Laura

I've enjoyed seeing many birds this Covid-19 Spring.  One of my favorites is the Greater Sandhill Cranes that nest near my house in NW Colorado.  I have lived in this location for 16 years and watched the pair of Sandhill Cranes come back each year to raise young.  Often they have two chicks (which I have learned they call colts) but only one this year.  I sometimes wonder if this year's pair may be one on the descendants of the original pair.  I love to hear them call in the early mornings.   I have heard a "woop woop woop" sound in the evenings for the past several years and could not figure out what it was.  I though maybe an owl, or even a frog.  This year I actually saw a "shorebird" with a long thin bill.  After looking it up on Merlin and Audubon aps, I figured out it is (actually they are - I later found a pair) Wilson Snipes!  What a cool call they have.   Early spring we saw what looked like finches (songbirds), but I couldn't ID them.  They came to our bird feeder.  About the size of goldfinches, but without the full coloration.  As we watched through the spring, the birds changed color and became yellow for the males and more distinct yellowish green for the females.  Yes, goldfinches.  I'm guessing the colors were "grayed out" during the winter.  Does anyone know if that right? Enjoying the course.