamar on 4/16.  I have seen two others in the last couple days.  On 4/22 ne of downtown along SR196 and CR13 were interesting birds in flooded fields including 1 Marbled Godwit, 5 Willets, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 7 Wood Ducks.  Nearby was a Peregrine Falcon.  A Barn Owl with an apparent chick is under a major road bridge nw of downtown.  Lastly, an immature Hooded Merganser was unexpected in an irrigation ditch w of Thurston Reservoir.  It consumed a crayfish.  That's it folks!  How's that for lackluster?  Very few Yellow-rumped Warblers, a few Orange-crowns, 3 Wilson's (which is more than I usually see during spring).  Zero other warblers.  Zero vireos.  One bunting heard.  Zero grosbeaks, orioles or tanagers.  Zero thrushes.  Very few Lincoln's Sparrows.  Very few swallows.  LCC has its normal compliment of cardinals and Brown Thrashers.  No Red-bellied Woodpeckers or Red-headed, at least that I have detected.  Zero Lark Buntings.  Zero flycatchers other than the aforementioned W. Kingbirds and a few Say's Phoebes.  Ibis starting to show up.  Hot and windy today.  Same predicted for tomorrow.  Yuck.  I go home Tuesday when it is supposed to rain.  Hopefully things will start to happen then during prime time when the Front Range groups typically come to this area.

As for insect phenomena, major influx of Painted Ladies blew in from the Southwest early in my visit.  Large numbers of Red Admirals and White-lined Sphinx moths out and about.  Found the first Jerusalem Cricket in my life on 4/16 (ironically Easter!). 

I have not been to Two Buttes (Baca), the canyons south of here (Baca) or Melody Tempel Grove (Bent).  Yesterday the Lake Hasty area (Bent) was distinctly lackluster for the date and location. 

Southeastern CO is always awesome and perhaps I am guilty of possessing a jaded filter.  It's just that we wait for this time of year and when the stars don't exactly align, it feels disappointing.  Birding is not like going to the zoo and we must accept its inherent unpredictability.  I am not complaining (too much).

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins