My First Birding Festival

If you've ever given any thought to experiencing a birding festival, a great one to start with is just right down the road.

Last month, I attended the Pikes Peak Birding and Nature Festival, an annual event in Colorado Springs. Over a four-day period, the festival offers over 60 field trips, and more than a dozen nature seminars and workshops. All for an unbelievably fair registration fee. I left on a Wednesday afternoon, driving to the Springs where I met up with my niece. We had dinner together that night, then she was off on a trip of her own, so she graciously invited me to use her house as my home base.

Thursday morning, I was up early and grabbed a sandwich from the fridge that I'd made the night before, my water bottle, some fruit and put it in my backpack, along with binoculars and sunscreen, and grabbed my camera.

My first field trip for the day was an urban walk, meeting up at a shopping center parking lot. From there, we followed a river trail for about four miles. Our group of 15 included locals from the Springs, a couple from Texas, and a woman from Florida. Throughout the weekend, I met a number of other birders from out-of-state and was surprised at how far some had traveled. It's understandable, though, because the area is a big draw for birders.

The Pikes Peak region offers a variety of habitats including short-grass prairie, forested foothills and deep canyons, and riparian forests. And this is peak migration season! During the course of the festival, about half of Colorado's population of over 500 birds will be spotted and identified. There are a lot of options for walks, ranging from sites on the eastern prairie to mountain regions. I opted for activities closer to the home base. On our walk that morning, our group collectively spotted 49 species, which included a couple of new 'lifers' for me.

Northern Waterthrush -- a life bird for me!

Each day, my schedule was much the same, rising early for a bird walk, and then attending a seminar in the afternoon. I went to a workshop on bird photography that was quite helpful. Another was a nature journaling workshop that I really enjoyed. While I still use eBird to keep a record of my birding lists, lately I've been journaling my findings in a notebook, and I find it to be a nice creative outlet.

Spotted Towhee -- always a favorite

Lesser Goldfinch

My favorite day was on Friday, when I attended a walk at Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site. We birded the grounds for a couple of hours, then afterward went on a tour of one of the ranch houses. It was constructed in 1905, by the founder of Colorado Springs. The family member who lived there was an ornithologist, which was of interest to the group for obvious reasons, but we also enjoyed 'visiting' that time period. The house was just beautiful.

Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site

Indian Paintbrush

The second day was the longest, as I filled it with a couple of walks and a workshop. I was glad for a break on Day 3, and after a morning bird walk I took the afternoon to partake of some of my favorite things. I found a wonderful used bookstore in downtown C.S., and a coffee shop located in a former elementary school that is being repurposed for businesses. The neighborhood probably dates to the 50s, I would say, and it was such a great vibe, I went back the next day for breakfast. 

All in all, going to the festival was a great experience. I enjoyed the workshops and getting to know like-minded individuals who are just a little bit crazy about birds. If I were to do one again, I would probably limit the number of activities each day. One walk a day is about as much as I could handle, followed by a workshop or seminar. Colorado Springs is a great town to explore, so it's nice to allow a little more time for that, too. 

Northern Flicker

A social gathering was held on Saturday night, with food and drink all included in the festival fee. There were some cool door prizes! Overall, this festival is a steal. Even with lodging added on, which can be found fairly reasonably in the Springs area, it is budget friendly and there are a wide variety of activities with experienced birding leaders. 

Post and photos by Karen Clark

Out and About

Warblers, hummingbirds and other spring migrants are making an appearance in Broomfield this month -- and the Bird Club is getting out and about as well.

Our "community event season" opened April 20 with an Earth Day celebration at Broomfield Library that, despite a late spring snowfall, drew more than 200 visitors.

Presentation coordinator Susan Nagle greets visitors at Earth Day celebration.

On May 3, the club helped Broomfield mark its second Migratory Bird Day with another well-attended gathering, this time at the community center adjoining Brunner Reservoir. A flock of 12 American white pelicans circled the water, giving club members an opportunity to talk with visitors about the majestic birds.

Events like these allow Bird Club members to meet the public, answer questions about wild birds, and share our enthusiasm for birding. Some folks who visit our table become club members; others go home knowing a little more about the birds they've seen in Broomfield's open spaces or their own backyards.

And we're in good company, setting up alongside nature-focused groups such as Open Space & Trails, Broomfield Open Space Action Network, Nature's Educators, Colorado Master Gardeners, the Butterfly Pavilion, and many more.

So come join us! Upcoming community events include:

• Open House at Metzger Farm, 9 a.m.- noon May 25.
• Nature Festival at Metzger Farm, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 17.
• Lafayette Migratory Bird Day, 1-3 p.m. Sept 15
• Broomfield Days, 9 a.m.-5p.m. Sept. 21.

Check the "events" tab on this website for details.

And don't forget our Membership Picnic from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at Brunner Farmhouse. Members and prospective members are invited; bring a camp chair and a bag lunch. (The club will supply drinks and snacks.) After a short business meeting, we'll learn about raptor conservation and the ancient sport of falconry from the president of the Colorado Hawking Club.

See you soon!

Waneka Lake Bird Walk

A house finch perches on the top branch of an evergreen tree and bursts into song. We peer through binoculars to observe the bird vocalizing in a string of short, warbling notes, finishing with a gentle slur. 

Our leader for this early April bird walk is Ted Floyd, author of numerous books and hundreds of articles on birding, as well as editor of American Birding Association magazine. One of Ted's favorite places to bird is Lafayette's Waneka Lake Park and its adjacent Greenlee Wildlife Preserve. Within steps of his home, Ted is enthusiastic about sharing his extended 'backyard' where he's lived for almost 20 years. He knows the area like the back of his hand, but still finds something new every time he goes out, which is almost daily. "I see new things every day," said Ted. "You just have to look!"

On this particular morning, we are learning to identify bird sounds. Ted encourages us to watch the birds vocalize. Observing the visual processing of a bird's song is one way to help the brain retain a species' sound patterns. We also learn about sound spectograms, pictorial representations of bird sounds. (For more information on this, See Ted's YouTube video on the subject, How to See Birdsong).

By the end of the morning, our group dwindles in size to just a few hardy birders. We walk along a familiar section of the lake, not expecting to find anything unusual. So, I am more than a little surprised at Ted's enthusiasm at spotting a couple of bushtits. While charming, these tiny little birds are quite common. However, Ted launches an enthusiastic discourse on why he considers these the "greatest birds in the world." And I am convinced. Check out Ted's video presentation on the subject, Celebrating the Greatest Bird in the World, and you just might be, too.

 

Post and photos by Karen Clark

Sandhill Cranes in Nebraska

The squawks, honks and rattles grew louder as we stepped out of the van and crept through the woods toward the blind. Just yards ahead, in front of the simple plywood structure, thousands of sandhill cranes were standing side by side in the North Platte River shallows, calling to one another as they waited for dawn.

Each spring an estimated 80% of the world’s sandhill crane population passes through the North Platte and Platte River valleys in Nebraska, a stopover on the birds’ annual migration from Mexico and the American Southwest to their breeding grounds in northern Canada and Alaska.

I’d seen more than 1,000 cranes the afternoon before, feeding in empty cornfields outside the city of North Platte, just a 3.5-hour drive from Broomfield. Peeking through the window of my parked car, I’d watched the 4-foot-tall birds peck at waste grain and use their long, pointed bills to probe the ground for edible roots, insects and snails.

Sandhill cranes pack on the pounds, gaining 15% to 20% of their body weight, during their spring layover in Nebraska. It’s fuel for the long flight north. But I’d seen some pause while feeding to “dance,” leaping into the air with wings spread wide, ruffling their feathers and occasionally tossing small twigs into the air. It had been quite a show.

Now 12 of us were sitting silently inside the blind while the shadowy shapes of cranes slowly came into focus. Just moments before sunrise, the birds’ calls took on a new urgency – and then, all at once, perhaps 500 cranes lifted their wings and took to the sky. They circled two or three times, then headed off for another day of foraging. One after another, flocks up and down the river gathered, circled and flew.

For a few minutes, the air rang with their rattling “bugle calls,” which can be heard more than two miles away. Then sunlight reached the riverbank, and the cranes were gone.

This birder couldn’t stop smiling.

Post and photos by Christine Kindl

—

Sandhill cranes typically visit Nebraska in huge numbers from late February through early April, with peak spring migration occurring in mid-March. Visitor centers along the flyway, in North Platte, Kearney, Hastings, and Grand Island, Neb., have information about viewing sites and tours.

 

Heron's Knees

 

As Great Blue Herons are now returning to the heronry at Metzger Farm Open Space, it seems appropriate to share some of club member Walter "Ski" Szymanski's photos and thoughts on these beautiful creatures from past Facebook postings.

August 7, 2023 -- See those bony knees on the Great Blue Heron in my first photo here from this morning at Metzger? If you thought, "Sure, I see them", then you need to immediately reach out to the science community because you've got paranormal eyesight!

What I'm talking about is, those visible knobby structures midway up the legs on this bird that for all the world look like a mummy's bony leg knees, are not its knees. They're its ankles. Its knees are further up its legs, hidden under its feathers.

Like most birds, herons stand, walk, and run on their toes. Cats and dogs are structured this way, too. Animals with this kind of setup are known as toe walkers--kind of like some of us do when tippy-toeing downstairs late at night to snag some ice cream from the freezer hoping others in the house don't hear your stealth maneuvers. (I haven't a clue, though, why anyone would want to tip toe through the tulips. There isn't any ice cream in tulip fields.)

Anyway, the second image I took of this heron this morning hopefully provides a better visual of how the bend in this bird's leg in the process of scratching itself is at its ankle, and not at its knee.

Well, ain't that just the bee's knees!

Cheers!

Walter "Ski" Szymanski

Books About Migration

Why do birds migrate? How do they find their way? What tells them that it's time to migrate?

Spring is a great time to investigate this magical phenomena, and there are a plethora of resources available on the subject. Here are a just a few.

A Season on the Wind by Kenn Kaufman

Birders from around the globe gather each spring along the shores of Lake Erie in northwestern Ohio to witness the magic of bird migration as billions of birds congregate on their way through to northern breeding grounds. Kenn Kaufman focuses on this location to focus on the world of migration. His book is engaging, heartfelt and passionate in addressing the topics of birding, migration and conservation. 

A World on the Wing; the Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds by Scott Weidensaul

Compelling, beautifully written book on the science of bird migration. The author shares his experiences working with scientists, as they track birds that cross oceans and mountains, flying tens of thousands of miles to migrate each year.

A Warbler's Journey by Scott Weidensaul and Nancy Lane

A beautifully illustrated story about a mighty little warbler on a journey from Central America to Canada. On her travels several families provide habitat for her to take refuge along the way. The story is a marvelous lesson for children and adults, about the world of migration and our responsibility in it.

Clear Creek

A group of us from the club took a nice winter walk along Clear Creek at the Wheat Ridge Greenbelt on January 20th. The temperatures were cold and brisk, but the camaraderie was warm and pleasant.

Starting at the parking area off of Youngfield Street we headed west and were treated to the antics of a couple of American Dippers playing in the water.

Waterfowl were abundant including Gadwall, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Mallard, and Green-winged Teal. Heading back east on the trail towards the frozen West and Bass Lakes, we were treated to White-breasted Nuthatches, Bushtits, Black-capped Chickadees and Hair and Downy Woodpeckers as well.

The Wheat Ridge Greenbelt is a 300-acre open space that runs along the Clear Creek Trail, a multi-use trail that stretches from Denver to Golden. There are several parking areas that access the space in Wheat Ridge. Check out the website for more information.

To learn about upcoming field trips, click on the Activities link on our website, and scroll down to Walk Information.

Happy Birding,

Karen Clark