Back in Colorado

We always like to get back to Colorado Springs for the Spring migration - around mid-May. This year we've not been disappointed.

A Bullock's Oriole was here to welcome us. He stayed around for a few days before moving on.

We always enjoy the Western Tanagers. This year we've had 5 or 6 flying around.

We've seen a couple of male Black-headed Grosbeaks and one female.

This is a younger Western Tanager with just a hint of red on the head.

We had an entire flock of Chipping Sparrows stop by one morning.

I love the Woodpeckers! This Downy stops by everyday for a snack.

We've also had quite a few Pine Siskins this year.

This picture shows the streak of yellow better. This is a first for the yard.

Another first - a Nuthatch.

It's hard for me to determine size when I look at my pictures. I assume this is a Downy and not his bigger cousin the Hairy.

Birds of the Plains

Bill and I headed east to find another RC car track. We didn't have any luck with the track so we detoured onto some side roads to see what we could see.

We drove right past this Scaled Quail perched on a fence post and Bill had to back up so I could get a picture.

This Horned Lark seems to be advertising his wares. We have lots of these birds just east of the city and they have a beautiful song.

Another lark and another beautiful singer - a Western Meadowlark with what looks like lunch in his mouth.

In the grasses they are much harder to see.

The Western Kingbirds are easy to find. They perch on the fences along the roads.

Yes, this picture was really taken yesterday - May 30. This is not snow - it is hail!

This is a white-tailed jackrabbit also known as a prairie hare.

Check out those ears!!

Isn't this hawk beautiful? It is a Swainson's Hawk and we saw quite a few on our ride. They were all perched high on telephone poles.

They must have had quite a hail storm out here. It looked like this in an area about a mile square. The storm was the previous afternoon and I took this picture around noon the next day.

We also checked out a new birding spot here in the city - Stinson's Pond. I'm hoping this is an Olive-sided Flycatcher.

And I believe this is a Western Wood Pewee. I'm not positive on either of these identifications.

I do know this one - it's a Spotted Towhee!

Back in our yard, we continue to see the Western Tanagers - but not in the numbers we saw earlier in the month.

One of our faithful American Robins.

Just as I sat down for one of Bill's fabulous dinners, this female Black-headed Grosbeak landed on the feeders. I should have gone outside for a better picture - but dinner was too good to leave. Bill made a to-die-for broccoli salad. He used local honey instead of white sugar in the dressing. YUM!

I'm still working on my Amish With a Twist project. It's a good thing I bought this as a kit with the material included because I would NEVER put these colors together. I'm not sure yet whether I like it. It actually looks better in the picture.

Wildflower Walk in Palmer Park

...and a couple of birds too! It was a beautiful morning - temps in the 60's, gentle breeze. It was a little hazy - smoke from wildfires in Arizona - but not terrible. Bill was looking for a Rose-breasted Grosbeak - but had to settle for this Black-headed Grosbeak.

The very common Towhees were everywhere.

We walked the Yucca Trail and the wildflowers were in full bloom.

The female Black-headed Grosbeak was not far from the male.

Bill calls these sunflowers.

and these he calls Indian paint Brush.

Neither of us know what these are.

The Yucca are everywhere. Even in full bloom, I don't think they are very pretty.

These lovely purple flowers are common. They smell like a kind of onion.

Wild Roses?

You can see the haze blocks a crisp, clear view of the Peak.

This fuzzy wonder was about 3-inches across.

The Yucca flowers are pink before they open...

...and white after.

More sunflowers.

This Black-billed Magpie was waiting for us back in the parking lot.

Nice walk - thanks Bill!

Just a Couple More Waxwings (I Promise!)

Yes, the Cedar Waxwings are still here and in as many numbers as before. I swear they are not going to leave a single bud on our bushes.

We still see an occasional Black-headed Grosbeak.

But the Waxwings are the stars of the yard.

I love the Robins.

This picture shows the red waxy projections at the end of the feathers that give them their name.

Over the weekend we went to La Junta, Colorado to watch some baseball. Naturally, we went the long way and did a little birding. The next three pictures are of a Swainson's Hawk being pursued by a Western Kingbird. That nasty kingbird would not leave him alone!

We stopped at a pond where we saw this Lark Sparrow.

Another Western Kingbird.

 It was quite a surprise to see Black-crowned Night Herons. There were about a dozen in the trees on the other side of the pond.

One more shot of the Lark Sparrow.

During the break between baseball games we visited the Comanche National Grasslands just south of La Junta.

This was very cool - what remains of a stage coach route through the area.

On our way back to Colorado Springs, we heard that there were terrible storms in town. This was the view from east of town.