Dusky Flycatcher

Yesterday's flycatcher was still here so I got a few better photos of it. It seems that it has to be a Dusky Flycatcher. The empidinax species are really challenging to ID.

I'm pleased to see the Mexican Elder tree has blossoms, but I'm sure the birds will gobble them up before they become fruit. When I was a kid I loved Elderberry pancakes, made with the blossoms, not the fruit, as I recall.

First banding for 2012

Kelly Bryan came down because I had a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, which is the first one we've had in this area for the month of March, so we wanted to band it.

It's also unusual in that it had a couple of white (leucistic) wing feathers.

As Kelly explained to me, it was born last year and hasn't gotten it's adult gorget yet.

Here's an empidinax flycatcher that showed up after Kelly left. Not sure what it is yet.

Update: Kelly thinks it's a Dusky Flycatcher. I'll go with that.

A few clouds

The landscape looked lovely this morning as I drove to the lodge for water. (Rosillos Mountains in background.)

Below is West Corazone peak.

 West and East Corazones as seen from near the lodge. 

Fly saucers

My daughter-in-law bought some Tanglefoot sticky stuff, planning to coat her hummingbird feeders in an effort to keep bees off the feeders. She lives in Alpine and we don't have those nasty black flies there.

But she couldn't clean it off the feeders afterwards, so decided not to use it anymore, and offered it to me. I brought it to the oasis and coated some small paper plates with it, thend hung them by my feeders, hoping to absorb some of the flies. Here's a fresh one...

And here's one I discarded after a couple of days. I don't really notice less flies, but any reduction is better than none.

Nashville Warblers

I don't know how many there were but it seemed wherever I looked I saw one or two.

I didn't try for better photos because I was all pumped up to haul water all day and give everything a good soaking. Things are leafing out and I want them to make shade before the 100° temperatures hit. But I had a flat tire on my pickup and by the time I got that changed I was exhausted, and couldn't risk going for water without a spare.

Oasis looks better this year

Last year's devastating cold in February really hurt the oasis. This winter was mild and I can already see the difference. Now if I can just keep it watered.

Courtyard is greening up as you can see. I heard an Elf Owl in it at dusk tonight. Below is the Mexican Elder tree at the oasis. Looking good, all things considered.

This is the only cottonwood tree that looks alive. The growth is only on the upper portion of the tree but seems healthy enough. Below is one that is dead except possibly the trunk. I'm going to try to keep it alive, for now anyway.