Black-throated Blue Warb, CSR, El Paso Co., Thurs

[Steven Brown]

Hey COBirders,

“Birdcast” forecast a “medium” intensity migration event last night for Colorado Springs - I can confirm that by the birds today it was definitely more active than the “low” days we’ve had lately!

23 birds banded today, with good diversity. A small wave of mixed warblers went through the woods about 8am, with several Audubon’s, a N Waterthrush, a couple Yellows, an Orange-crowned, a Wilson’s, and the BEST of the day - a male Black-throated Blue Warbler. He foraged on the bark of a small cottonwood, at eye level, 20’ away for a couple minutes before moving on - to the North, and not seen again. I telepathically tried to convince him to head to one of my nets nearby, but as my wife said later - “the force is not strong with this one”!

Also FOY Black-headed Grosbeaks, Ad F, and SY F. They bite. FOY Warbling Vireo with the warblers, and only my SECOND solitary Chipping Sparrow. Where are these guys? Last year I banded 250 of them, in 2019 - 150, but most years less than 25. This year - 1 banded, 1 other seen!

A little later a flock of Mourning Doves that had been feeding on the ground in the bare hay field came STREAKING into the woods on 12 different vectors, followed by a Peregrine Falcon that went to the top of the biggest cottonwood. I was getting a pretty good look at his mask and streaked chest before a Prairie Falcon zoomed up and chased hm off. Very cool!

And lastly, I came around the corner in a net lane to find a Cooper’s Hawk adult male in a net, on his back, glaring at me, and seemingly just daring me to try to extricate him. I took a look at the size of his talons and, discretion being the better part of valor, decided that two hands weren’t going to be enough for this guy. I flipped him out and and he zoomed off easily. Whew. I got skewered last fall when extracting a pretty tangled young one. This guy looked like he meant business!

Forecast for the next two nights is “High” migration activity. Woo Hoo!

Happy Migration,

Steve Brown

Colo Spgs