Betsy the Hummingbird's Colorado Summer Adventures

By Paul Grogger

This is the story of Betsy the Broad-tailed Hummingbird's adventures as she travels from the edge of Colorado Springs to Rocky Mountain National Park and meets over 20 fascinating species of birds and other friends along the way. The story is illustrated with stunning photographs of birds and contains supplementary scientific information about each of the birds.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paul Grogger
• Release date: Sep 13, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301475216

Paul Grogger

Retired Engineering Geology professor at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.Continuing to teach field session for Colorado Springs District 11's Gifted and Talented Program.Consultant for Natural Hazards and Resources solutions for individuals and governmental agencies.Author of children's book with emphasis on animals, especially birds.

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Betsy the Hummingbird's Colorado Summer Adventures

Paul K Grogger & Melanie LM Grogger

Published by Paul Grogger at Smashwords

Copyright 2013 Paul K Grogger

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Chapter 2 Pygmy Nuthatch

Chapter 3 Hairy Woodpecker

Chapter 4 American Goldfinch

Chapter 5 Steller’s Jay

Chapter 6 Black-billed Magpie

Chapter 7 Turkey Vulture

Chapter 8 Western Meadowlark

Chapter 9 Damselfly

Chapter 10 Red-tailed Hawk

Chapter 11 Band-tailed Pigeon

Chapter 12 Evening Grosbeak

Chapter 13 American White Pelican

Chapter 14 Great Blue Heron

Chapter 15 Barn Swallow

Chapter 16 American Kestrel

Chapter 17 American Dipper

Chapter 18 Common Raven

Chapter 19 Northern Flicker

Chapter 20 Red-winged Blackbird

Chapter 21 Great-horned Owl

Chapter 22 Mountain Bluebird

Chapter 23 White-tailed Ptarmigan

Chapter 24 Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus)

Chapter 25 Pygmy Nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea)

Chapter 26 Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)

Chapter 27 American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)

Chapter 28 Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)

Chapter 29 Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)

Chapter 30 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

Chapter 31 Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)

Chapter 32 Damselfly, Civil Bluet, (Enallagma civile)

Chapter 33 Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Chapter 34 Band-tailed Pigeon (Columba fasciata)

Chapter 35 Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus)

Chapter 36 American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Chapter 37 Great Blue Heron (Ardea Herodias)

Chapter 38 Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Chapter 39 American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)

Chapter 40 American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus)

Chapter 41 Common Raven (Corvus corax)

Chapter 42 Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

Chapter 43 Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Chapter 44 Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

Chapter 45 Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides)

Chapter 46 White-tailed Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta)

Betsy the Hummingbird's Colorado Summer Adventures

Chapter 1 Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Betsy was a very young and curious hummingbird. She lived in a small nest tucked in the crook of a tree in a nicely forested back yard in Monument, Colorado. The nest was cozy when Betsy and her twin brother Bill were only the size of jelly beans, but now that they were almost fully grown Broad-tailed hummingbirds the nest was getting rather crowded. Betsy squeezed past Bill to stand on the edge of the nest and practiced flapping her wings like Mom did. Bill! she cried, Did you see that! I got a whole inch up in the air!

Good, why don’t you fly away and leave me in peace, Bill muttered.

Just you wait, Betsy replied, once I’m fully fledged I am going to go on great adventures!

And she did.

This is the story of Betsy’s adventures as she travels from the edge of Colorado Springs to Rocky Mountain National Park and meets over 20 fascinating species of birds and other friends along the way.

Click here to go to Science Section

Chapter 2 Pygmy Nuthatch

Soon after Betsy started trying to fly, Bill wanted to start practicing flapping his wings, too, and Betsy wisely stayed as far away from him as possible. As she was perched on the edge of the nest trying to ignore her annoying brother, she noticed a small gray and white bird hopping along a nearby branch. The bird was very entertaining to watch, and when she saw him walk upside down on the bottom of a branch she could no longer contain her curiosity.

Hello, said Betsy. I was watching you and all your family and you certainly defy gravity the way you walk upside down, and sometimes you almost seem to fly backwards. I am still learning to fly, but my Mom can fly in any direction, even upside down.

Really? replied the small bird. I am a Pygmy Nuthatch. Some people consider us the acrobats of the forest as we move from one tree to another looking for food, but we can't fly upside down. How do you guys do it?

Well, answered Betsy, "Mom said that other birds can only get flight power from the down stroke of