Rich Stevens' Bird Trips
January, 2006
Chico Basin (El Paso & Pueblo Counties) 1/31
We traveled south to Chico Basin Ranch. It was another fantastic
Colorado winter day. Winds were mild; temperatures reached
the middle 50s. Clouds did roll in, late afternoon.
Along Hanover Road we observed 2 Red-tailed Hawks,
2 Prairie Falcons, 6 American Kestrels, and a Golden Eagle.
After paying the entrance fee, a map was provided to the location
of the Long billed Thrasher. It took about 15 minutes to find the
Eastern Towhee that has been hanging around for weeks now.
However it was quite by accident as the Towhee came out of
the thickets about 6 feet in front of me, while I was looking
for the Thrasher. These thickets were about 120 yards west
of the stucco shed.
The Long billed Thrasher did not make an appearance for about
1.5 miles. Eventually it emerged from thickets south and east
of the shed. It stayed in a clearing feeding for 6 or 7 minutes.
Eastern Reservoirs 1/30
Chores caused us to pass by and through Cherry Creek Reservoir
(Arapahoe County) again in the late afternoon. What a beautiful
Colorado winter day; did you see that fantastic sunset?
An adult Thayer's Gull stood on the ice on the north side.
The prize however was a 2nd winter Mew Gull (rounder head,
darker mantle, smaller dark tipped bill, white crescent).
Note (added 1/31):
After showing Bryan Ehlmann the photos of the Mew Gull,
I have been reluctantly convinced that the gull was an adult
bird and not a second winter gull. The gull lacked black spots
on its tertials and/or tail. It also did not have "large white spots"
on wings when flying. It's bill looked like a 2nd winter bird?
Another adult and 1st winter Thayer's Gulls stood on the ice
on the south side. An adult Bald Eagle chased most of the
gulls away from the ice on the eastern side.
The Red-tailed Hawk (photo on CoBus photo library) was again on
top of the Barr Lake visitor's center (Adams) where he could keep
an eye on the feeders below. No Great-tailed Grackles found today
at the corral 1.1 miles east of Piccadilly Road & 152nd avenue.
Arapahoe County 1/29
My days and nights have been turned around by so many owling
trips. After getting up late, we stopped at a couple of birding
spots while doing chores.
The Harris's Sparrow again visited below the eastern feeders at
South Platte Park.
We ended our birding day at Cherry Creek Reservoir. Only about
a 1/3 of the gulls were standing around at 4:00pm. Two adult
Thayer's Gulls were on the ice northwest of the swim beach.
Ring-billed and Herring Gulls made up the rest that we could ID.
Search for Brant & Northern Cardinal 1/22
Rebecca Kosten and I decided to make an extensive search for the
Brant recently reported in Aurora (Arapahoe County). It has not
been reported since 1/13 and perhaps has moved on to other places.
We counted about 2100+ White-cheeked Geese at the Aurora Hills
Golf Course and Bicentennial Park. Among them were a Greater
White-fronted Goose and Snow Goose. Circling the golf course
did not turn up the Brant.
We also checked Expo Park, Utah Park, the pond and field near
Aurora Central Library. Thinking that it was time to give up
on the Brant we headed toward Barr Lake and the recent
Northern Cardinal sighting.
On a field at Airport Road and East 22nd Avenue we observed 4300+
White-cheeked Geese. Among this large group were the Brant and
another (or same) Snow Goose. We could identify at least a dozen
Cackling Geese also. Fourteen Deer also fed in the field.
If we drew a line between the Aurora Hills Golf Course
and this field, it would run through the field at the Central
Library and Bicentennial Park.
A few weeks ago we noticed that many geese flew into the park and
golf course around 4:00pm each visit. Perhaps this is where they
came from? This field is across Airport Road from a larger field
which may be part of the Aurora Open Space which includes Star K
Ranch? Another 1200+ geese were on the west side of Airport Road.
Therefore the Brant is still around; much luck is needed to relocate it.
Next we drove to 152nd avenue and Harvest Road. The male
Northern Cardinal sighting was three days old and we expected
no success in finding it (and did not find it).
We drove the subdivision of homes northeast of 152nd and
Gun Club Road and also south along Harvest Road. I went up
to 5 ranches with riparian areas and asked if a Northern Cardinal
had been around. No one had seen one; I left my telephone
number just in case.
Few birds were seen along the trek. The largest flock of Starlings
that I have seen in years (340+) was at 157th street and Calawba.
Barr Lake was slow. A few Dark-eyed Juncos, 3 White-crowned
Sparrows, House Finches, and Red-winged Blackbirds were all
that visited the nature center feeders. A Red-tailed Hawk
stood on the roof of the Center for the whole hour of our stay.
Only a few Horned Larks and one Ferruginous Hawk were
observed on a drive around the DIA Owl Loop.
Valmont Reservoir 1/21
I joined the Boulder Bird Club trip to Valmont Reservoir Saturday
morning. Interesting birds included a Red-necked Grebe, Eurasian
Collared-Dove, and Swamp Sparrow.
We also saw 2 Northern Shrikes, a Ferruginous Hawk, 3 Bald Eagles,
many Western Grebes, 2 Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaups, Ring-
necked Ducks, more Pied-billed Grebes than I have ever seen in one
place (38+), several Belted Kingfishers, and a Great Blue Heron.
The Red-necked Grebe can probably be observed with a scope from
Legion Park (off Arapahoe Road). Monday through Friday I would
try and scope closer to the reservoir from the open space that
is accessed from 75th avenue (about 0.7 miles north of Arapahoe).
Charlie Lawrence and I then went to Dodd Reservoir. A few
Canada Geese around, no Ross's or Greater White-fronted Geese.
Nearby Tom Watson Park only had 120 Canada Geese.
Our final stop was the Denver West Office Complex (Jefferson
County). We searched about 1 minute before finding the Pine
Warbler below the eves at the southwest corner of building #6.
The bird eventually flew six or seven fir trees to the east.
Birding Around Denver 1/20
Rebecca Kosten & I have a friend who manages a restaurant near
Kipling and C470. So, we stopped at South Platte Park (Arapahoe
County) on the way to lunch with him.
The Harris's Sparrow came below the feeders on the east side of
the Carson Nature Center around 12:05pm. Earlier we drove by
McLellan Reservoir (Arapahoe). A couple of Common Goldeneyes
were the only birds on the lake.
We stopped by Addenbrooke Park (Jefferson) on our way north
after lunch. Only 27 White-cheeked Geese were in the park.
A half mile hike along the S. Platte River at 88th avenue and
Colorado Blvd added a pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes to our day list.
We heard about Loch Kilpatrick's Northern Cardinal sighting
near Harvest Road and 152nd avenue (Adams) and headed that way.
We could not locate the Cardinal in an hour drive around the area.
Nothing uncommon was seen at Barr Lake as daylight ended.
Sunday Birding 1/15
Rebecca Kosten & I were in Frisco late this morning searching
for Rosy Finches, etc. Eight Barrow's Goldeneyes and half a dozen
Common Goldeneyes were at the Blue River Water Treatment Plant
in Silverthorne (Summit County).
HINT: To anyone not familiar with Colorado Mountains along Interstate 70.
You want to time your trip to return before 2:00pm on Saturday and
Sundays. If not, with traffic returning from the mountains you can
almost walk back to Denver faster than you will drive.
This holds true almost year round.
We received a call about the Pine Warbler being back at Denver
West Office Complex and stopped around 2:30pm. We circled
building #6 twice; without success.
I then wandered across the street to building #19. A flock of
small birds in front of building #18 caught my eye. This flock
flew to the east side of building #19. The flock included
8 Dark-eyed Juncos, 1 Pine Warbler, 1 Orange-crowned Warbler,
Red-breasted Nuthatch, and a male Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
The flock stayed in the three fir trees north of the east
entrance for about 30 minutes. There is a green drain under
the tree closest to the entrance. Many Robins, Juncos, and
the two warblers went down a got a drink of water several times.
The two warblers also went into the short evergreen bushes on
the south side of the entrance (for up to 20 minutes). When we
departed, the two warblers were in the tall fir tree at the
southeast corner of building #19.
At around 4:35pm we stopped at Bicentennial Park and Aurora Hills
Golf Course (Arapahoe County). Approximately 3200 White-cheeked
Geese and 1 Greater White-fronted Goose were just outside of the
club house of the golf course. No Brant was found. The Snow
Goose was on the golf course pond.
Wild Goose Chase 1/7
Bryan & Sue Ehlmann, Rebecca Kosten, & I met up at Aurora Mall
Plaza West (it's the parking area south of Bicentennial Park,
Arapahoe County). We took advantage of 70 degree high temperature
to bike around and conduct a goose count.
We missed the Brant and Greater White-fronted Goose at
Bicentennial Park, continued to Expo Park and then headed to the
old Lowry Air Force Base (Denver County). We returned by way of
the highline canal to Highline Park, Aurora Hills Golf Course and
Bicentennial Park.
At 200 yards east of Yosemite Street and Severn we found a Greater
White-fronted Goose with 300+ White-cheeked Geese (Lowry Air Base,
near museum).
At 3:30pm, the Brant was walking along the 10th hole of Aurora
Hills Golf Course. The goose was with 4,900+ White-cheeked Geese.
Another 1800 White-cheeked Geese were a little east on the 18th
hole. This area can be observed from the north end of the golf
course parking area, Highline Park, or the Highline Bike Path that
runs along the north side of the golf course.
We continued on back to Bicentennial Park where the Greater White-
fronted Goose was feeding on the hill south of the park pond (this
pond is along the east side of the golf course).
We noticed that at around 4:30pm most of the geese took off and
headed over to the golf course pond and the 10th hole.
So Bicentennial Park and then the west side of the golf course may
be the locations to check for the Brant and/or Greater White-
fronted Goose.
In any case, we decided that I was darn lucky to find the Brant at
Bicentennial Park last Wednesday.
We managed to identify several dozen Cackling Geese. The exact
number is iffy as there were many Lesser Canada Geese around.
Total Bike Ride approximately 9.0 miles. Time: 5.0 hours
Totals (White-cheeked Geese):
Expo Park: 1900+
Lowry AFB: 3700+
McMullan Park: 700+
Fulton Park: 450+
Highline Park: 900+
Aurora Hills GC: 7,400+
Bicentennial Park: 1700+
Another Fantastic Colorado Winter Day 1/6
I circled Denver birding today. What another fantastic winter day.
It's not getting old saying that.
Early in the morning, I checked Bicentennial Park (Arapahoe
County). I did not find the Brant among the 1000+ White-cheeked
Geese on the pond. There were hundreds additional geese on the
golf course, but I did not have a scope.
My next stop was South Platte Park (Arapahoe). The adult Harris's
Sparrow visited the feeders on the east side of Carson Nature
Center from 11:30 to noon. An adult Bald Eagle circled overhead.
At Addenbrooke Park (Jefferson) I checked for Greater White-
fronted Geese. None were found, however there was a Ross's Goose
on the pond.
I stopped at the South Platte River and I270 (Adams). Walked to
the Sewage Plant but there were no gulls around (well a couple of
Ring-billed Gulls flying around).
So I drove around to 88th avenue and Colorado Blvd. The male and
female Barrow's Goldeneyes were right below the green and white
water tower at 0.5 south of the parking area. No additional
Barrow's Goldeneyes or Long-tailed Ducks were found on East Gravel
or West Gravel Lakes. A Peregrine flew by swiftly.
I timed my return to Bicentennial Park (Arapahoe) for 4:00pm.
Again there was no Brant on the pond or among the 300+ White-
cheeked Geese along the eastern side of the park.
I did notice additional geese below the hill on the north side of
the pond. I had to drive around to the parking area off Potomac
Street to see this group. The Brant was among about 200+ geese
here.
I also noticed another 800+ White-cheeked Geese at the city
nursery just north of here. So, if the Brant is not at the pond,
one might want to check here. There was a Greater White-fronted
Goose and Snow Goose among the many geese back on the pond.
Ran out of daylight and headed home.
Birding Around Town 1/5
We stopped by Bicentennial Park (Arapahoe County) around 1:30pm.
We scoped the pond and 1000+ White-cheeked Geese five times and
did not find yesterday's Brant. There were no geese on the
southern hillside (but a dog).
I noticed that during the hour stay many geese flew in from the
East. Sure enough walking up the hill we found another 600+ geese
and the Brant. The Brant was along Potomac Street and just outside
of the park fence. Back on the pond, yesterday's white goose turns
out to be a Snow Goose.
Expo Park (Arapahoe) added another 800+ White-cheeked Geese to our
day count. No Brants.
Two Great-tailed Grackles were at the corral 1.1 miles East of
Piccadilly Road and 152nd Avenue (Adams).
Barr Lake Visitor Center's feeders had dozens of Red-winged
Blackbirds and 3 White-crowned Sparrows. We are not hearing about
any uncommon bird visits here this winter.
Hundreds of Northern Shovelers were on the few open water spots on
the lake. Two dozen Ring-necked Pheasant were in the cornfield
east of Barr Lake's entrance.
Not much was found on the DIA owl loop. Horned Lark count was down
by quite a bit from several weeks ago.
Arapahoe County 1/4
When we received a text message that a Brant was reported last
weekend, first at Utah Park and then Expo Park. We headed over to
Expo Park. However :-) since we passed Bicentennial Park on the
way, a quick stop was warranted.
Best of luck, a dark race Brant was with 1000+ White-cheeked
Geese. The geese were over the hill, northeast of the parking area
and south of the pond. There was a white goose that looked like a
possible Ross's Goose on the pond. We did not try to get a closer
look because it would have disturbed the 1000+ geese between us
and the pond.
Just for the heck of it, we did check Expo Park, Utah Park, and
Cherry Creek Reservoir afterwards. No second Brant was found.
Highlight was our January American White Pelican at Cherry Creek
Reservoir. We ended our birding day by listening to two Great
Horned Owls call to each other (north of the Shop Creek parking
area of CCK).
More Bird Trips
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