This week in birds: Oct. 18-23

I realize that it hasn't actually been a full week yet, but it's close enough for our purposes! Sightings by Matt York (MY) and Heidi Trudell unless otherwise noted.

Oct. 19:
Blue-winged Teal - 5 females at Post Park
Belted Kingfisher - 1 heard at Post Park

domestic ducks - sometime in the last two weeks, someone left 5 white ducks (and a domestic mallard-type) at the park... fecal accumulation and feathers are piling up everywhere; it's very disappointing

Oct. 23:
GROOVE-BILLED ANI - heard (by MY only) at 9:35 AM on grounds at the Marathon Motel; it was not seen though positively identified by voice (we're hopeful that it has not left the area after all!)
Mountain Bluebird - flock of 6 seen around noon

[Edit: Oct 24 - Red-breasted Grosbeak - heard only, GROOVE BILLED ANI photographed!]

Notes:
The "usual suspects" are still present in good numbers in their expected places; Post Park still harbored a few Summer Tanagers, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Black Phoebes, Lark Sparrows, gobs of Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warblers and Lesser Goldfinches. Only one American Goldfinch was

Marathon Motel has seen a decrease in Scissor-tailed Flycatchers around the property edges as they move out, but Curve-billed Thrashers, Cactus Wrens, Canyon Towhees and Say's Phoebe are active as ever, Brewer's Blackbird numbers continue to increase.

Around town, kingbird numbers have plummeted with the cooler weather that has moved in and no nighthawks have been noted. The vulture roost on the NE side of town continues to hold ~20 birds, but the hundreds from earlier in the month have certainly moved on. Swallows other than Northern Rough-winged Swallows (a group of 10-15) are also long gone.

Wilson's Warblers continue to taunt us with our vain hopes of other bright yellow warbler species. Red-shafted Northern Flickers have increased, Pyrrhuloxia have been loitering around the slab at our place as well as a stumpy-tailed Curve-billed Thrasher and the resident Inca Doves.