"Phainopeplas? In Santa Teresa County Park? Are you kidding me?"
That was pretty much my reaction when I learned that one of the county's best birders, Bill Bousman, had seen several Phainopeplas in Santa Teresa County Park, one of my regular birding places. Several other birders had seen them since, and I knew that this was a great chance to see the yearbird that is devilishly hard to get anywhere else in the county, right near my house!
On Sunday, May 18th, to celebrate my performance in the last of four Russian plays The Three Musketeers, (which, by the way had taken up mornings that I could have been racking up yearbirds somewhere in the county), we took an evening trip at 5:30 to Santa Teresa County Park.
Getting out of the car at the Pueblo Picnic Area, I noticed that the grass here was also not completely yellow, though it was certainly on its way to being that.
Because it was the evening, the birding was rather slow, but I still enjoyed birding my favorite hotspot, picking up most of the usual summer birds here: House Finches, a ton of breeding Western Bluebirds, Wild Turkeys, the resident Red-shouldered Hawk, Bullock's Orioles, Western Kingbirds, Tree Swallows, an American Kestrel visiting a nest box (yay!), and White-breasted Nuthatches. My brother also found an Ash-throated Flycatcher, which was the second-best bird of the day.
The bird of the day, however, was found in a large oak tree on the far side of the picnic area. I located it by its bubbling, chattering song, and was elated to find the only yearbird of the day, a House Wren.
No Phainopeplas were found, despite me trying to call them in by imitating their whistled "whit" calls. But that didn't stop me from trying again less than a week later...
Summary:
Birds seen: 30
New birds: 1
Big year count: 161
That was pretty much my reaction when I learned that one of the county's best birders, Bill Bousman, had seen several Phainopeplas in Santa Teresa County Park, one of my regular birding places. Several other birders had seen them since, and I knew that this was a great chance to see the yearbird that is devilishly hard to get anywhere else in the county, right near my house!
On Sunday, May 18th, to celebrate my performance in the last of four Russian plays The Three Musketeers, (which, by the way had taken up mornings that I could have been racking up yearbirds somewhere in the county), we took an evening trip at 5:30 to Santa Teresa County Park.
Getting out of the car at the Pueblo Picnic Area, I noticed that the grass here was also not completely yellow, though it was certainly on its way to being that.
Because it was the evening, the birding was rather slow, but I still enjoyed birding my favorite hotspot, picking up most of the usual summer birds here: House Finches, a ton of breeding Western Bluebirds, Wild Turkeys, the resident Red-shouldered Hawk, Bullock's Orioles, Western Kingbirds, Tree Swallows, an American Kestrel visiting a nest box (yay!), and White-breasted Nuthatches. My brother also found an Ash-throated Flycatcher, which was the second-best bird of the day.
The bird of the day, however, was found in a large oak tree on the far side of the picnic area. I located it by its bubbling, chattering song, and was elated to find the only yearbird of the day, a House Wren.
No Phainopeplas were found, despite me trying to call them in by imitating their whistled "whit" calls. But that didn't stop me from trying again less than a week later...
Summary:
Birds seen: 30
New birds: 1
Big year count: 161
* * *
On Friday the 23rd of May, my brother and I got out of school early (at 12:00 instead of the usual 3:30), and used this time to visit Santa Teresa County Park again. Walking around the Pueblo Picnic Area by myself, I saw most of the same species I did last time (including a photogenic Western Kingbird), without the House Wren, but with a Northern Flicker.
As I was rounding the bend in the road around the picnic area where the Coyote Peak Trail branches off, a black bird with white flashing on its wings flew over me. "That's my Phainopepla!" I gasped, and took off after it. I spent the next half-hour or so chasing after the male Phainopepla, but to no avail - all I got were looks at it flying, but never satisfactory looks at it sitting. But, a bird is a bird, so the Phainopepla would go down as the 162nd bird on my big year list, and one of the best birds on that list so far (hope fall migration brings something even better).
We were already driving out of the park, having seen the Phainopepla in flight several times, when I saw it flying once more over our car. I decided to attempt to find it sitting one last time. I was about to take the Hidden Springs Trail to where the Phainopepla had flown, when I heard a call that I thought sounded a lot like a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher's. I pished, and it took only five seconds for the small, energetic bird to flit over to a brush pile right in front of me. I immediately stopped pishing, and observed my second Santa Clara yearbird of the day at a very close range.
I followed the Hidden Springs Trail, and, to my surprise, I found the male Phainopepla sitting plain view on one of the bushes to the right of the trail - of course, I hadn't brought my camera. As soon as it saw me, it dove into the undergrowth, and I couldn't relocate it. Still, this day was definitely one of the best I've had this year at Santa Teresa County Park.
Summary:
Birds seen: 32
New birds: 2
Big year count: 163
P.S. - On June 23rd, I took another trip to Santa Teresa County Park, seeing pretty much the same birds. I added new park birds Hooded Oriole, White-throated Swift, and Brewer's Blackbird. My brother refound the Phainopepla, which had a female with it this time.
* * *
From May 25th to May 31st, I was gone on a trip to Crow Canyon Archaeological Center in southwest Colorado with my eighth grade class. We had a great time, and learned a lot both about the native people's cultures and archaeology. Of course, while we were driving around, doing activities, and having free time on campus, I managed to spot some birds (38 species in total, to be exact). Highlights included: lifers Juniper Titmouse and Pinyon Jay, yearbirds Clark's Nutcracker and Black-billed Magpie, three Bald Eagles, Western Kingbirds, nesting Barn Swallows on campus, Chipping Sparrows, an unidentified nighthawk, and several Black-throated Gray Warblers at Mesa Verde National Park.
Good birding,
Sergey Pavlov
I think the only nighthawk found in Colorado (unless you were really lucky) is the common so I think you can safely count it.
ReplyDeleteDuring my research about which nightjar species I saw, I noticed that the region I was in was home to both Common Poorwill and Common Nighthawk, but I overlooked the fact that the poorwill doesn't have white wing-stripes. I definitely need to look over my Sibley more!
ReplyDeleteI guess I should count it, but I got really bad looks at it, so I'll wait until I see one with good ones. By the way, congratulations on one year of birding! You sure had some memorable experiences, and I wish you many more!