Blog

Apr 28, 2023

Birds bring color back to Lyons after a snowy winter

Western Tanager, and Lazuli Bunting photos by Linda Doucette. The photos were

Western Tanager, and Lazuli Bunting photos by Linda Doucette. The photos were taken off the back porch of her Stone Canyon home. These breeds were also sighted on Steamboat Valley Road in Lyons.

Angie Dickerson, Lyons, said, in May, "I have a massive flock of tanagers and orioles. They’ve gone through 2 packs of suet, 8 oranges, and 4 jars of grape jelly since this morning. They come every spring." ———————

LYONS GOLDEN EAGLES

Pappa Dukes, nature photographer, (also known as Art Trevino) said: "So, I was at the Lyons (LaVern Johnson) park this morning checking on the Golden Eagles that reside there and witnessed two intruding Bald Eagles swoop through the area. Needless to say, the guardian Golden Eagle was not too pleased by them being there!" He took photos of both birds, but we are highlighting OUR Lyons bird here. He uses a Sony A9 for wildlife and a Sony A7Riv for landscape and people.

The birds are protected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under both the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

You can enjoy watching them in LaVern M Johnson Park, along the cliffs, by using binoculars or spotting scope to keep your distance and keep the birds safe. If a bird modifies its behavior in response to you, then you are too close.

Hummingbirds always arrive in Lyons at the end of March, or first week of April. Keith Gleason was delighted at the large number that came to his feeder in Lyons. Art Trevino, whose long-time knick-name is Pappa Dukes, Longmont nature photographer, captured some hummingbirds dunking their heads in the water fountain. Have you ever seen such a thing?!

Remember to use only pure white sugar — no powdered sugar, no artificial sugar. — no honey, (and molasses, or brown sugar) which promotes dangerous fungal growth –no raw or organic sugar, has high levels of iron that could be lethal. For example, honey is known to make hummingbirds unable to retract their tongue, which is a sign of fungal spores that have germinated on her tongue or in her gullet. Your mixture should contain 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. The plain white sugar/water mixture is more similar to actual flower nectar. And, please, no toxic red color! And, lastly, change the sugar water mixture every couple days, as it will start to ferment sitting out for days on end and especially in the sun.====================Did you know that almost 8 MILLION! birds have migrated over our heads almost every day in mid-May? Go to this web page to see all the statistics! CLICK HERE.

For previous springtime Lyons Recorder "photo spreads" in May:WILDLIFE (bears, elk, fox kits)BEARS "etiquette"