I'm a Colorado Birder! Are you? (Home of the "Nunn Guy" and NunnCAM)

All Blog Posts (118)

sandhill cranes

I heard sandhill cranes flying over today but haven't seen any yet. It was exciting to hear them again! Continue

Posted by zoe ann nishimuta on October 8, 2008 at 7:52pm — 8 Comments

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About half the House Finches at my Old Town Fort Collins feeder seem to be infected with avian pox. (I've looked pretty carefully. some of it could be conjunctivitis, but most of the Finches with eye problems have obvious pox infestations on their feet.) I now clean the feeder every day. Is there a treatment? Can the poor things be caught & fixed? Do I have to watch them die? Continue

Posted by MargaretSmith on September 25, 2008 at 4:59pm — 4 Comments

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Great-Horned Owl

Upon returning from one of my nocturnal ambulance runs, I heard an owl. I hooted. It hooted back and I finally saw what appeared to be a Great Horned Owl perched on my rooftop TV antenna. I really need to check the guy wires on that antenna. I'm sure they're ready to snap. I'm not sure what the owl was doing. I was secretly hoping it would find one of the juvenille skunks that I am trying to get out from under my house. Do Great Horned Owls eat skunks? Continue

Posted by Travis McMillan on September 24, 2008 at 10:30pm — 3 Comments

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Binoculars

I'm having trouble seeing the birds with the binoculars I have, which are pretty small. All I know, is that I want a pair that are coated, but I have no idea what brand or magnifications would be the best. The ones I have won't let me see anything very close 12', so I don't get to see much detail, and they also don't give me any magnification for things that are futher away. I also don't want to spend a fortune on them. Anyone have any ideas? Continue

Posted by Jeanne Alter on August 29, 2008 at 2:42pm — 2 Comments

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Genesee Park Birding Trip

On Tues. we birded both sides of the park and saw the following birds and over 100 elk. There were many young Western bluebirds and Mountain bluebirds. List: Pygmy nuthatches, Broadtail hummers, Chipping sparrows, Hermit thrush, Brown creeper, N. flickers, Western tanagers, Mountain chickadees and some Blackcapped, American goldfinches, White-breasted nuthatches, American crows, Yellow-rumped warblers. One was feeding a cowbird. House wrens, Cassins finches, Pumbeous vireo, Dark-eyed junco, West… Continue

Posted by Tolline Gallagher on August 13, 2008 at 9:30am — No Comments

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Fledglings

Hey Everybody, The activity in our yard has increased so much that we have re-hung some of the feeders we had taken down several weeks ago when it seemed all we had was Grackles, Brown Cowbirds, and Red-winged Blackbirds. So far we have the following fledglings in our yard: Pine Siskins, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Lesser and American Goldfinches, Gray Catbirds, Rufous, Broad-tailed and Calliope Hummingbirds, Yellow Warblers ( we actually saw a Yellow Warbler feeding and Brown Cowbird fledgling the… Continue

Posted by Polly Wren Neldner on August 2, 2008 at 10:45am — 2 Comments

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Leucistic Eagle

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Leucistic Golden Eagle found down here in SoCo a couple weeks ago. Did you guys hear about it? I posted the story on my blog...with quotes, links and photos from the papers...as well as an update a day or so later. It's a beautiful, but very sick young bird which may make a compl… Continue

Posted by Beverly on July 27, 2008 at 5:30pm — No Comments

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Books on Birds; What's Your Fav?

I am a reader; I like to research, I enjoy reference books…especially on topics close to my heart. I don’t believe one can have too many books on a subject…but then I am book rich and money poor. LOL Okay, so I’m on a limited budget…I have a couple books on birds and know I want to enlarge my library. I think another ‘general’ field guide to birds I’m apt to see might be a good idea. While I’m interested in all birds…I doubt I’m going to be heading to exotic countries where I might have trouble… Continue

Posted by Beverly on July 16, 2008 at 1:00pm — 5 Comments

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Lathrop State Park, Huerfano County

My husband and I went out to Lathrop State Park this morning and aside from the Coots (lots of babies right now) Western Grebes, Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Cedar Waxwings, Cinnamon, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teals, and Great Blue Herons we saw a first for Paul in Colorado and the best look I have had of a Green Heron. The Green Heron was at the duck pond on the Wetlands Trail! Have fun out there, Polly Continue

Posted by Polly Wren Neldner on June 22, 2008 at 1:30pm — No Comments

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red crossbill wants to come inside

A female red crossbill has been trying to come in our house all day today. I thought maybe because she smelled bread baking in the bread machine. Or is the energy of the full moon and approaching solstice confusing her? When she is not at the window looking in she is on a branch right beside the door on the deck. Well right now she is at the feeder. When I go outside she flies right over my head. Well I guess I will go out on the deck and sing for her. Maybe that's what she wants. She is wonderi… Continue

Posted by zoe ann nishimuta on June 18, 2008 at 5:46pm — No Comments

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ouzel feather

My daughter wants to get a tatoo of an ouzel feather. Does anyone know where she could find a picture of an ouzel feather? Love, Zoe Continue

Posted by zoe ann nishimuta on June 16, 2008 at 8:11pm — 6 Comments

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AVAS Bird list for 6/14/08 in and around La Veta CO

Gary, Beverly and all: The following is the list of birds my husband Paul and I compiled. Beverly, please let me know of any corrections you may have, they are not in the order seen or separated by location: Pie-billed Grebe Great Blue Heron Turkey Vulture Red-tailed Hawk American Coot Rock Pigeon Eurasian Collared-dove Mourning Dove Broad-tailed Hummingbrd Lewis' Woodpecker (always a treat) Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Cordilleron Flycatcher Warbling Vireo Clark's Nutcra… Continue

Posted by Polly Wren Neldner on June 15, 2008 at 11:27am — 4 Comments

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Red Crossbill

For anyone who was on the AVAS birdwalk today in and around La Veta. Paul and I just took a look at our photos of the day...and we have a photo of a male Red Crossbill at the beginning of the walk at Up Top. Don't know how many others saw the bird that had a lot of red on it and then the other yellowish (not bright yellow) that joined it, but those were definitely a pair of Red Crossbills...a new life bird for us! Continue

Posted by Polly Wren Neldner on June 14, 2008 at 5:45pm — 2 Comments

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singing to the birds

This morning when I was singing my Sacred Animal Songs out on the deck by the bird feeders a female red crossbill landed on my head ( I was wearing a hat) and sat there for almost an entire song! Continue

Posted by zoe ann nishimuta on June 6, 2008 at 10:11pm — 3 Comments

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Summer is here!

First of all, I'd like to invite anybody who can make it down to La Veta (~3 hrs south of Denver) on June 14th for our AVAS Bird Walk. You can read details here. The folks with AVAS are great...as are most birders, huh? I've never met a nicer bunch of people! A couple of us who feed birds will open up our yards to be included on the hike...yours truly included. It should be fun! I can say that, havi… Continue

Posted by Beverly on June 3, 2008 at 9:30am — No Comments

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The sequence of discovery is simple in nature

Kevin J. Cook -- May 25, 2008 The Coloradoan (Fort Collins) To learn. To see. To hear. To smell. To experience. To know. This sequence brings life from the darkness of anonymity into the lightness of understanding. It is a sequence that draws you into the richness of life and living. Read full story here Continue

Posted by Gary Lefko on May 30, 2008 at 1:29pm — No Comments

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western wood pewees

The western wood pewees have finally returned. I have been waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting. The first time I hear them every May is such a special moment. I hope they nest right outside my bedroom window so I can hear them every AM. Continue

Posted by zoe ann nishimuta on May 28, 2008 at 5:48pm — No Comments

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A New Obsession

It all started with used guide book from the library book sale. We have just moved to a home with a good-sized backyard and some actual trees (Highlands Ranch is not exactly known for its treed yards) that were already visited by some birds. We had two feeders that I filled and put out by the windows, hoping that the kids and I could get to see a few birds in action. Well, next we needed binoculars...then a couple more feeders...a second field guide...notebooks...a hummingbird feeder...and a ne… Continue

Posted by Katherine on May 22, 2008 at 3:34pm — 3 Comments

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Birds in the natural world

As I grow in my birding, and learn how to watch them...I am more and more interested in photographing them in the natural world and not at my feeders. Still, I have neither the equipment nor the knowledge really, in where to find them...to do much else. Yet. I discuss this and other issues in my blog. The folks who can catch an image in a bush or on a beach just astound me. Good birding!!! Continue

Posted by Beverly on May 18, 2008 at 6:05pm — 3 Comments