Memorial Field Day

Some of the change I eluded to is my Mom is on her way back to SC as I type this...my sister M who lives in Greenville flew over rented an SUV that we filled to the max with all mom's things, we have made the decision to move her back to SC for now.  Sure do miss her but I'll be seeing her again soon! Meanwhile I spent my Memorial Day creating memories. 

I figured I'd hit...all of what I consider my local patches here,  Like Harvey Gap.  Right off the bat Clark's Grebe!! Yessir!  The photo is a little fuzzy but they were pretty far out on the water he/she was with a couple Western Grebes. 

#442 Clark's Grebe.

It's one of those things like the first time you see the Empire State Building you don't realize the difference between it and other sky scrapers till your eyes see it. Now I see the difference the bright orange bill the brighter white face, the duller back it's all there.   Of course this bird is rare for here but not unheard of...I saw reports from previous years and one on the Colorado list over at Rifle Gap last week so I checked there next....

BINGO! 

Another one!  Swimming with Westerns...(Clark's in the background) 

I did my little celebratory sound ca-ching, also around lots of Violet Green Swallows, 2 Eared Grebes too far for decent photos, I didn't stay long because I didn't want to have to buy a day pass...I had to return my library pass last Monday.  I wanted to check Fravert Reservoir next. 

Most of the ducks have moved on, had one mallard pair, one cinnamon teal maybe a mate in the reeds and one Gadwall also maybe a mate in the reeds...

There were more Bullock's Oriole's than ducks...

Also had lots of Western Kingbird, Red-winged Blackbird, European Starlings, Yellow Warblers, and tons of Barn Swallows around. 

PHOTO MISSING

Red-winged blackbird Female

E. Starlings 

with the long primaries, Western Wood Pewee

I moved over to Lions Park at the Rest Area to check on the birds there...

Black Headed Grosbeak

The 2 pairs of nesting Osprey are doing good.  One is feeding young and the other was still on her eggs when I went there on Memorial day I will check her again before I leave.  This nest is across the river and pretty far away but she is clearly feeding young. 

The cactus are all in Bloom....some yellow and some pink...

Had a spotted sandpiper down by the Colorado river that runs right behind the rest area....

And walking back to my van had this Wild Turkey in a tree...

I've got one more post I hope to get prepared and schedule to post sine I'm leaving on Thursday.  My letter C has been sticking lately so I hope I found all of the missing ones. 

I left my sister's on Thursday 5/31 So as you read this I am out there somewhere... my plan is to stay in Colorado for about 14 days, and drift from county to county mostly in the northern and eastern counties,  hoping to fulfill some of the gaps in my bird goal before heading east...I will update if I can make that happen...I have one more scheduled post to share with you...

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.