[rec.birds] Colorado birds

miller@galaxy.ee.rochester.edu (Ruth Miller) (11/06/88)

Distribution: 
Reply-To: miller@galaxy.ee.rochester.edu (Ruth Miller)
Organization: UR Dept. of Electrical Engg, Rochester NY 14627

 We were in Colorado last week for the Geol. Soc. of America
conference in Denver, and went on a field trip from Vail to
Glenwood Springs, etc.  Since it is my husband who is the geologist,
I spent the time bird-watching.  By a road cut on I70 in the mountains
(west of Vail, if I remember right) there was a stream, with lots
of chickadees, a long-dead deer, a _beautiful_ kingfisher, rattling
back and forth up the stream, and some little black or dark birds
that appeared to be fishing in the stream.  They were smaller than
robins and larger than House Sparrows, did not seem to be bathing, and
had a _lovely_ twittering song!  Any guesses from any natives to the
area?  Thanks!
  --Ruth Miller

murt@uhura.stat.washington.edu (Paul Murtaugh) (11/06/88)

The "little black or dark birds that appeared to be fishing in the
stream" were DIPPERS -- they make their living feeding (underwater) on
benthic invertebrates in western mountain streams. One of my favorites!