Black-throated Sparrow, Hanover, El Paso County, 4/22/14

[Mel Goff]

Hi, Cobirders.

 

I am sure the subject line has raised a couple of eyebrows already. At 8:10 a.m. this morning Beth Payne and I were leaving the parking lot of the Hanover Fire Station heading south to Chico Basin Ranch. About 100 yds. down the road we stopped to watch a Canyon Towhee scratching under some pine trees along the road. I looked up on the west side of the road and there was a Black-throated Sparrow. Jeanne and I have seen many of these birds in Arizona, and even in the Canon City area a couple of times, so it was immediately recognizable to me. The bright white markings on the face were well defined. The black throat was brilliant. There was no streaking on the breast and no wing bars. I could not see if the underwing coverts were yellowish, but I did see white tips on the tail when it flew.

 

And fly it did. It took off eastward across Peyton Hwy and went behind the house trailer on the east side. We tried to follow its flight, but it did not reappear while we were there. We looked again at 2:05 p.m. when we left Chico, but did not see it. I wish one of our camera toting friends had been along today.

 

On Hanover Road on the drive out to CBR we had great views of Brewers and Lark Sparrows and two Swainson’s Hawks.

 

On Chico Basin Ranch (fee area) we did not see the Hooded Warbler, but did have some nice birds. We were joined by Mary Ellen Moore and John Balog for our day on the ranch. In El Paso County we had Ash-throated Flycatcher and Hermit Thrush around the banding station. In Pueblo County we had a Marbled Godwit on the HQs pond as well as Orange-crowned Warbler.

 

Good birding, everyone.

 

Mel Goff

Colorado Springs