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(1) You can Sign Up for our "Saturday Bird Walks List" to receive information and results from our Bird Walks, or (2) Sign Up to receive our regular eNewsletters.

Note: The "Bird Walk" list is separate from our "Monthly eNewsletter" list. You can indicate your preferences if you would like to receive one or both. See the "Every Saturday Morning" article below for details on participating in our Bird Walks.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Sunny and warm. 75�F. 2-6 mph. 15 participants.

We had a beautiful morning of collected birders and collecting birds. On this Labor Day Weekend, the word is out, fall is coming. (Don't say that too loudly) We witnessed hundreds of swallows gathering as they have started the move south before all the flying insects vanish. Many groups of yellow-headed blackbirds flew back and forth over us. They also are gathering and moving south. In fact, all of the birds and bird behavior that we witnessed today point toward fall approaching. See if you can spot the approaching season in these warm September days.

View our Regular Saturday, August 30, 2014 Bird Walk

Slide Show

Jim Hamm Pond:
Aug 30, 2014 7:50 AM - 8:10 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.3 mile(s)
7 species

Mallard 2
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Eurasian Collared-Dove 2
Mourning Dove 2
Blue Jay 2
Barn Swallow 2
European Starling 8

Union Reservoir:

Aug 30, 2014 8:15 AM - 9:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 mile(s)
34 species (+3 other taxa)

Mallard 6
Northern Shoveler 1
Green-winged Teal 2
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Western Grebe 6
Clark's Grebe 2
Western/Clark's Grebe 300
American White Pelican 3
Great Blue Heron 6
Great Egret 3
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 1
Sharp-shinned/Cooper's Hawk 1
Swainson's Hawk 2, see Bird of the Day
Red-tailed Hawk 4
American Coot 4
Killdeer 4
Ring-billed Gull 1
gull sp. 20
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 6
Eurasian Collared-Dove 10
Mourning Dove 10
Northern Flicker 1
American Kestrel 6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Bank Swallow 6
Barn Swallow 200
Cliff Swallow 20
Black-capped Chickadee 2
American Robin 1
European Starling 30
Savannah Sparrow 2
Vesper Sparrow 4
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Yellow-headed Blackbird 60
Common Grackle 2
House Finch 2

Sandstone Ranch:

Aug 30, 2014 9:40 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
23 species

Canada Goose 100
Mallard 30
Double-crested Cormorant 2
American White Pelican 2
Great Blue Heron 3
Turkey Vulture 20
Bald Eagle 1
Swainson's Hawk 4, see Bird of the Day
Red-tailed Hawk 3
California Gull 1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 40
Eurasian Collared-Dove 4
Mourning Dove 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Northern Flicker 2
American Kestrel 2
Black-billed Magpie 1
Barn Swallow 6
Black-capped Chickadee 2
House Wren 1
European Starling 4
Red-winged Blackbird 2
Common Grackle 30

Total species seen: 42

Note: Species in bold are birds that were special on the walk for
reasons like a great view, out-of-season, great numbers, or rarity.

Every Saturday Morning

- From 7:30 a.m. (promptly) to 10 am -

Meet at Wild Bird Center of Boulder

1641 - 28th St., Boulder, CO 80301

(303) 442-1322

Every Saturday year-round. No reservations required. Every last Saturday of the month we travel further afield than normal and return a little later. Bird Walk locations are determined on the morning of the walk.All ages and birding abilities are welcome!

To Sign Up for our "Saturday Bird Walks" List or "Monthly eNewsletter" List

simply Click Here. (Note: The "Saturday Bird Walks" list is a separate list from our "Monthly eNewsletters." You can update your preferences to receive one or both.)

--Thanks, Steve

Wild Bird Center of Boulder, CO

AUGUST 30, 2014

Wild Bird Center

Boulder, Colorado

Quick Links

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Slide Shows of Photos taken by participants on our Saturday Bird Walks

2014 (all photos)

2014 (grouped by Walks)

2013 (all photos)

2013 (grouped by Walks)

2012 (all photos)

2012 (grouped by Walks)

Bird of the Day
August 30, 2014
Saturday Bird Walk

Swainson's Hawk

�Steve Frye

Click to Enlarge

Swainson's Hawk

We don't often get to see Swainson's Hawks on the Saturday Morning Bird Walk. Today, we saw them because they are heading south, on their way as far as Argentina for their summer. One bird circled over us for a while at Sandstone Ranch trying to catch an early thermal to lift it on its way. In September, we can see large numbers of Swainson's moving south in groups. These groups tend to move through our area east of I-25, say at Barr Lake.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology,
All About Birds

Swainson's Hawk

BirdFellow

Swainson's Hawk

Youtube Video by
Gary O. Grimm

Swainson's Hawk Hunting and Hovering as Farmer Mows Hay Field