Why Band Birds?

A bird in the hand is a small miracle. From just inches away, a group of us marveled at a black-and-white bird’s tiny clawed feet, bright eyes, long tongue, and daintily spotted feathers.

Then the Downy Woodpecker stabbed its human handler with its sharp beak. A drop of blood beaded up on her thumb as bird bander Meredith McBurney weighed and measured the feisty creature, then fastened a metal ring around its leg. 

Minutes later, the woodpecker flew off. It, at least, was unharmed.

Those of us who visited the bird banding station at Barr Lake State Park last month witnessed this surprising moment, and more. McBurney, who has been a Bird Conservancy of the Rockies staff member for more than 20 years, described the evolution of the organization’s bird banding program. 

The goal hasn’t changed, she said: To better understand bird behavior, especially around migration, so breeding grounds, wintering sites, and the crucial habitats in between can be managed better. Ultimately, the aim is to help all bird species to thrive.

Briefly capturing wild birds so they can be examined and tagged remains a key component of the data collection program, McBurney said. But over the years, paper records have given way to digital databases. Unique ID numbers stamped on metal bands are still a mainstay, but for certain species, DNA collection holds even more promise. Some birds have even been fitted with lightweight radio transmitters, so a network of antennae can track their travels.

Bird populations are declining – not just here in Colorado, but across most of the country. At Barr Lake, McBurney and her team have banded far fewer birds this fall than in years past. 

Construction near the lake may play a local role, she said, and a hot, dry spring likely reduced the food supply for insect-eating birds. 

Looking at the bigger picture, migrating birds are losing precious habitat to development worldwide. And as the climate changes, birds’ innate urge to migrate is increasingly out of sync with the blooming plants and emerging insects they need to survive.

Aside from supporting scientific inquiry, what can ordinary people do to help wild birds?

Create mini-habitats by swapping turfgrass for native plants, McBurney said. Make fresh water available in your yard, and install a bird feeder or two. Turn off outdoor lights after dark during spring and fall migration.

“Above all, share your passion,” McBurney urged our group. “The more people know about wild birds, the more likely they are to care about them.”

Before our session was done, we watched McBurney examine two Wilson’s Warblers and an Orange-Crowned Warbler. Each was a tiny miracle – and a reminder that the fate of wild birds rests, quite literally, in our hands.

***

Want to know more? A training supervisor at the Barr Lake bird banding station recommends reading “Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard,” by Douglas W. Tallamy, and “Welcome to Subirdia: Sharing Our Neighborhoods with Wrens, Robins, Woodpeckers, and Other Wildlife,” by John J. Marzluff. For more about the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, visit www.birdconservancy.org.

Post and photos by Christine Kindl

 

Drama in the Yard

It’s been a regular soap opera in my yard this summer, with birds in the starring.

Last week the morning chorus of birdsong was interrupted by a series of loud screeches and warning calls in the ash tree out front. A pair of American Robins fluttered frantically in the treetop, where I could barely glimpse what looked like a nest made of mud and grass. 

The robins squawked at top volume. Chickadees and House Finches in the tree next-door added their cries to the ruckus.

Then I recognized the harsh, rusty-gate “croak” of a Common Grackle, and I ran to grab my spotting scope. Sure enough, a grackle was perched at the edge of the nest, dipping its head inside as the robins tried, unsuccessfully, to drive it away.

Grackles are omnivores. They feed on insects, crayfish, berries, seeds, garbage … anything edible they can find. That includes the eggs and nestlings of other bird species.

The robins, I fear, lost their eggs or hatchlings to the greedy grackle. Within 15 minutes the attack was over, and the well-fed murderer flew from the scene of the crime.

This morning’s episode had a happier outcome. 

I heard Black-capped Chickadees chattering in the spruce tree near my kitchen window. These are regular visitors, and they scold when the feeder runs dry. Chastened, I stepped outside with a cupful of sunflower seeds.

No need for a refill: Two juvenile chickadees – marked like adults, but still a bit hesitant in flight – were perched in the spruce, vocalizing loudly. A somewhat harried-looking adult repeatedly flew to the feeder, selected a seed, and delivered it to one of the hungry youngsters.

I watched for a while as the adult fed the fledglings in turn. At last they quieted a bit, and the adult grabbed a seed for itself.

Then all three chickadees swooped to the edge of the bird bath. Each took a drink, and then all three hopped into the water. Flapping and splashing ensued. Apparently, the morning agenda included breakfast and a bath.

From sweet family interactions to crime in the treetops, moments like these offer a peek into the natural world. There’s some birdy drama out there in the yard, and I’ll choose it over TV every time.

Post by Christine Kindl

Photos by Karen Clark

 

Spring Picnic

Saturday was a perfect day for a picnic, and over 30 people gathered at the historic Brunner Farmhouse for our club's annual spring affair. Under a blue Colorado sky, amidst gardens in full bloom, members and friends feasted on sack lunches and a cake provided by the club, while a panel of our favorite walk leaders fielded questions relating to birding, and tried to stump the audience with a few trivia questions of their own.

New this year, a swap table brought lots of interest, as one person's trash became another's treasure. We also had a chance to welcome Maylin Hewing, our 2025 "bird camp" scholarship winner, and to thank Ed Frazar for bringing his audio setup.

Questions for the experts ranged from topics including the smallest aviary species -- hummingbirds -- to the largest, birds of prey. Here are a few tips I came away with.

Pete Ruprecht gave us a short lesson on raptor identification, noting that often the behavior of a bird in flight is a good indicator of the species. He also talked about the downside of rodenticides. While they may solve an immediate pest problem, birds who feed on these rodents can die; the same birds would likely eliminate 1,000 in their lifetime by feeding on them naturally.

When putting out feeders for hummingbirds, Chris Petrizzo recommended hanging them as high as you can, as hummers can often be attracted from afar. He also reminded us to clean them often to prevent mold and bacteria that can harm the tiny birds.

Donna Stumpp provided helpful hints on backyard bird habitat and also a tip on how to prevent birds from flying into house windows: Use reflective stickers that birds can see, but that don't detract from your view looking out the window.

A lively discussion ensued about the changes we're seeing in bird populations. Trends include more eastern species visiting Colorado as a result of population growth in our state and increased vegetation, especially trees, in our communities. That has been one factor in the growing bald eagle population in the past 50 years -- but other birds of prey who rely on the same food sources have decreased.

Here's a trivia question that stumped the audience. Other than wood ducks, what are two types of ducks in Colorado that nest in trees? Do you know? 

Another fun fact: House wrens are extremely territorial, so if you have a pair nesting in your backyard, chances are other birds will not be nesting nearby.

Check out the bird walks page on our website for field trips -- coming soon! -- led by Donna, Pete and Chris. 

And tree-nesting ducks in Colorado? Those would be mergansers and Buffleheads. The latter will often use abandoned Northern Flicker nests, which are just the right size for this diminutive breed of water fowl.

Post and photos by Karen Clark

Sharing the love of birding

Most of us fondly recall that special person whose enthusiasm made an impression on us and inspired us to go on that first bird walk or purchase a pair of binoculars!  Broomfield Bird Club member Deb Duran recently shared her story of reconnecting with someone she introduced to birding years ago. 

"You just never know who you impact," said Deb. "I worked with Josef for about a year, six or seven years ago. We have not stayed in touch until he sent me this wonderful email a couple of weeks ago. I have now shared Broomfield Bird Club with him and look forward to 'reconnecting' with him and birding! Good all the way around!" 

 

Josef gave us permission to share his email to Deb, beautifully expressing what birding has meant to him.

Hi Deb,

 

It took me some time to track you down, but I wanted to reach out after all these years and say hello.

 

I thought of you after I recently returned from a 2-week family trip to South Africa, where I had the great pleasure of taking hundreds of photographs of glorious birds, including on a private wildlife reserve. The topic of birding came up during a conversation with a local South African bookstore owner, who was also a birder. I shared with him how I got my start in birding when you showed me a Great Horned Owl outside your window at ACED.

 

I've been birding ever since, all across the country, and it has been one of the greatest gifts in my life on nearly every trip I take. I was able to identify 50 different birds in South Africa during my trip, and saw about 10 more I wasn't able to identify. What an experience!

 

Just wanted to reach out after all these years and say, thank you for giving me this gift of a lifetime. Birding has deepened my connection to nature in so many ways and become one of the loves of my life. My 9-year-old son has taken up after his dad and become a birder as well, taking his camera everywhere we go.

 

I hope you are doing well and thriving these days.

 

Josef

Swainson's Spurfowl

Cape Robin-Chat

African Penguin

Photo credits: Josef Scarantino

 

2025 Annual Meeting held

On Sunday, when much of the country was focused on the actions of Eagles in Philadelphia and other circles were interested in Superb Owls, more than 40 members of the Bird Club gathered at the Broomfield Library to learn some amazing facts about Cooper’s Hawks from Boulder ornithologist Ted Floyd.

While Ted’s excellent presentation was the main event of the annual membership meeting, highlights also included the ratification of officers and board members for 2025-2026. The two-hour meeting gave members a chance to mingle and enjoy refreshments, and a few walked away with some great door prizes.

Newly-elected president Christine Kindl announced that our club now boasts over 100 members, a goal that was established by past president Ellie McKinley when the club was founded in 2016.

“Our members have a wide range of interests, from getting outdoors to see birds in the wild to learning more about the species that live in Colorado or visit on their annual migrations,” Christine said.

“Our board works hard to organize activities supporting those interests, and to educate the public about Broomfield’s wild birds and their habitats.”

The club’s new slate of officers is posted on the club website, along with dates for upcoming activities, including bird walks.

 

Past Broomfield Bird Club presidents Ellie McKinley, a founding member (left), and Cindy Card. Cindy was recognized for her leadership as president from 2019 to 2024 at the November member meeting.

 

Birding in Botswana

In August, I was fortunate enough to go on safari in Botswana, Africa. Although it was not a birding trip specifically, we all became birders by the end of the tour. Our guide was spectacular in his knowledge of birds and their calls. He was quite adept at spotting and identifying everything that flew.

We were primarily in the Okavango Delta which is an incredible wildlife area. The Okavango Delta lies in the north west of Botswana. Part of the Great East African Rift Valley system, the Okavango Delta is formed as the Okavango River flows into the Kalahari Desert from the Angolan highlands, creating a unique wetland, a huge oasis.

Pied kingfisher

Fish eagle

Malachite kingfisher

Great blue heron

Also in the delta we ran across Pel’s fishing owl, yellow-billed Stork and the saddle-billed stork. The owl is an owlet, his mother is close by but is camera shy.

Pel's fishing owl

Saddle-billed stork

Yellow-billed stork

Other iconic birds that we ran into were the lilac breasted roller, secretary bird, go-away grey bird, yellow-billed horn bill, white-throated bee-eater and the hoopoe. 

Lilac-breasted roller

Secretary bird

White-throated bee-eater

Hoopee

This was the trip of a lifetime, so unlike any other place I have visited. Our tour was all out in the bush and very secluded. We only saw one other tour group in our 10 days of safari. Sequestered in our rooms at night we could hear lions roar, elephants walk by and birds singing in the morning.

 On a last note, the wildlife was incredible as well and I am sneaking in a few pictures of the animals we saw.

 

Post and photos by member Marilyn Staehle.

Creating a bird-friendly yard

Broomfield’s first snowstorm blanketed the ground with snow last Saturday, but in a second floor meeting room in the Broomfield library all thoughts were on gardening. Our fall member meeting drew about 40 people, gathered to learn tips from Boulder-area naturalist Dave Sutherland on how to create bird-friendly yards and gardens. 

Dave’s backyard in Boulder is proof that xeriscape is not zero-scape, as Dave described the properties of putting together a yard that will not only attract area birds, but is beautiful and unique. He shared slides of a lush garden with a wide variety of plants and gorgeous color that provide diversity for birds and insects they prey on. “If you like birds, you’ve got to provide and protect insects,” said Dave. “Provide food, and they will come.”

A habitat garden doesn’t require lots of acreage, Dave pointed out. You, too, can create a garden oasis that is low maintenance, unique and beautiful, just as he’s done in his own suburban garden. The advantage of native plants is that they are quite comfortable in Colorado’s soil. They require very little water and they thrive in low-nutrient soil. Once established, their root systems are strong and deep.

With heads filled with gardening plans, the meeting concluded with member Carl Muehlemeyer’s presentation of his stunning bird photography set to music. 

If you missed the presentation, or would like to learn more, check out Dave’s website at davesutherland.co. It offers plant listings, how-to’s and information about in-person programs that Dave conducts right in his own garden.

Dave Sutherland conducts native gardening workshop

at his Boulder home last summer.

Post and photos by Karen Clark