Rich Stevens' Bird Trips
December 2001
Jackson Creek Christmas Count 12/29
I joined three other birders today for the Jackson Creek CFO Christmas Count.
While the number of birds was low, we enjoyed hiking in the crisp, cold air.
Winds were mild; temperatures were in the high 30s; it felt cold.
The highlights were six Ruby-crowned Kinglets (a surprise to see them all
in one flock), a Northern Shrike, Ferruginous Hawk, and two Brown Creepers.
A hike along S. Hidden Valley Road passed four or five homes with feeders.
Many Pine Siskin, Western Scrub Jays, Steller's Jays, Black-capped Chickadees,
3 Mountain Chickadees, 2 White-breasted Nuthatches, and 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch
were observed during the hike. We enjoyed the hike on the deserted county roads.
Later Paul Langendorfer and I checked Cherry Creek Reservoir and
Utah Park for geese but found no unusual birds.
Eastern Plains' Christmas Counts 12/26-12/28
Last week CoBus held three Christmas counts. Seven of us
took off for the Eastern plains of Colorado on Wednesday.
Wednesday 26
We did the CoBus 7th annual Bonny Reservoir Christmas Count.
Thanks to two-way radios we were able to cover the territory and
still most people observed the interesting birds that were found.
Winds were mild today and temperatures reached the high 40s.
The day was quite pleasant and made the count and hiking enjoyable.
Thanks to a local birder who had "staked out" several birds;
we all were fortunate to observe a Greater Prairie-Chicken at
Bonny Reservoir and female Varied Thrush at Hale Ponds.
A Barn Owl was found not far from Hale Ponds. Other super
birds seen were 2 Long-eared Owls, a Short-eared Owl, and
2 Eastern Screech-Owls (different locations).
Bryan Ehlmann and Sue Dorsey located a Winter Wren, Swamp Sparrow,
White-throated Sparrow, and Northern Cardinal at Hale Ponds.
While Rebecca Kosten and I found 2 Greater White-fronted Geese
and several Ross's Geese at Bonny Reservoir.
Steve Spencer, Mike Williams, and Jane Schaffer found 2
Least Sandpipers walking along the western edge of Bonny Reservoir.
Of course the resident Eastern Bluebirds and Red-bellied Woodpeckers
were located also. A Golden Eagle flew by late in the afternoon.
The highlight for Rebecca and me was finding two Common Redpolls
just west of the dam. Fortunately, everyone else was able to
see the birds also.
After owling, we drove 40 miles north to Wray after dark.
Thursday 27
Again we split up and found some interesting birds during CoBus' 4th
annual Wray Christmas Count. Winds were again mild; temperatures cool.
Bryan and Sue found a Swamp Sparrow and White-throated Sparrow at
Sandsage WLA. The resident Eastern Screech-Owl was observed also.
Rebecca and I observed 3 Bohemian Waxwings among a flock of 49
Cedar Waxwings. Second White-throated Sparrows and Eastern Screech-Owls
were found also. The other group watched a male Northern Cardinal
come to feeders at a yard in Wray.
We searched for Greater Prairie-Chickens off CR 45 after our count.
None were found today.
Friday 28
Roger Danka and his wife were kind enough to put us up for the night.
My cholesterol must have climbed ski high as her fried chicken is the best.
The winds were quite strong this morning as we conducted the 3rd annual
CoBus Crook Christmas Count. Temperatures were on the cold side.
We all observed a Short-eared Owl flying south of Little Jumbo Reservoir
at first light. Another local friend and birder showed us a Barn Owl
and Eastern Screech-Owl soon after that. A 1st basic Thayer's Gull was
among 30 Ring-billed Gulls at the south end of Jumbo Reservoir.
Bryan and Sue found a male Northern Cardinal just east of the resident
manager's home. Rebecca and I observed three Spotted Towhees, but were
disappointed in not finding an Eastern Towhee west of highway 55. Two
Red-bellied Woodpeckers were found west of highway 55 along with 5
Common Snipe. Unfortunately, no American Woodcocks showed up this year.
Mike, Steve, and Jane found a Greater Prairie-Chicken near the windmill
along CR 93 (southern portion of Tamarack Wildlife Area). A Golden Eagle
stood on a telephone pole just south of here. The Greater Prairie-Chicken
was less than 2.4 miles from where a local birder found 9 two weeks ago
near CR 46 & 89. We checked that area later in the day; without success.
A complete list of birds from the Christmas counts will be sent upon request.
Another Varied Thrush Search 12/25
I searched for 2.5 hours unsuccessfully for the Boulder
Varied Thrush this morning. It was a beautiful winter morning;
no wind, partly cloudy skies, and a hint of warmth in the air.
I did find seven American Robins in the VATH location, which is
six more than the one Robin found during my 1.5-hour search
Saturday afternoon.
Five hundred yards to the South (uphill) to 1000 yards there
are many homes with feeders. Another 20 Robins were feeding
along the fence line here. Good luck to future searchers!
Late Christmas Afternoon
Rebecca Kosten & I traveled to Lair 'O Bear Park in Jefferson County.
The park is known for wintering American Dippers and we were not disappointed.
A short 1.0 mile walk east along Bear Creek produced sightings of 8 Dippers.
One Northern Pygmy-Owl was sighted approximately 75 yards south of the bridge
located across Bear Creek (about 0.5 miles east of main parking area).
The light was too poor for a photo by the time the small bird was found.
Earlier, one Canyon Wren was found along the creek approximately 2.0 miles
west of the main parking area. The wren was walking around the rocks just
west of the bridge across the creek at this point.
After dark we listened for Northern Saw-whet Owls; without success!
South Platte River 12/24
Steve Spencer and I conducted a bird count on the South Platte River.
While it was cold, the weather was superb with no wind.
We hiked from Carson Nature Center to Confluence Park, downtown Denver.
The distance is 13.8 miles; birding time was 8 hours.
The best birds were a Ross's Goose with 2000 Canadas at Santa Fe Drive
and Mineral (southwest corner) and the hybrid Common Goldeneye X
Hooded Merganser just south of Bowles Avenue.
Three Part Day 12/23 Early Morning
Bryan Ehlmann, Sue Dorsey, Rebecca Kosten and I spent an hour at first light
at Utah Park (Arapahoe County). The three Greater White-fronted Geese
reported Saturday did not spend the night at the park. When we arrived all
1,247 Canada Geese had their heads (and frost) on their backs.
Several times during Greater White-fronted Geese chases at Utah Park,
I found the birds to fly in after 9:00am. We are off to other searches
and chose not to stay.
Fifty-two American Crows harassed a Red Fox who took 15 minutes to
traverse the northern edge of the park.
Morning to Afternoon 12/23
Our same group continued to Clear Creek County to find Black Rosy Finch &
White-tailed Ptarmigan for Bryan and Rebecca (yearbirds). The weather
cooperated fantastically. Skies were clear blue; air was crisp and cold!
We only had to wait about 20 minutes today at Loveland Ski Basin. A flock of
80 birds appeared and included 2 Black, 5 Brown-capped, 63+ Gray-crowned Rosies.
The pink underparts looked especially bright in the winter light. What beautiful
birds these are! The Rosy Finches do not appear to be bothered by the skiers
as they stood at the top of the evergreen trees and came down to feed now & then.
Our day was filled with good fortunate. A Three-toed Woodpecker was
drumming away at one of his favorite trees about 20 yards south of the
Guanella Pass Campground. We just exited our car and found the bird!
It makes up for the dozens of times I had to search several hours to
find one of these woodpeckers that stay year round in this area!
Our luck continued as our White-tailed Ptarmigan hunt only took an hour at the
Guanella Pass Summit. A flock of birds was 700 yards south (uphill) from the
junction of the Rosalie Trail & 603 trail (at sign up box southeast from
parking area. The hunt was so quick that Bryan and I decided to hike downhill
to the snow covered lake to the east. Another five birds were sighted here!
We rushed back to Denver so Bryan could catch his airplane home for Christmas.
Late Afternoon 12/23
Sue rushed Bryan to the airport as I read about the Varied Thrush in Boulder.
I had lost all my birding cohorts but decided to try for the Thrush by myself.
A 1.5 hour hike around the open space southwest of highway 36 & South Boulder
Road did not produce a sighting of the Varied Thrush. One American Robin, one
Song Sparrow, and one American Tree Sparrow fed in the area where the Thrush was
observed earlier in the day. There are five or six Russian Olive Trees with
seeds and a small puddle of water in the area. Maybe the bird will return tomorrow?
After sunset, I drove next to Ann U. White Trailhead north of Boulder. My hope
was the Northern Pygmy-Owl sighted earlier in the week might return. No owl
made an appearance during my 30 minute stay. The area is great habitat for
a Pygmy Owl and I plan to return next week. In the waning light, the signs
warning me about Mountain Lions kept me pretty close to my car.
I headed to Lagerman Reservoir with hopes of still finding an interesting bird
in Boulder County. Light was bad by the time of my arrival. I did see a bird
flapping about over the field in the southwest corner of the property. However,
the light was so poor, that I could not positively identify the bird as a
Short-eared Owl (though they fly quite differently than Northern Harriers).
Skunked in Boulder County, I headed for home. The chase was fun though!
Hunt for Northern Pygmy-Owls 12/22
After shopping in the morning, Bryan Ehlmann and I decided to check
several past locations near Denver for Northern Pygmy-Owls.
Temperatures were cold in the mid 40s; last night's snow melted slowly!
We spent several hours walking highway 26 for a mile or so south of
the most southern entrance to Red Rocks Park. No owls were observed.
Our birding day ended with a 2-hour hike along Crawford Gulch Road
near White Ranch & Golden Gate Parks. Again no owls were found!
Birding Southern Colorado 12/21
Nick Komar, David Bray, and I birded in southern Colorado Friday.
Winds were mild and temperatures chilly.
Our first stop was Greenhorn Meadows Park in Colorado City (Pueblo County).
Nick located the Carolina Wren approximately 200 yards east of the bridge
over Greenhorn Meadows Road. Several Canyon Wrens and a Great Horned Owl
were sighted also! Dark-eyed Juncos quietly and Western Scrub-Jays noisily
fluttered about the Juniper-Pinon habitat.
We next hiked the confluence of Fountain Creek and the Arkansas River in
Pueblo in search of the Eurasian Collared-Doves and White-winged Dove
reported several times by Richard Miller. The birds were not there,
however we located the birds a few miles to the southeast in Blende
in the small neighborhood off Frontier Street.
Approximately 80 Eurasian Collared-Doves were found, however the
White-winged Dove eluded us. An adult Sharp-shinned Hawk and
Merlin were also found.
An immature Sharp-shinned Hawk was across highway 50 in
the cemetery to the south.
A stop at Pueblo Reservoir's south marina did not produce a sighting
of the Great Black-backed Gull reported earlier in the week.
Thousands of Ring-billed Gulls and a few California Gulls flew
over the reservoir. Many Red-tailed Hawks and several Bald Eagles
flew over the cliffs south of the reservoir.
We traveled west to Canon City (Fremont County) where the
Trumpeter Swan was still on the half frozen pond at Valco Ponds.
A drive to the west end of Canon City and the Water Treatment Pond on
Tunnel Drive allowed us nice looks at five Greater White-fronted Geese.
We ended our enjoyable birding day with a hike along the Arkansas River
Trail off MacKensie Avenue. Nick sighted a Marsh Wren about 0.5 miles
west of the parking area. Several Song Sparrows, American Tree Sparrows,
and 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets were found in the waning light.
Return to the Eastern Plains 12/20
Gary Weston & I decided to try for the Elbert County Snowy Owl at
dusk since my last two attempts at sunrise were not successful.
We drove up to Jackson Reservoir (Morgan County) first.
Three Long-eared Owls were found. Two Great Horned Owls
were along the northwest shoreline. We could not find any
Short-eared Owls in their traditional location.
Five Great-tailed Grackles were east of the southeast parking area
(below the dam). They were with a flock of 140+ Red-winged Blackbirds.
A drive north of Jackson Reservoir (approximately 7.0 miles up
Morgan CR 4 turns into Weld CR 105) produced sightings of five
Lapland Longspurs. Many Horned Larks were in the area.
Our next stop was Riverside Park in Fort Morgan (Morgan).
No uncommon geese were found today.
A stop at Last Chance Rest Stop (Washington) was not eventful either.
We spent the last two hours of daylight searching for the Snowy Owl.
While 9 Rough-legged Hawks and two Great Horned Owls were found,
no Snowy Owl was observed.
Birding Metro Denver 12/19
Steve Spencer and I checked a few metro Denver birding locations Wednesday.
What a beautiful winter day; mild winds and temperatures reached 50 degrees.
We spent two hours searching for the Long-eared Owls reported at
Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (Jefferson County) 12/14 (and earlier).
There are many places for the owls to hide; we did not find them.
Few birds moved about; temperature was 29 degrees.
Our next stop was Johnson Reservoir in Clement Park (Jefferson).
While there were 3000+ Canada Geese + 1 Ross's Goose on the ice
last Friday, there were none today. We walked over to Raccoon
Creek Golf Course where 1200 Canada Geese were at the corner of
Cross Drive and Wadsworth Blvd. Another 1600 Canada Geese were
along the northern edge of the golf course just south of Cub Foods.
The Ross's Goose was not among them.
A few miles further North is Marsten Reservoir (Denver County).
We found no loons or scoters today. Several Red-breasted Mergansers
were among hundreds of Common Mergansers. No uncommon gulls
were spotted. The reservoir is 100 percent unfrozen.
Our final stop of the day after lunch was the South Platte River as
we hiked between 88th avenue and I76 to the south and back.
Nine Belted Kingfishers were observed during the 4-mile hike.
On the return trip, I spotted a male Barrow's Goldeneye on the
river just south of the green & white water tower.
It was a fine specimen and I remarked that he was bigger than
the bird observed for the past two weeks. This was confirmed
about 40 yards later when we found a second smaller male
Barrow's Goldeneye on the river. This one looked like the
bird of my previous visits.
The highlight of the day came when we reached the northern edge
of the ice on East Gravel Lakes (approximately 100 yards south
of the dam's tower. An adult basic Lesser Black-backed Gull
was standing on the ice. The bird was among 5 adult basic
Herring Gulls, 2 adult basic California Gulls, and several
Ring-billed Gulls. This gave us a nice comparison for size
and mantle color to facilitate our identification.
It was nice to get a cooperative bird for once!
Eventually the gull flew to the most Northern West Gravel Lakes
and then to the most Southern East Gravel Lakes!
Eastern Plains Birding 12/17
I had a most enjoyable day of birding on the Eastern plains of Colorado!
I usually do; however hiking around the snow-covered plains in 50-degree
weather and no wind was most pleasurable today.
At first light, I searched 2 hours for the Elbert County Snowy Owl;
without success. I ran into Jerry Monk who found the bird Friday and
Saturday. The correct directions are posted on the CoBus website (finally)
for those who would like to hunt for the bird. Jerry found the bird
both days in the same location from 6:45am to 7:20am. I staked out
the area this morning, however the owl did not show.
A drive around the county roads produced sightings of half a dozen
Northern Harriers and 14 Rough-legged Hawks. Another 38 Rough-legged
Hawks were observed along Interstate 70 during the 65-mile trip back
to Denver. Several photos of the hawks were added to CoBus website.
After the unproductive owl search I decided to drive 35 miles further
east to Flagler Reservoir (Kit Carson County). I always enjoy a visit
to this wildlife area. While it is only a few miles off Interstate 70,
I have never found it to be busy. I have never stumbled upon another
person while visiting the place during my non-weekend trips. It has
free primitive camping and my bird list here is pretty good in the
spring and fall. Short-eared Owls sometimes show up in the winter.
A flock of American Goldfinch and House Finches attracted my attention
as I approached the northeast picnic area. I was not out of my car for
2 minutes before observing the Common Redpoll (reported by Andrew Spencer
and Nathan Pieplow; thanks much guys!). While I took photos, they
turned out to be witness shots and not of great quality.
I drove next to the southern end of the same picnic area. A flock of
71 Cedar Waxwings contained one Bohemian Waxwing! Again thanks to
Andrew and Nathan for finding and reporting the bird for I would not
have returned to the area today if not for that report. I put photos
of the waxwings in the CoBus photo library.
What a beautiful hike I had. No wind, warm (for winter), I hiked around
the evergreens and bare cottonwoods. Many American Tree Sparrows were
calling and singing. The waxwings buzzed around ignoring me.
Dark-eyed Juncos fed below the Russian olive trees! A male and
female Northern Harrier hunted over the swallow ice covered reservoir
just south of the dam. Several Blue Jays called also.
Northern Flickers fluttered about the cottonwoods. American Goldfinch
and House Finches also chattered nosily. A day like this is the big
attraction to birding for me!
A brief stop at Flagler City Park and a drive around town did not
produce a sighting of the previously reported Eurasian Collared-Doves.
After returning to Denver, I drove over to Utah Park (Arapahoe County).
I hiked around Overland High School south of the park where 4000
Canada Geese were eating along their track. I did not find the
Bean Goose reported by Dan Bridges Sunday morning. I had also
checked the park and high school Sunday afternoon; without success.
One odd Canada Goose? is “hanging out” in the park for the past week.
I put photos of the bird in the CoBus photo library.
Search for Snowy Owl 12/15
Bryan Ehlmann and I drove to Elbert County, south of Limon to search
for the Snowy Owl Saturday. Our 4-hour search came up empty.
It turns out that we drove every county road south of Limon to 6.0
miles south except the one where the owl was found again Saturday.
We were within 0.5 miles of the spot :-(
That is the way birding goes sometimes. We had an enjoyable time anyway!
The weather cooperated; winds were calm; temperatures were near 40 degrees.
The sunrise was a beautiful one however. We observed 18 Rough-legged Hawks
and 2 Northern Shrikes during our trek around the area. One Golden Eagle,
one Ferruginous Hawk, five American Kestrels were also found!
Next we traveled 20 miles east of Limon to Flagler Reservoir (Kit Carson).
A male Red-bellied Woodpecker was flying about in the cottonwoods below
the dam. Not much else was around except for Northern Flickers.
A stop in Bennett (Adams County) on the trip back to Denver produced
a sighting of 2 of the 3 Eurasian Collared-Doves. The birds were in
the trees behind the brown barn (garage?) 1/2 block north of Lincoln
and 1st streets. Two Blue Jays were also flying around the area.
Barr Lake (Adams) was quiet. We did not locate any Great-tailed Grackles
which seem to "hang out" in the area during the past winter months.
Birding In South Metro Denver 12/14
Steve Spencer and I birded several south Denver areas Friday.
The day was beautiful. Temperatures reached 52 degrees. Winds were calm.
The female Greater Scaup is still at Fort Logan Cemetery (Arapahoe County).
I added new photos of her and Lesser Scaups for comparison of the species.
Our next goal was to search for the Ross's Goose reported by Tina Jones
at Raccoon Creek Golf Course on Thursday. There were no geese on the
golf course at all when we arrived at 1:30pm.
We walked 0.5 mile south across W. Bowles Avenue to Clement Park
(Jefferson). The Ross's Goose was with thousands of Canada Geese
on the ice at Johnson Reservoir in the park. The Ross's Goose was
in the center of the northeast quadrant of the reservoir.
Next we traveled several miles north to Marsten Reservoir (Denver County).
The reservoir was 100 percent open water (no ice). A female Greater Scaup
was 10 yards off the shore in the southwest corner of the reservoir.
Steve found an adult male Barrow's Goldeneye (also reported Thursday
by Tina Jones; thanks much) in the center of Marsten. The reservoir
held many Redheads, American Coots, Ruddy Ducks, Common Mergansers,
Red-breasted Mergansers, and other ducks. We found no loons today.
Steve went home and my birding day ended several miles further north
at Belmar Historic Park (Jefferson). The lake is 60 percent frozen
and no uncommon birds were spotted. One female Belted Kingfisher
watched over the western edge of the lake.
I could not find any sparrows, which I found surprising.
Loveland Ski Basin 12/13
I traveled up to Loveland Ski Basin today.
Temperatures were cold in the mid 20s;
winds were quite strong.
Snow started falling around 1:00pm.
I met another cobirder and two Michigan birders and
we watched the feeder at Lift #1 from 11:00am-2:30pm.
Eight-one Rosy Finches visited at 11:15am and Sixty-eight
at 2:10pm. Approximately every 45 minutes smaller flocks
of 24-30 birds would come to the feeder. The two larger
flocks contained 4 Brown-capped & 2 Black Rosy Finches.
The smaller flocks were mostly Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches.
Mountain Chickadees were the only other bird to visit during our stay.
South Metro Birding 12/12
I spent the morning at Chatfield reservoir (Jefferson/Douglas Counties).
Temperatures were in the middle 20s and it was snowing.
Yesterday CoBus received a report of a flycatcher observed Sunday along
the bike path just west of the South Platte River and north of northern dam.
The description sounded like an Eastern Phoebe or Empidonax species.
I searched the specific area for an hour or so and did not find any
flycatchers. Maybe someone else will turn it up?
I enjoyed my hike around Chatfield reservoir in the snow;
no uncommon birds observed. Several Red-tailed Hawks were out hunting.
A hike 2.0 miles up Waterton Canyon (Jefferson) did not produce
a sighting of the Winter Wren reported 12/2. A Spotted Towhee was
along the river about 1.0 miles upstream from the parking area.
A brief stop at Marsten Reservoir (Denver) found few uncommon birds.
One Common Loon was in the distance. I did not carry my scope,
so closer inspection of the birds present was difficult.
The female Greater Scaup continues at Fort Logan Cemetery (Arapahoe).
Far Eastern Plains 12/9-12/11
Bryan Ehlmann, Sue Dorsey, and I headed for Emporia, Kansas Sunday in
search of Smith's Longspur. Weather was cold; winds were strong at times.
Sunday 9
We stopped at Jackson Reservoir (Morgan County). Five Long-eared Owls
were observed along the western side. Two Great Horned Owls were in
the northwest corner. No Short-eared Owls could be located.
Again no uncommon geese were found at Riverside Park, Fort Morgan.
Brush Wildlife Area and Brush Prairie Ponds (Morgan) were quiet.
Last Chance Rest Stop (Washington) contained no birds.
Flagler Reservoir (Kit Carson) did not add any birds to our trip list.
No Short-eared Owls made an appearance this evening.
Monday 10
We spent the night in Burlington and headed to Bonny Reservoir (Yuma)
at first light. Five Wild Turkeys crossed County Road 2 as we headed
into the reservoir. No uncommon birds were found among the Canada and
Snow Geese on the reservoir proper. We did find two Long-eared Owls!
Two Red-bellied Woodpeckers and 7 Eastern Bluebirds were observed
in the Hale Ponds area. Not much else moved about.
Our next stop was Wray (Yuma). We searched for Greater Prairie-Chickens
north of the town; however none were found. Wray Fishing Unit was quiet.
One White-throated Sparrow was located at Sandsage WLA west of Wray.
Our birding day ended in Goodland, Kansas where a search for
Eurasian Collared-Doves came up empty.
We did not find any Eurasian Collared-Doves in Burlington either;
however two Great-tailed Grackles were at the feedlots south of town.
Tuesday 11
Kansas and home!
Eastern Plains 12/8
I enjoyed a sunny, cold day of birding on the Eastern Plains Saturday.
A stop at Fire Engine Station No. 2 just east of Watkins (Adams County)
did not produce a sighting of the Long-eared Owl reported last week by
Loch Kilpatrick. A large truck with engine running was parked by
the few trees that might have provided shelter for the bird.
Two Eurasian Collared-Doves were coming to feeders in Bennett (Adams).
My first county Eurasian Collared-Doves; thanks to Loch Kilpatrick for
finding and reporting birds. The feeders were a couple of houses north
of Lincoln & 1st streets (crème colored house next to vacant lot).
I walked around the campgrounds at Jackson Reservoir (Morgan)
for several hours. At least 7 Long-eared Owls were present.
A White-throated Sparrow was in the taller grasses near the small pond
between Lake and Cove Campgrounds. One sub-adult Bald Eagle stood
on the ice in the far distance. Many Northern Flickers were around.
Few other birds were found; two Blue Jays created quite a caterwaul.
Riverside Park in Fort Morgan held 4000+ Canada Geese.
No Greater White-fronted, Snow, or Ross's Geese were there today.
Latham Reservoir (Weld County) and areas south were checked for
Short-eared Owls. I did not expect success in the middle of the day,
however did not want to stay around until dark.
Up to this point, I had observed only one Rough-legged Hawk (near Jackson).
At least 21 Rough-legged Hawks were observed between Latham Reservoir
and Platteville, CO. Several Red-tailed Hawks and many American Kestrel
were observed along the drive also. One Merlin was just east of Platteville.
My trek took me to Boulder County next. The number of gulls at Thomas Reservoir
was 1/5 of the count from last Monday. No uncommon gulls were there.
I drove the few miles over to Prince Lake #2. The 3000 gulls on the ice
there did not include any uncommon ones (mostly Ring-billed,
several dozen California, and three Herring Gulls).
Last Monday the most gulls were on the above lakes at 1:40pm.
Today at 2:41pm, fewer gulls were around. I returned at 3:30pm
and they were just taking off and flying to the southwest.
I followed the flock; they went to Valmont Reservoir where
they must spend the night. A check of Boulder Reservoir at
4:15pm showed just a few gulls were there.
I next drove to Dodd Reservoir. No uncommon birds were there;
an amazing 9000+ Canada Geese were however! Right at sunset
4:25pm, all but one took off quite noisily and flew south.
I stood at the model airplane parking area at Boulder Reservoir
from 4:35 to 5:15pm. No Short-eared Owls made an appearance.
Maybe the adult Bald Eagle and Red-tailed Hawk in nearby trees
discouraged an owl appearance. A Great Horned Owl stood on
a telephone not far away also.
Slow day at Denver Reservoirs 12/7
I rested most of Friday, however did take a look at
Barr Lake and Cherry Creek Reservoir in the late afternoon.
The wind was strong; temperatures were in the high 30s.
It felt cold; a reminder winter is finally here!
I did not find the Barr Lake Red-necked Grebe;
no loons were found on Cherry Creek Reservoir.
The birds could have hidden in the high waves.
Seven Red-tailed Hawks were observed during a one-hour
drive through Cherry Creek Reservoir. The Northern Shrike
was near the Lake Loop today.
No other birds or people were around!
North Park 12/4-12-6
I met up with Steve Spencer and Mike Williams in the Colorado State Forest
(Jackson County) on Tuesday afternoon. They had already been up there for
two days. We snowshoed into the forest and stayed overnight; it was quite
an experience. Weather was cruel with high winds and snow!
I finally got to see my first Boreal Owl! Tuesday night about 10:00pm
an owl responded to our tapes. Steve managed to put a spotlight on it!
I had heard Boreal Owls for the past 9 years, however had never
seen more than a glimpse of one flying across the moonlit sky.
A second Boreal Owl was heard Wednesday night. We hiked
from Joe Wright Reservoir to the summit of Cameron Pass.
Winds were outrageous.
Approximately 1/2 mile west of Cameron pass summit, a Boreal Owl
was calling (12:05am). We did not stay up there Thursday night to
see if there was a return engagement.
I also found (heard) 2 Northern Pygmy-Owls while driving from
Cameron Pass to Fort Collins (Larimer County) Thursday night.
I suggest driving up around dusk and stopping at the various
campgrounds for a listen. This worked for me.
Other birds were scarce. We did not find any Rosy Finches,
Bohemian Waxwings or White-winged Crossbills. Several dozen
White-crowned Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos were among the
few birds observed. No hawks were seen for three days.
On the trip up to Walden on Tuesday, I first stopped at
Fort Logan Cemetery (Arapahoe County). The female
Greater Scaup was still on the most eastern lake.
Northern Colorado 12/3
I enjoyed a great day of birding in Northern Colorado Monday.
Temperatures reached the low 50s; winds were moderate.
First light found me at Wellington Wildlife Area (Larimer County).
I drove the roads around the WLA in search of Short-eared Owls.
One Short-eared Owl was flying about (6:55am) just southwest of
CR 3 & CR 60. I followed when the bird flew westward. A second
Short-eared Owl joined it at the Schware Unit.
The two birds hunted the field to the south and eventually disappeared
over the hill to the south. A Sharp-shinned Hawk flew out of the trees
to the north of CR 60. Many Western Meadowlarks were about!
My Short-eared Owl search extended from CR 66 to CR 58 to the
south and CR 7 to CR 3 to the east. No additional birds were found.
None flew about the main unit at CR 64 & 3.
After 7:30am, Northern Harriers became quite common as my
count went up to 19 females and 3 males. One Great Horned Owl
stood in a large cottonwood tree in the WLA unit east of CR 64 & 3.
My next stop was Woods Lake (Weld County). It took me 30 minutes or
so to pick the black race Brant out of thousands of Canada Geese.
I could not find any Greater White-fronted Geese, Barrow's Goldeneyes,
or Greater Scaups. Two Ross's Geese were a 400 yds west of the
main group of birds on the ice at the northern end of Wood Lake.
Long Pond (Larimer) north of Fort Collins was the next stop.
Again I missed out on sighting any Greater White-fronted Geese.
A female Greater Scaup was the only uncommon bird found this morning.
One Blue phase snow goose was with hundreds of Canada Geese in
the field just east of CR 50 & 11.
I decided to search for the Tundra Swans on Lake Estes (Larimer).
Maybe I would find a Northern Pygmy-Owl during the 22-mile drive along
the Big Thompson River. Unfortunately none were found while on the
trip up to Estes Park. Winds were 20mph plus when I arrived at Lake Estes.
The Tundra Swans were not to be found, however the Pacific Loon was
in the center of the lake, 60 yards north of the dam. So I at least
recorded my first Larimer county Pacific Loon.
Next, my trek took me by way of Lyons south down into Boulder County.
I checked five or six of the northern Boulder County reservoirs in hope
that the Tundra Swans had flown 25 miles southeast and decided to stop
at a reservoir on the plains. During this trek a stop at some thickets
(on private property) produced sightings of 2 Long-eared Owls!
I made a brief stop at Union Reservoir (Weld). The male Long-tailed Duck
cooperated nicely and was swimming just offshore along the southwest side.
Previously reported Tundra Swans were not around!
I did not see any uncommon gulls, however did not stay for long looks either.
The Tundra Swans were not at the ponds at Walden Ponds area either.
Five Eastern Bluebirds were observed as I hiked around several of
the larger ponds at the Boulder nature area.
My next stop was Thomas Reservoir located on the eastern edge of
Boulder County. The time was 1:41pm and the stop paid off.
Three Lesser Black-backed Gulls were swimming around this small lake
with hundreds of Ring-billed Gulls. Half a dozen California Gulls and
an adult Herring gull were here also. The ages of the Lesser Black-backed
Gulls were adult basic, 1st basic, and 2nd basic birds.
Many thanks for John Vanderpoel for reporting the earlier sightings and
the location of the reservoir. It was my first visit to this small lake.
Prince Lake #2 is not far from here. Many additional Ring-billed Gulls,
several dozen California Gulls, a few Herring Gulls, and an adult basic
Thayer's Gull were on this small pond. Both these ponds are not far
from the Erie Landfill and as John Vanderpoel stated, they are worth
checking throughout the winter. Homes are being built around them and
the future is probably not too encouraging for gull sightings here.
I checked several lakes in Boulder and Adams County on my way to
Barr Lake (Adams). I brief stop at the northern end of Barr Lake
did not add the Red-necked Grebe to my day list.
My birding day ended under a magnificent sunset as I drove my favorite
owl loop north of Denver International Airport. Many stops along the
way did not produce a Short-eared, Long-eared, or Snowy Owl sighting.
Clear Creek and Arapahoe Counties 12/2
Sunday, my brother and I went to Loveland Ski Basin (Clear Creek County)
to search for Rosy Finches. Only 8 Gray-crowned Rosy Finches came to
the feeder at Lift 1 during our 2 hour stay. The Schmokers arrived as
we were leaving. Bill reports that eventually 1 Brown-capped Rosy Finch
made an appearance.
The woman who was filling the feeder "quit" as of last Monday.
Unfortunately, the feeder will probably no longer be filled.
I suggest bringing your own seed.
Updates on other feeders: The Georgetown feeders at 2nd & Rose are
no longer being filled by request of the neighborhood home owners.
The platform feeder in Silver Plume looks to have been taken down.
At sunset Sunday, my brother and I stopped at Cherry Creek Reservoir
(Arapahoe County). The Pacific and Common Loon continue to swim
around the reservoir. No uncommon gulls were sighted.
South Platte River 12/1
I hiked the South Platte River from 38th street to 88th avenue
Saturday morning (approximately 7.0 miles, mostly Adams County).
I was hoping that the 1st basic Laughing Gull reported yesterday
would be still somewhere along the South Platte River.
If it was, I never located it.
The highlight of my morning was sighting an adult basic Mew Gull.
The bird was with 1,713 Ring-billed Gulls approximately 100 yards
downstream of the Sewage Ponds at York and the Platte River
(near I270, Adams County). I watched the bird for 20 minutes
from 25 yards before I moved on downstream.
The male Barrow's Goldeneye was still in the most northern
East Gravel Lakes (east side of Platte at 88th & Colorado Blvd).
Two dozen Red-breasted and 114 Common Mergansers were also here.
During the 7-mile hike, I counted over 6,200 Ring-billed Gulls and one
adult Herring Gull. No California Gulls or Laughing Gulls were found.
My next stop in late afternoon was to Marsten Reservoir (Denver County).
I observed the female Black Scoter in the northwest end of the reservoir
and completed the three scoters for Marsten and Denver County for my
year list! One Common Loon was swimming around in the southwest corner.
My birding day ended at Fort Logan Cemetery.
The female Greater Scaup continues on the lake here!
Notes on Mew Gull:
The first thing to catch my attention was the darker mantle (back).
The bird was slightly smaller than the Ring-billed Gulls surrounding it.
The white crescents on the back were much larger than those on the
Ring-billed. The bill was shorter and narrower than the Ring-billed
Gulls and it had a faint black ring on it. The bird had a black eye
and extensive brown on its head and neck (more so than the Ring-billed).
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