Rich Stevens' Bird Trips
May 2004
Several State Parks 5/31
Quite a few of us visited several state parks this afternoon.
Winds finally died down after many days of expeditious gusts.
Our first stop was Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County).
The Black-chinned Hummingbird was in the small tree next to
the fence behind the Ranger's Office. He sat there looking
around for 15 minutes or so (still there when we left).
We walked to the south end of the beaver pond at the 12-mile group
picnic area. Two Virginia Rails answered our tapes (just west of
parking area). A Sora answered our tapes at the south end.
Two Wilson's Snipes walked along the far cattail edge.
One Loggerhead Shrike stood on a cattail south of the pond.
The trees just south of the pond added an Orange-crowned Warbler,
3 Yellow Warblers, and a surprise Virginia's Warbler to our trip list.
Twenty Chipping Sparrows were also fluttering about these trees.
Three Common Yellowthroats popped up from the cattails at the south
end of the pond. Along the hike we counted 5 Lark Sparrows in the
short grasses and one Lincoln's Sparrow along the water's edge.
A Great Horned Owl called from the woods along the western edge.
The pair of Swainson's Hawks is again nesting at their usual
location along the main road. The sandbar at the southeast
corner had many American White Pelicans. Ring-billed,
California, and the one Herring Gull joined them.
Bryan spotted one Clark's Grebe among several dozen Western Grebes.
Our birding day ended at Castlewood Canyon Road (Douglas).
Two or more male Bobolinks popped up from the tall grasses at
the Winkler Ranch. The ranch is located 1.5 miles south of the
southern entrance to the State Park. The Bobolinks were on
the hill 50 yards to the east and 0.5 miles south of the
ranch's entrance. While watching these birds, we heard one
or more Dickcissels. Eventually, one of the Dickcissels flew
to the top of the tall grasses and gave us nice looks.
Other birds fluttering about included a pair of Yellow Warblers,
a Cordilleran Flycatcher, two Rock Wrens, and dozens of Lark Sparrows.
Many Mountain Bluebirds and Tree Swallows challenged each other for
the nesting boxes along Castlewood Canyon Road. A pair of Western
Bluebirds occupied one of the boxes where the road ran east-west.
It appeared that a pair of Violet-green Swallows claimed another
of the boxes.
Five Turkey Vultures flew over the state park. A Red-tailed Hawk
stood atop one of the trees near the northern entrance. Winds were
calm; it was a great and enjoyable sunset.
Cherry Creek Reservoir 5/30
We dropped by Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County) this
afternoon. The Black-chinned Hummingbird was in his usual tree East
of the Ranger’s Office. Not much else observed in the strong winds.
Only large whitish gull was a Herring Gull.
South of Denver 5/15
Rebecca Kosten & I had to attend a birthday party in Colorado
Springs (El Paso County) this morning. We snuck away for an hour
of birding. I dropped Rebecca at Big Johnson Reservoir and I
continued to Fountain Creek Regional Park to cover more territory.
Along the way, I ran into David Elwonger and a birding group at
Little Johnson Reservoir. They had just found a Snowy Egret there.
At Fountain Creek Regional Park I circled the pond below the nature
center, then walked the “warbler alley” over to fountain creek, then
back to South Rice’s Pond, and returned to the nature center.
A Plumbeous Vireo was observed north and below the nature center.
A Northern Waterthrush was found along Fountain Creek where
the path that goes from “Warblers Alley and the south parking area,
West to the creek. No Eurasian Wigeon at Rice’s Pond today;
it was last observed by Ken Pals on 5/8.
Rebecca found several McCown's Longspur at the southeast corner of
Bluestem Prairie Open Space. She also observed a Bonaparte's Gull
flying along the shoreline of Big Johnson Reservoir. (To clarify,
the Bluestem Prairie Open Space is public while Big Johnson
Reservoir is private. Please stay on the trail).
After dinner we headed to Woodmen & Black Forest Roads. As we
passed the intersection, Rebecca thought she saw a Scissor-tailed
Flycatcher down Black Forest Road. Unfortunately, by the time I
turned around, the bird could not be found. We continued to drive
around the roads in search of a nest and signs of Scissor-tailed
Flycatcher nesting. Our luck improved when we reached Sorpresa
Lane. A Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was on the telephone wires to the
west and flew across the road, following Sorpresa Lane uphill to the
East. We did not take the time to follow the bird up Sorpresa Lane.
Directions (unfortunately, I did not pay attention to the roads
another than the bent sign at Sorpresa Lane. From Woodmen and Black
Forest Roads, drive North up Black Forest Road to the road just
north of the park/rodeo area on West side of road. Travel up this
road (Cow Poke Road?) to first turn heading back South (Ski Lane?).
Drive south up this road to dead-end (intersection of Ski Lane &
Sorpresa Lane). Bird can be anywhere in area (as was the case in 2003).
After this we headed East on Highway 24 to Elbert County Road (12
miles East of Powers Road & hwy 24). Then North on Elbert County
Road to Dickcissel field (4.1 miles South of Elbert County Road &
Highway 86). There is a small electrical building where we parked
on the West side of ECR at 0.5 miles North of a Red Barn (East side
of ECR) with a Yellow/White Farmhouse/Museum (West side of ECR).
(Red Barn was approximately 21.0 miles North of Hwy 24). Rebecca
heard a Dickcissel as we got out of the car. It took about 10
minutes for us to spot a bird flying across the field. Twenty
minutes later a second bird stood on top of the alfalfa for a minute
or two. They were quiet during our stay. These sightings beat my
earliest day by 3 days. We heard a Wilson's Snipe in the cattails
in the distance to the east. No Bobolinks were heard or found.
My early date for them is 10 days away. However, Bobolinks have
been found at the Boulder Bobolink Field on Baseline three times
in the past 10 years by 5/14 (four other times by 5/22).
Barr Lake 5/14
I spent 7 hours birding (6:00am-1:00pm) at Barr Lake (Adams County)
Friday. I hiked from mile marker 1.0 to 9.0 to 8.0 and back and then
repeated the trek over to mile marker 6.0. What a beautiful day,
temperatures were in the high 60s and winds mild. Highlights follow:
South of the nature center footbridge, I found House Wren, many
Bullock's Orioles, many American Robins and Spotted Sandpipers.
Two Warbling Vireos chased around at mile marker 8.9. At the
banding station, one tree held over 500 swallows (including Barn,
Cliff, Tree, and Violet-green, Northern Rough-winged, and Bank Swallows).
A male MacGillivray's Warbler was along the canal at mm 8.6
(if we call the banding station 8.7).
A Red-eyed Vireo was in willows along the water’s edge at mm 7.9.
A Least Flycatcher and 2 additional unidentified empidonax species
were found at the Pioneer Trail (mm 8.1). A female Lazuli Bunting
was at the end of the Pioneer Trail. A Swainson's Thrush was just
south of here.
On the return trip to the nature center I found the Blackpoll
Warbler in the trees at the south edge of the clearing at mm 8.6.
During my second pass I watched the Blackpoll Warbler several
additional times. It seemed to pop up now and then while I was
watching the male Baltimore Oriole (mm 7.9) and a male Western Tanager.
A 1st year male Black-headed Grosbeak was at mm 7.8. A lone Snowy
Egret and Great Blue Heron were along the shore just south of the
dam. A single Lesser Yellowlegs was here also. A Common Tern flew
overhead several times in this corner of the lake.
Below the dam, I added 4 Common Yellowthroats, many Eastern and
Western Kingbirds, and many House Wrens. A Belted Kingfisher
checked out a hole in the bank below the dam. A Brown Thrasher
and several Yellow-rumped Warblers were in the trees west of
the Bird Observatory Office.
Cherry Creek Reservoir 5/13
Weather was not great today. Winds, rain, fog, general
wetness and cold made for just bearable conditions.
Too many chores today, I did not get in much birding.
Met with Steve Spencer and Mike Williams for lunch.
We went over to Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County)
to look for the Northern Parula; without success. We did find
a Townsend's Warbler in the tall cottonwoods at the Cub Scout
Group Camping Area (southeast end of camp grounds).
Not much else of interest, we did see the Franklin's Gulls
reported by someone else. They show up every other day or so.
No Bonaparte's Gulls in about 2 weeks now. No sandpipers on
the little shoreline available to them (water level is higher than ever).
Hundreds of swallows flew over the water. This included 60-80
Violet-green Swallows which some birders claim to be rare around Denver.
(I personally have not found this to be the case during migration).
Birding Around Denver 5/12
I thought the cold front would bring in many birds, however my
day birding around Denver was quite slow. It rained most of
the day and rather hard at times.
Chatfield Reservoir (Jefferson/Douglas Counties)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Yellow-breasted Chat
American Redstart
Yellow Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Lazuli Bunting (Waterton Canyon)
Peregrine Falcon
Violet-green Swallows (40+)
Swallows (100s, five additional species)
Marston Reservoir (Denver)
Not much
Belmar Historic Park (Jefferson)
Northern Waterthrush
It seems to be my week for NOWA (near bridge where stream
goes under West of the large pond with covered bridge)
Wilson's Warbler
Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (Jefferson)
Not much
Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County)
Chased the Northern Parula reported by Terry Michaels,
However I did not find the bird in the pouring rain.
I did see a Swainson's Hawk catch a mouse (photo on
CoBus library). No terns or uncommon gulls on lake.
Birding was quite slow.
Birding Around Denver 5/11
Tuesday was a slow birding day. The previously reported Carolina
Wren at Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (Jefferson County) was missed again.
I did not find the Baltimore Oriole reported Monday at Barr Lake
(Adams County). Belmar Historic Park was slow also. I walked from
Washington Avenue along Clear Creek to the confluence with the South
Platte River and then north to 88th avenue. Few birds were
encountered.
The highlight was watching the Little Blue Heron at the small pond
0.3 miles North of 88th avenue and the South Platte River. When I
arrived the bird was in the northwest corner. It quickly walked the
whole north shore to the northeast corner. When it reached the east
side, the bird flew over my head and across the Platte to the pond
to the east.
Later, I walked back to 88th avenue and 0.4 miles East. The Little
Blue Heron was along the north shore of the quite small pond right
along 88th avenue (approximately 0.2 miles East of Dahlia). A large
truck drove by and scared the bird, which then flew to the larger
pond to the north (just west of earlier pond along the Platte).
I could see the Little Blue Heron from the driveway of the Department
of Wildlife Office for Hunter Education (which is another 0.3 miles
East). So, bird is probably still around but moving a bit.
There are plenty of ponds in the area on which it can feed.
Boulder County Warblers 5/10
After getting a text message from Loch Kilpatrick, I headed to
Boulder to search for the male Cape May Warbler. The bird was
observed earlier in the morning along Boulder Creek behind the library.
I did not find the bird at first and continued to walk west past 9th
street. A Prothonotary Warbler fluttered about the lower limbs of
the trees south of the Chief Niwot Sculpture. The bird eventually
flew to the south side of Boulder Creek. Fortunately, Stan Roth
and another cobirder came by first and observed the bird.
We headed back east and found the male Cape May Warbler in
a tree that hung over the library. The bird worked its way toward
the footbridge to the east. It stayed too high in the tree for a proper
photograph. Thanks Loch Kilpatrick for the "heads up".
I then decided to go west to the Children's fishing pond west of
9th street to search for the White-eyed Vireo reported several days
earlier. I did not find the vireo, however did come across a male
Rose-breasted Grosbeak. The grosbeak was in the trees at the east
end of the pond and south of the gravel path. A couple of Chimney
Swifts flew overhead during my hike.
My next stop was Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (Jefferson County) to search
for the Carolina Wren reported near the tree bridge earlier in the
day. The wren was not found in a two-hour search. I did come
across a Northern Waterthrush along the small stream that runs under
the tree bridge. The warbler was just downstream from where
the creek runs under the corner of the fenced in area west of the
tree bridge. No additional warblers were found as the wind picked
up speed with the incoming cold front.
My last stop of the day was the DIA owl loop (Adams County).
Ten Burrowing Owls were found during the drive.
Winds and threatening thunderstorms convinced me to not
stop at Barr Lake.
Birding Around Denver 5/1
Another cobirder and I returned to Cherry Creek Reservoir
(Arapahoe County) Saturday afternoon.
Fourteen Willets walked the shoreline south of the southwest boat
ramp. We did not see the Whimbrel or Marbled Godwit today.
Terns included 8 Forster's Terns and at least 1 Common Tern.
We were not sure about 3 additional terns.
The Great Egret was not at the Cottonwood Creek Wetlands Pond.
Five Black-crowned Night-Herons and a Great Blue Heron were however.
After dinner with a friend who lives near Denver City Park, we stopped
briefly and found one Greater White-fronted Goose at Ferril Lake.
Our last stop of the day was Barr Lake (Adams).
Nothing exciting was found; our list included:
Willets (8), Lesser Yellowlegs (14), Greater Yellowlegs (5),
Baird's Sandpipers (4+), Spotted Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper,
American Avocet (7+), 1 Bullock's Oriole.
A Peregrine Falcon flew over the banding station area (mile marker 8.7).
We also found 2 male Audubon's Warblers and 1 male Myrtle's Warbler.
An Orange-crowned Warbler and Hermit Thrush also were added to our
list. A Swainson's Hawk and Great Horned Owl stood on the same
cottonwood tree limb near mile marker 8.5.
A lone Western Kingbird hawked insects at the boat ramp parking area.
Four additional American Avocets were with a Great Blue Heron at the
runoff pond at 128th avenue and Tower Road. A pair of Great-tailed
Grackles was at the Emerald Sod Farm (just south of the same intersection).
A total of 14 Burrowing Owls were found on the DIA Owl Loop.
(5) --3.4 miles/East/Tower Road & 96th Avenue
(2) --0.7 miles/East/Picadilly Road & 128th Avenue
(2) --Powhaton Road & 120th Avenue/SW corner
(7) --Buckley Road/between/56th-88th avenues (walk in only)
Our great birding day ended under a beautiful Colorado sunset.
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