CFO NEWS!

Bill Kaempfer - CFO Director
March 13, 2012

Here's a newsflash on this year's CFO Convention in Trinidad CO, May 18-20. We have added another field trip--C-11 to Stonewall on Friday May 18. This trip will travel along CO 12 west of Trinidad visiting P-J forest habitat and end up in the striking locale of Stonewall where there should be Wild Turkey, Pinyon Jay and Juniper Titmouse. From there the trip heads up toward the Sangre de Cristos. Join our own Big-Year star, John Vanderpoel who will lead this exciting trip.

** return to top

Robert Righter - CFO Director
February 25, 2012

Here we are approaching the end of winter. The winter birds are leaving and spring birds are arriving. Looks like a slow time of the year you may say; not so, as this is a great time of year for recording unusual late dates for some birds departing and being able to establish early dates for some birds arriving. It's interesting to compare eastern plains with western slope. With some species there will be quite a difference. Why is this so you may ask? Early and late dates could be related to regional, national and global climate change and how this may effect species biology and migrat

** return to top

Nathan Pieplow - CFO Director
February 17, 2012

The annual convention of the Colorado Field Ornithologists will be held 18-20 May 2012 in Trinidad, Colorado. We invite proposals for presentations to be given during the scientific paper session on the afternoon of Saturday, 19 May. Speakers are expected to have between 30 and 45 minutes to present and answer questions. Topics of interest include ongoing research into Colorado birds or their habitats, advances in field identification of Colorado birds, and new information regarding their status or distribution.

Submit abstracts electronically to Nathan Pieplow (npieplow@gmail.com) prior to March 15, 2012.

** return to top

Ted Floyd - CFO Director
December 17, 2011

One of the highlights for me each quarter is the arrival in my mailbox of the journal Colorado Birds, published by Colorado Field Ornithologists and brilliantly edited by Nathan Pieplow. And so it was when I received the current issue (vol. 45, no. 4) earlier this fall.

Like many CFO members, I suspect, I first consulted "News from the Field" (pp. 281-305), compiled by Bill Maynard. What a splendid read! For starters, Bill has done an amazing job of summarizing the mountains of rarities reported from Colorado during the busy spring migration period of March-May 2011. Bill also inserts fascinating asides wherever appropriate: tips and remarks about ID, taxonomy, geographic variation, etc. And Bill sprinkles humor throughout. Yes, when reading "News from the Field," you'll find yourself laughing out loud, even as you learn a great deal.

Speaking of learning, Kayleen A. "Kay" Niyo's article, "Observations of a Family of Say's Phoebes (Sayornis phoebe)" (pp. 306-316), is quite an educational experience. I think we're all guilty, so often, of seeing a bird, putting it on our list, and moving on. But we also know how rewarding it can be to spend a lot of time with a bird, to get to know it really well. I learned so much about Say's Phoebes from Kay's article. And the next time I see one, I'll slow down, stop, and really try to appreciate this remarkable bird.

Let's face it: There are certain practical aspects to the enjoyment of birding. In this regard, "The Hungry Birder" is one of the most useful columns I've ever seen in any bird publication. In the current installment of "The Hungry Birder" (pp. 278-280), Bill Kaempfer gives us the low-down on where to find food in Kit Carson County. Don't laugh. I've birded Kit Carson County, and I know that starvation--either that or eating cow pies--is a real option for the birder out there. Bill's advice will get you back home well fed and well satisfied.

Do you know everything there is to know about Downy and Hairy woodpeckers? Downy: small, short bill, says "pick." Hairy: larger, longer bill, says "PEEK!" And that's about it, right? Nope, there's a lot more to it than that! And master birder Tony Leukering patiently walks us through all the differences in "Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers in Colorado" (pp. 317-325). The situation is especially intriguing in Colorado, as Tony tells it, because of extensive variation within both of these lookalike woodpecker species.

There's so much more in vol. 45, no. 4, but I'd like to close with a comment about "A Report of Emperor Goose in Colorado" (pp. 263-268). It was a bit of a jolt to see the author's byline: As most Colorado birders know, Lawrence S. "Larry" Semo died prior to the publication of the current issue of Colorado Birds. But Larry's wonderful legacy lives on. We learned a tremendous amount from Larry during his too-short time on this Earth, and Larry will continue to inspire us to discover exciting new things about the excellent Colorado birds he loved so much.

** return to top

Christian Nunes - CFO Director
November 27, 2011

Stray waterfowl often raise ire in the birding community because of their propensity to escape from captivity. Many sightings of stray geese like Barnacle, Graylag, Pink-footed, and Emperor retain a footnote highlighting their uncertain origin until a pattern of vagrancy can be established. In the Northeast US and in Maritime Canada, this pattern has increasingly become clear as, over the last several decades, sightings and band recoveries of Barnacle, Graylag and Pink-footed Geese have increased to the point where speculation of wild origin is clearly legitimate.

What conclusions can be drawn when one of these vagrants appears well outside these areas where the pattern has been establish? This irksome question was raised when an Emperor Goose was seen in Weld County, CO, on October 4, 2008. Soon after, presumably the same Emperor Goose was shot by a hunter. Read the story of this bird and the fascinating analysis performed to determine its origin in, "The 60th Report of the Colorado Bird Records Committee: A Report of Emperor Goose in Colorado."

Supplemental photographs of the mounted Emperor Goose can be found here at the CFO Photo Gallery: www.pbase.com/rhopper. The original stable isotope report from Alaska that was used as a baseline for comparison can be seen at: Colorado Emperor Goose's stable isotopes.

** return to top

Ted Floyd - CFO Director
November 5, 2011

As every Colorado birder knows, the Centennial State is far distant from the nearest saltwater. Even so, we do get our share of birds that are normally thought of as partially or mainly "marine." We see jaegers and Sabine's Gulls every September; starting in October, there is an annual influx of scoters and other "seaducks"; and a beautiful Arctic Tern, that paragon of the high seas, recently spent more than a week in Boulder County.

But none of that can compare with the thrill of finding an alcid in Colorado. An alcid! Why, we are accustomed to thinking of alcids--puffins, murres, guillemots, and such--as being strictly pelagic. And, by and large, they are. I mean, when's the last time you ever saw a Razorbill anywhere but on or very near saltwater?

That said, birders have known for well over a century that a few species of alcids sometimes occur inland, especially in the Northeast. Most notable in this regard are the "wrecks" of Dovekies sometimes seen on big lakes in New England. We don't have much of a chance for a Dovekie in Colorado, but two species of murrelets occur annually in the interior of the United States--and both of these have been recorded on multiple occasions in Colorado. They are the Ancient Murrelet and the Long-billed Murrelet.

When do they occur? The best time to look for them is--wait for it--right now! Like, as soon as you get away from the computer, you should go check out whatever large body of water is near your home. Five of Colorado's seven accepted records of Ancient Murrelet are from November, and one of Colorado's two accepted records of Long-billed Murrelet is from November.

If you are fortunate enough to find a murrelet in Colorado, please spread the word quickly! When found in Colorado, Ancient and Long-billed murrelets tend to be one-day wonders--one-afternoon wonders, typically. They seem to get up and go after nightfall. There is a decided premium on getting the word out immediately; if you wait until dinnertime to let folks know, chances are nobody else will get to see the bird.

Identification should be straightforward. The Ancient Murrelet, with its gray back, white collar, and generally striking plumage, is unmistakable. The Long-billed Murrelet is similarly distinctive, but it is possible that inexperienced observers might confuse the species with the basic-plumage ("winter"-plumage) Horned Grebe--totally different in body structure, of course, but surprisingly similar in terms of overall pattern and color. Needless to say, you should carefully document--with words, drawings, and, ideally, photos--any sighting of a murrelet in Colorado.

** return to top

Bill Kaempfer - CFO Director
November 2, 2011

The CFO 2012 Convention is confirmed for Trinidad Colorado on May 17-20. Join all your CFO friends for terrific birding, a great banquet, outstanding speakers and all of the other activities you've grown to love at CFO conventions. Trinidad - in beautiful Las Animas County - offers spectacular birding opportunities along an edge of the state that most birders seldom visit. More details will be forthcoming and convention registration will be opened in February.

** return to top

Bill Kaempfer - CFO Director
October 18, 2011

December 1st is the application deadline for CFO Project Fund applications for 2012. The project fund is designed to offer grants to qualifying individuals or organizations for projects that will have a lasting benefit to Colorado birds, and the habitats upon which they rely. Grants typically range from $600 to $1500. Often CFO Project Fund grants are considered as matching funds for other larger grants. The Project Fund Committee requires that the recipients of funding publish a short summary of their funded work in Colorado Birds: The Colorado Field Ornithologists' Quarterly Journal.

For examples of recent projects see "Ten Years of Project Funding by the CFO" published in Colorado Birds: The Colorado Field Ornithologists' Quarterly, June 2009. For application details, see Grants and Funding.

** return to top

Ted Floyd - CFO Director
October 15, 2011

Let's start off with a bit of irony and a bit of history. First, the irony. By late October, you might think that all the avian action would be down in the lowlands. It's still relatively warm down there, with a few warblers and many sparrows still lingering; but all that stuff has already moved out of the mountains by the second half of October, right? True, but the really exciting birding in the mountains is just starting to heat up in the mountains around mid-October.

Now for the history. Not all that long ago, Colorado birders assumed that there just wasn't much to do in the mountains after the first snowfalls. There were rosy-finches to be found, of course, and maybe White-tailed Ptarmigans and American Three-toed Woodpeckers for the truly hardy birder-hikers. But that was about it. Then along came such folks as Tony Leukering and Joey Kellner, who had the realization that Colorado's high country is great for migrating water birds!

The water birds migrating through the high country in October and November are not, by and large, the same species that birders find at lower elevations. Up high, it's an impressively different suite of species: Tundra and Trumpeter swans; White-winged, Black, and Surf scoters; Long-tailed Ducks; Common Loons and sometimes the rarer loon species; and, very rarely, something spectacular, like a murrelet.

Where to go? Well, that's the exciting thing. We don't know. We're still figuring out some of the best spots. Some of the more reliable spots include Dillon Reservoir in Summit County and Antero and Eleven Mile reservoirs in Park County. But there are surely many other sites remaining to be discovered! What about Wolford Mountain Reservoir in Grand County? Access there has improved greatly in the past few years, and birders should check this site out, for sure.

A few tips. Prepare for wintry conditions. Even it's "Indian Summer" in the Front Range metro region, it can be downright arctic in the high country. Definitely have a scope. These mountain reservoirs are large, and a spotting scope is essential for seeing and identifying rare birds out there. And please be aware of restrictions on access. For your own safety, as well as to avoid spending the night in the Summit County slammer, obey all signs and closures. If in doubt, stay out. Better safe than sorry.

Finally, please carefully document all notable sightings--both of rarities and of unusual high counts. If you see a Red-throated Loon, let's say, or a late jaeger, you need to submit documentation to the Colorado Bird Records Committee; for a full list of species requiring documentation for the bird records committee, see http://cfobirds.org/records/review_list.htm. And even the rare but regular, annual species, like White-winged Scoter and Long-tailed Duck, should be reported to COBirds. Have fun out there, and please let us know what you're seeing!

** return to top

Joe Roller - CFO Director
October 13, 2011

With sneak preview tickets provided by RMBO, members of the field glass fraternity and the telescope sorority settled back in reclining seats at The Denver Film Center last night, munched popcorn and tried not to fret about how we birders would be skewered in the latest gem to grace the silver screen, The Big Year. Based on the book of the same name by Denver's very own Mark Obmascik, this film improbably starred such big name actors as Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson. To cut to the quick, I mean, in a nutshell, The Big Year was a Big Movie.

I loved it. I laughed, I winced, I almost cried and was charmed by the goofy portrayal of three wild and crazy birders as they twitched, chased and scored. Go see it! Everyone who is aware of your avian obsession will be asking you about "that bird flick." I hear that the official opening is this Friday. Don't laugh, but this movie is labeled PG "for language and some sensuality." Sensuality? Maybe I blinked? Maybe the censors are referring to that sensual scene with the Bald Eagles?

See The Big Year with your spouse, but brace yourself for a few knowing nudges in the ribs, as your birding behavior is displayed in Technicolor and recognized. "That's you, dear. They got that right!" On the other hand, one review I read summarizes this movie as noble and lofty. "Their quests are allegory to the challenges faced in their lives." "See, honey, when I go birding it's an allegory." (Try that one, and let me know if it files).

The Big Year borrows from these familiar genres: The Great Race. The Nature Channel. The Buddy Movie. Stalag 17 - you'll see it here. You can almost smell it. Wall Street, the movie. From Board Room to Binoculars. Don Quixote. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels -How low can you go to shake off your rivals? You'll notice homages to Alfred Hitchcock, Boy Meets Girl, and Airplane. And yes, Steve Martin reprises the dance of "A Wild and Crazy Guy." Jack Black reprises sweating, and Owen Wilson wears duds like no birder I know.

If you've ever boarded a pelagic trip out of Monterrey Bay, you'll chortle at the portrayal of that ruler of the rolling ocean, Debi Shearwater! Was that Angelica Houston with pigtails and rubber boots? Can you identify the brands of field glasses held by the actors? You will find only a few errors: Did I see a birder in the field with a camera, but NO binoculars? Did I see THAT hawk in THAT weather? Does Attu come with bird name labels on every hillside and meadow? Could you see THAT owl in THAT national forest? (I looked it up - you could).

But the biggest error is the repeated conceit that "Whoever sets the Big Year record is The World's Best Birder!" Movie reviews usually conclude with an overall rating, such as "X number of stars" or "Y number of bags of popcorn." My personal rating of The Big Year is four out of five buckets of stinky fish-head chum.

** return to top