Migration Slam, CSR, El Paso Co, Thurs.

[Steven Brown]

Hey COBirders,

This week at Clear Spring Ranch has seen big arrivals of migrants filling the nets before dawn, then not much the rest of the morning. Today was much the same, Clear skies and ground fog pre-dawn, and after putting up nets in the dark, they immediately filled up before I could even really see them well! 48 birds before 6:45, mostly Chipping Sparrows and Wilson’s Warblers.

Unlike the other mornings this week, birds kept filtering-in in small groups all morning. With a bad I-25 accident right in front of me this morning, and all traffic stopped, I knew there was no hurry leaving today, so I waited until it all cleared out about 11:00. In the meantime, I kept catching birds! Wilson’s the entire time, and about 8:30 Orange-crowned Warblers starting arriving, too. Also FOS Nashville Warbler, and FOS Rock Wren. Finished about noon.
101 birds netted this morning (!) Including:
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 N House Wren
1 Gray Catbird
60 Chipping Sparrows
2 Lincoln’s Sparrows
1 Lark Sparrow
1 Gambel’s White-crowned Sparrow
1 Green-tailed Towhee
7 Orange-crowned Warblers
1 Com Yellowthroat
1 Yellow Warbler (pretty late - I only have 8 total after this date in 13 years)
23 Wilson’s Warblers
Whew. I love it.

Happy Migration,
Steve Brown
Colo Spgs