Map: http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=blanca+co&sll=36.994413,-104.480281&sspn=0.008398,0.013754&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Blanca,+Costilla,+Colorado&ll=37.626333,-105.593548&spn=0.066619,0.175095&t=h&z=13
Observation date: 6/7/10
Number of species: 2
Broad-tailed Hummingbird - Selasphorus platycercus 1
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Broad-tailed_Hummingbird/id
Hermit Thrush - Catharus guttatus 1
We arrived at the parking area for Zapata Falls at around 11:30 am. During the short hike to the top I spotted a single male Broad-tailed Hummingbird perched on a branch about 8 feet from the ground. I watched him for a bit then made the final push to Zapata Falls. I saw the same hummingbirds perched above the trail on the way back down - not quite as skittish as I would have expected. The brave little Broad-tailed Hummingbird found his place as 176 on my Lifelist!
Within 20 feet the temperature dropped 15 degrees. Cold air wafted out from the falls, making for a cool welcome to the seating areas alongside the falls. The sound of the falls was deafening - making finding birds by sound virtually impossible. I did notice one Hermit Thrush furtively bounding around near the bench we were sitting at.
Shelli and I rested, took some photos, and discussed where to venture to next.
-Top photo courtesy of Shelli.
-Broad-tailed Hummingbird photo courtesy of Brian E. Small, via Cornell Lab of Ornithology's "All About Birds" site.
-SPQ 6/16/2010
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