Broad-winged Hawk, Dusky Flycatcher, CSR, El Paso Co, Mon

[Steven Brown]

Hi COBirders,

The past few days the thick morning fog and heavy air has grounded numerous raptors East of I-25 at Clear Spring Ranch. Today there was a Broad-winged Hawk for a couple of hours near the sod house. Yesterday a N Harrier was “playing” with a flock of starlings, leisurely soaring along while the flock swirled around her. Saturday a Peregrine Falcon was perched in the top of a cottonwood with what I think was a flicker in its talons. Friday and Saturday the weather kept 6 Turkey Vultures from getting aloft until about 11 am.  Daily there are resident Red-tails, kestrels, and migrating Coopers Hawks.  

Banding has been mostly slow and steady, but today sparrows fell into the willows around 9:30-10:00. Several Song Sparrows and Chipping Sparrows, two Spotted Towhees, and single Lincoln’s Sparrow and Gambell’s White-crowned Sparrow.  The biggest surprise today was catching a Hatch-year Dusky Flycatcher, which seems very late. Wilson’s and Orange-crowned Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets continue to filter through in small numbers.

Happy Migration, 

Steve Brown

Colorado Springs