Hungry Robins, Spring Storm

We had a great spring storm yesterday. My bath heater barely held the ice back in the blowing and drifting snow and freezing temperature, but water was kept open for the birds. I had to brush off feeders every hour.This morning is bright and sunny. Bar-b-que on the patio anyone?

Starlings have been taking baths all day, but it's impossible to get a photo of them.
After polishing off mealworms in my feeders, the robins hit the junipers I planted just for this purpose. They feasted on juniper berries.
They behaved quite mannerly with each other.



Mr. Sentinel on the house keeping watch.

Eckert Crane Days, Eckert, Colorado!

Cranes in Delta County
I spent last weekend in Cedaredge, Colorado where my Dad lives. Beautiful drive over and wonderful weather too. I realized as I drove through Eckert and saw the sign for how may cranes were in Hart's Basin I'd hit it on the same weekend as the Eckert Crane Days!

Dad and I drove the 10 minutes over to check out the cranes on Friday - there were 1100! We had great views. Ran into Dave Galinat - a great birder and good friend.

On Saturday I went back - only 100 cranes on the "Official" day, but 100's of people. I was hoping to run into some Black Canyon Audubon friends and I wasn't disappointed. Had a nice chat with Bill Day and Marsha (last name??) And even got to chat with Chip Clouse, from the American Birding Assoc. Chip, below in the dark red fleece had two scopes set up and was helping everyone who wanted to, to see the cranes. What a friendly, helpful guy!

Here is my dad enjoying my Swarovski Binocs that I won as Birder of the Year.. he didn't want to give them back!

I left before the crowds did and went up to the Surface Creek Winery where all the programs were, hoping to find and visit with Cheryl Day, Bill's wife. I wasn't disappointed and we nearly got caught up on bird news of the western slope.

Lastly, a lovely Great Blue Heron fishing in Fruitgrowers Reservoir.

It's Almost Spring!

Al, Maggie and I took a nice hike on the Valley Loop Trail in the Bobcat Ridge Natural Area today. Things look pretty brown still, but signs of spring are beginning to peak through.
Here is a Desert Cottontail living in a prairie dog hole. Not too concerned about us.

Or about Maggie, no rabbits or children were harmed in the making of this photograph.

Looking north east from the backside of the loop trail.
As I was admiring the native vegetation, Maggie pipes up, "Mom's Dream Lawn". She's right. It'll green up soon! I love native plantings. We had a nice little bird list too.. 2 Mtn. Bluebird females, 3 Magpies, 1 lone Pygmy Nuthatch, 1 Golden Eagle, 1 Northern Flicker, 2 singing Meadowlarks.I don't think I can explain this one..

Al and Maggie..

One little happy family, who misses all the rest of the big family.
We realized the other day we have children all over the world: 1 in Belize, 1 in Chile, 1 in Egypt, 1 in Seattle, 1 in Coeur d'Alene, 1 in Kentucky, 3 in Colorado and 2 in New York. That's a lot of places.. that's a lot of kids.
Spring! Nearly here!

We're Going On A Bear Hunt, We're Going To Catch A Big One. What A Beautiful Day! We're Not Scared.

I have about a 3X4 foot birdbath in my yard that quit holding water. I'd fill it, half an hour later, it would be empty. I had seen signs of rodents and figured they must've dug underneath and eaten a hole in the rubber lining. Boy was I in for a surprise. See the box with branches sticking up on the right side of the pond? That box houses the outlet box where I plug in the pump and heater.

When I pulled that box off, I nearly had a family of voles up my pants, they sprang in every direction! Normally I leave the critters in my yard alone, but these guys just made a bad choice of living areas, they had to go..
!! CAUTION!! Dachshunds dispatching Voles below! !! CAUTION!!
I have 3 mini dachshunds that needed work (and practice for earth dog trials) so I ran in and brought them out. I'm not sure how many voles there were.. But Winnie got one...
Barbie The Warrior Princess got TWO..
Reina, normally the couch potato, plowed the dirt with her nose and took out one. She was reluctant to let me have it, but she did. She showed GREAT enthusiasm which makes me hopeful her doing earth dog trials.
The Mighty Weenie Girls with their game. We may be small, but we'll get the job done.
Well, after all that excitement I had to get back to work. I had pulled off the rubber and underlayment of the pond. After putting the dogs back I came out to find our resident Robin taking advantage of all the centipedes. He definitely killed them before he swallowed.. He is shown here down in the deepest part of the pond where the pump goes.

Now he's working the edges where the vole holes were.. see the hole to his left?
All clear?
Now I'm prepping to put the liner back in, shovel in hand moving dirt around and who zips over my shoulder and lands at my feet, less than 4 feet away but Robbie. He's seen a few more centipedes I've uncovered.. this bird basically spent the afternoon under my feet.Now I've got the liner and water in.. checking for levelness again.
And the finished product! We're back in business. Al had to repair the pumps cord as the voles had chewed it in two places. Ready for a full summer of service.

Birds & Brews Colorado Kick Off!

The First Birds & Brews Colorado! An informal gathering of birders of all abilities - if you're interested in birds, you're invited!

Hosted by me, Connie and my sister Lauren Burke.

It's a time to meet other birders, maybe find a carpool or birding buddy, ask about where to find target birds, share cool research projects you might be working on, ask a bird feeding question, share life lists, a great new book, project ideas, digiscoping tips, promote your blog--the sky is the limit!

(I stole this idea from Sharon Stiteler at birdchick.com who has a successful and fun "Birds & Beers" in Minnesota and various other places she travels, with her approval.) My hope is to host these throughout the state. (and beyond?)

This event MAY feature dramatic readings from Ted Floyd's Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America, who's game?

DETAILS:
Thursday, April 2nd, 6:00 p.m. Pumphouse Brewery, 540 Main St - Longmont, Colorado.

RSVP is helpful for the restaurant staff, so if you know your coming, let me know. If you don't know, but find you can, come anyway!

I And The Bird #95

Welcome to I And The Bird #95.

As we wake up this morning in March, spring is in the air - for some. Others buried in snow, fighting spring fever, are browsing field guides and gardening books planning their spring and summer activities. Yet others, escaping a long winter to travel in warmer climes, search and find adventure and wonderful birds and friends along the way. I've always loved a long meditative walk while pondering nature and enjoying bird life. Join me, will you? for this journey around the world's rim. I hope this 95th edition of I And The Bird will entertain you, stretch your mind, and fill your head with ideas, possibilities, and dreams of the future.

We begin our trek in New Zealand, joining Mandy Hague on the Whakatane River and her adventure with the Little Blue Penguins.

Journeying across to Australia we meet Trevor Hampel as he enjoys the presence of a Crimson Rosella in Canberra, Australia.

A Day Of Surprises, brings us Duncan Fraser's experience during the Great Wader Count as told at the BenCruachan- Natural History blog.

Mick, from SE Queensland, Australia observed the magnificent White-breasted Sea-eagle as it caught and consumed lunch unconcerned with the audience at hand.

Entering Singapore, we join Esther Chang and Micky Lim and their wonderful portrayal of an Olive-backed Sunbird family. A delightful interlude in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life.

We travel to Southern India on our walk (with a helpful boat-ride) and are delighted to find Flowergirl, her bike riding Magpie-robin, and friends.

A quick stop in Stockholm finds us scratching our heads as Gunnar Engblom shares his tale of dipping out on an Ivory Gull.

Time for a leisurely boat ride back to Trinidad & Tobago where we find Chris and his wife on their first day of adventure.

Meandering along to Guan-emala - yes you read it correctly- Mike Bergin of 10,000 Birds gives us a teasing little peek into his trip to Guatemala.

While we're here, let's continue our tropical trek and see what Rick Wright has to share on "Guatemala: T for Townsend's.."

Jeffrey Gordon has it rough, or so he tries to convince us. We meet him along the Rio Frio in Central America and have to listen to tongue-in-cheek whining about his Tough Day At The Office. We all wish we were you, Jeff!

Recovering from Jeff's day we saunter back to North America all the way north to Ontario, Canada to join Seabrooke Leckie as she takes us on a tour of the Royal Ontario Museum.

Further west in Manitoba, Canada, Christian Artuso gives us visual delight and an education as well as we peek into the life of the elusive and beautiful Eastern Screech-Owl.

We've got a bit of a hike before we arrive in British Columbia to view Susannah Fraser's End of a Chickadee.

After a bit of a rest and a good meal, pull your boots back on as we head on down to great state of Texas with J. Kyron Hanson of Austin, waking up from the musings of a nighttime brain in his Dream Birding; Another Realm Of Avian Encountre: Here Comes The Flood - Four Dreams Of Birding In One Night.

Beverly Robinson of Behind The Bins comes clean for us all in her confession of a Cardinal Sin at Brazos Bend State Park.

At David Ringer's Blog, Search and Serindipity, the wind picks up as it tend to do in Texas, but it was a great day of spring birding at the Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area, none the less.

I always love walking along a trail and meeting new birders. Their enthusiasm is contagious and reminds me how lovely those first birds still are. Lets stop and chat with Dave Dolan about his fruitful yet challenging day at Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge.

Is Truth Bitt-er-n Fiction? I guess we'll find out as we hear Felicia Lee's - a Central Florida's transplant - story at OC Warbler.

As we enter North Carolina we find Nate Swick and his musings of a Mockingbirds Song.

On to another lovely state, Vicki Henderson takes us to Tennessee, great art and Spring At The Rookery.

Children, birds, and nature, what better combination is there? We find a comfy park bench in Illinois and hear the story of how a Spark Bird Was The Rabbit They Didn't Buy.. in the Neighborhood Nature blog.

Time to bundle up as we listen to Carolyn H. of Roundtop Ruminations in Pennsylvania, on her experience of a lifetime; a close and personal visit of a Red-bellied Woodpecker.

Before we head back to the west, John Beetham of A DC Birding Blog discusses an interesting aspect of Gulls and their neighbors behavior.

Westward bound now, we find Amber Coakley lounging at Bosque del Apache in New Mexico, immersed in the birds she finds there. The views are tremendous, the atmosphere welcoming so we sit a spell as she tells us her tale.

We are now far along in our walk now as we come to Salt Lake City, Utah. and also deep in thought as we ponder Carel Brest van Kempen's, Pigeon Control.

Bob and Cynthia Kaufman, graciously share their determination and success in finding the Mountian Plover in the Salton Sea in southern California.

Let's not leave California without a glimpse of the misadventures of a cartoonist Donna Barstow.

Larry Jordan of The Birders Report takes us on an Olympic Tour of Synchronized Swimming, in Sacramento, California. Who gets the gold?

We have covered much of the world and heard wonderful stories from each and every place. I think it's time for me to wind down and head home. I've enjoyed journeying with you and sharing and listening to these tales. As my mind wanders from birders to birds and back again, we find ourselves in my home state of Colorado. I'll share this Rocky Mountain High musing from my own Birds 'O The Morning blog. 'Cause as you all may know, birding can mean a lot more than finding good birds.

For the next I and the Bird, please send your posts to Rob Fergus, birdchaser AT hotmail DOT com.

Family Gatherings

About a week ago we had some fun family gatherings at my brother Das's house and my sis Laurens. Dad just turned 75, step mom Judy 74, my mom turned 65 and neice Deannah just had her 21st birthday. PLUS we have a new neice in the family; Dax's little girl Shy Summer. We had plenty of reason to celebrate!

Here are Dad, Deannah, Maggie, Cyrus and my sweetheart Al.

Cyrus and Satchel playin' us all some Johnny Cash tunes.

Aisha and me, I love that girl..Ever tried deep fried twinkies and ice cream? We didn't either! The oil was not hot enough and they became Oily Twinkie Sponges.
A sibling photo for our parents. Dax, Lauren, Me and Satchel. Typical.
Deannah and her sleeping Mom.
Somebody snatching Lauren's yummy mini cheesecakes. Mmm.
Proud papa and Grandma.
Mom and Mary. Mom looks amazing for 65 eh?
A with an Attitude. That's Anna. Maggie making a point.
Ruth in her element. Baby Element. Mom lovin' it.
Anna copying Ruth. But she loves it.
Al and Judy deep in conversation.
Dad's always happy at 5:00!
And Shy Summer. Enough lovin today from the crowd.