On Saturday morning, during the 4th Saturday birdwalk at the Greenway and Nature Center in Pueblo (which is on the Arkansas River on the West side of town) we saw a lone Turkey Vulture gliding over the Raptor Center compound.  We felt this was an early arrival date for this species.

Other sightings included Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Killdeer and a relatively small group of ducks that included Ruddy, Hooded Merganser, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Bufflehead, Ring-necked and Gadwall.  There were several Wood Ducks on the River and a pair in an old cottonwood nearby.  Other highlights were a group of three Brown Creepers, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet and great looks at a Wilson's Snipe.

Check Arkansas Valley Audubon's website, www.socobirds.org, for details of next month's walk, which falls on April 26, the 223rd birthday of James John Audubon. 

Donna Emmons


Here is the delightful review submitted by Clif and Pearle for the trip to Lathrop State Park on Jan 20.

 How many birders does it take to see 16 birds?  The answer is blowing in the wind.   Dave Moore, Tom Doerk, Margie Joy, Susan Simons, Paul and Polly Wren Neldner all braved the wind to see those 16 birds at Lathrop State Park on the 20th of January.   Clif Smith even managed to set up a scope, without it being blown over,  for great views of numerous Townsend's solitaires, Mountain bluebirds and bushtits.  As promised, we walked with the bushtits. Contrary to the group, the leaders were not "The Bushtits"  that they would be walking with.  It did give us a chuckle though and we may adopt the bird for our last name. 
 
The other species to brave the wind were the regular winter birds in a pinyon juniper habitat.  Mountain and Black-capped chickadees, Cassin finch, song sparrow, hundreds of robins and Northern flickers and dark-eyed junco.  The rarest bird of the day was not seen by everyone and was a merlin chasing breakfast.  That bird was just too quick for us to park and get out of cars  and search for. Might be worth another trip to the park to find him/her.  
 
I'd like to extend a thank you to Karen at the Lathrop State Park for meeting us early and being there so we could sign in and get park passes.  The park was beautiful and well maintained even in all the snow and wind.  Good job Lathrop State Park!