Rich Stevens' Bird Trips
October, 2006
Cherry Creek Reservoir 10/29
While doing chores we stopped off at Cherry Creek Reservoir
(Arapahoe County). What a beautiful day with temps in the 60s and
no wind!
From the extreme northeast corner I could pick out a Pacific Loon
in the southeast corner of the reservoir. It took awhile to ID
because we were looking somewhat toward the sun. Later, we got
better looks from the eastern side of the Lake Loop (on the
reservoir's south shore).
From the Lake Loop, I counted at least 4 Common Loons and an adult
Lesser Black-backed Gull. Other birder came by and reported up to
10 Common Loons and a Great Black-backed Gull.
Many of the Eared, Horned, and Pied-billed Grebes observed earlier
in the week were still off the Lake Loop shore.
The sandbar off the southwest marina also had many gulls,
157 American White Pelicans, and one Bonaparte's Gull.
It was an enjoyable 2 hours. May not be too many more with
winter approaching. Most of Thursday's snow has melted.
Mountains and Plains 10/28
Dave Moore and I headed to Summit County in search of Rosy Finches
and other mountain birds Saturday morning. We made a stop at
Loveland Pass first (Clear Creek County). Here we found 2 White-
tailed Ptarmigan walking across the path on the east side of
highway 6 (trail up Mt. Sniktau). We were approximately 400 yards
up the trail.
While driving around Dillon/Silverthorne, we did find a couple of
Rosy Finches, Pine Grosbeaks, Mountain Chickadees, Black-capped
Chickadees, three nuthatch species, Evening Grosbeaks, Downy
Woodpeckers, and Hairy Woodpeckers. No Barrow's Goldeneyes
were at the Blue River Water Treatment Plant.
On the way back to Denver, we drove around Silver Plume (Clear
Creek). A flock of 7 Gray-crowned Rosy Finches were flying
around behind the Fire Station. They did not land.
Few birds were found at Red Rocks Park (Jefferson).
In the afternoon, Rebecca Kosten & I drove over to Barr Lake
(Adams). We scoped the lake from the boat ramp and the Niedrach
Trail. The White-winged Scoter reported by Hill on Thursday was
not found. Rebecca found a Harris's Sparrow in the woods north
of the Niedrach bench. Several American Tree Sparrows were around
the banding station. No warblers were found.
We spent the last hour of daylight sitting and watching the
feeders behind the Visitor Center. About 10 White-crowned
Sparrows and 1 Song Sparrow frequented below the feeders.
The wind was calm and skies were clear. It was a pleasant
hour with the sounds of the sparrows kicking about the brushes.
The Harris's Sparrow never came across the canal and visited
the feeders during our stay. Perhaps, tomorrow?
After sunset, we drove the DIA Owl Loop. A pair of Northern
Harriers hunted across the field along 128th avenue. No Short-
eared Owls were found this evening. We found a pair of Great-
tailed Grackles at East 160th Avenue & Harvest Road.
Search for Front Range Scoters 10/27
Bryan Ehlmann & I continued our unsuccessful hunt for scoters
along the front range. Highlights included:
We scoped Standley Reservoir (Jefferson County) but did not find
the previously reported Tundra Swan or Black Scoter.
From there we headed to Boulder County. A Common Loon was
swimming around the western side of Boulder Reservoir. If the
Greater Scaup reported by Jack Harlan on 10/22 was still around,
we could not find it.
There were few gulls at Prince Lake #2. Ish Reservoir was a bust
also.
We scoped Union Reservoir (Weld) for over an hour and from several
locations. We could not pick out the Red-necked Grebe (if still
there). We did see a Common Loon. Unfortunately, we heard later,
that the Brown Pelican was back at Lake Loveland (which we decided
to skip).
In Larimer County: Boyd Lake State Park had a few gulls but no
Lesser Black-backed Gull. There were few gulls at Horseshoe Lake.
We managed to find the Tundra Swan at Bud Mielke Reservoir.
Ryan's Gulch Reservoir and Cattail Ponds had no uncommon birds.
Horsetooth Reservoir was a bust also.
Summary: No scoters or uncommon gulls were found today.
Several Area Reservoirs 10/26
Bryan Ehlmann and I ventured out into the snow today. Roads
really were not that bad if we stayed away from heavy traffic
routes.
We did not hike the whole 7.8 miles around Aurora Reservoir.
Instead we scoped the lake from mile marker 5.0 (east end of the
dam is mm 6.0). Then we scoped from mile marker 1.5. There were
several coves that we could not see. Visibility was not bad;
however winds were 30+mph.
Highlights included the Pacific Loon, 1 Common Loon, 1 Bonaparte's
Gull, and a female Greater Scaup.
Next we stopped at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). Again
visibility was not the best. We did get luck and see a Pacific
Loon not far off the jet ski area. We also found 5 Common Loons
and a Bonaparte's Gull (swim beach).
It took us awhile to get down to Chatfield Reservoir
(Jefferson/Douglas). We did not have much luck here. One Common
Loon was about the only uncommon bird we could pick out. Most of
the Murrelets reported in Colorado have been reported from here
(between Nov 1 and Nov 14 and during snowstorms). We thought it
was worth the try to scope the lake.
Cherry Creek Reservoir 10/25
I lead a short bird class/field trip today. We managed to beat
most of the rough weather predicted. Winds did not pick up until
about noon. I spent from 8:00am to noon with the other birders;
then I hiked the perimeter of the park until 3:00pm.
From the Lake Loop, we saw four species of grebes (Horned, Eared,
Pied-billed, and Western), a Pacific Loon (in the far southeast
corner), 5 Common Loons, and 62 American White Pelicans
landing near the north shore.
We then went over to the southwest marina and counted 92
additional American White Pelicans, 57 Double-crested Cormorants,
1 Herring Gull, dozens of California Gulls and Ring-billed Gulls,
and a juvenile Bonaparte's Gull.
Later from the jet ski area I got much better looks at the Pacific
Loon. At the swim beach I found an adult Bonaparte's Gull and
an adult Common Tern.
Finally, I hiked the north end of the campgrounds. In the piles
of brush northwest of the campgrounds, I found 2 American Tree
Sparrows, 3 Song Sparrows, 9 White-crowned Sparrows, and
1 Lincoln's Sparrow!
Hawks counted during the day included 2 Red-tailed Hawks,
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk, and a female Northern Harrier.
Mountain Birding 10/24
Roger Danka and I headed into the mountains today. The weather
was fairly nice with temperatures in the 50s and mild winds.
There was a snowstorm approaching from the west and we kept
close eyes (ears) to the weather report.
Before sunrise we played a tape at the lower parking area for Pine
Valley Ranch Park (Jefferson County). A Northern Pygmy-Owl
almost immediately responded to the tape. Try as we might, we could
not find (see) the owl. After sunrise we walked the south side of
Pine Lake. A male American Three-toed Woodpecker responded
to our Three-toed Woodpecker tape. He was about 50 yards east
of the Buck Gulch Trail and 40 yards south of Pine Lake.
From there, we continued south on Highway 285 to Highway 24 and
then over to Spinney Mountain Reservoir. Our quest to find
scoters was rewarded here. We managed to find 3 Surf Scoters and
2 White-winged Scoters. Unfortunately, the Black Scoter reported
on 10/19 was not found. We also observed 2 Common Loons. If the
"possible" Yellow-billed Loon reported on 10/22 was out there,
we did not locate it.
Our next stop was Eleven Mile Reservoir (also Park County).
Our luck continued as we observed 2 additional Surf Scoters and
another White-winged Scoter. Loon wise, we found 2 Common Loons
and a Pacific Loon. Later, we heard that a Red-necked Grebe and
Red Phalarope were found; we missed them both.
We decided to skip Antero Reservoir and headed east along Hwy 24.
A stop at Lake George found 2 Great-tailed Grackles flying north.
A Swamp Sparrow answered our playback tape (while we were
on the south side).
We turned south and drove around the town of Victor (Teller
County). Two Brown-capped Rosy Finches and 7 Gray-crowned Rosy
Finches were flying around Main Street. We watched the beautiful
sunset at Victor and then headed down Phantom Canyon Road.
We did not locate any Spotted Owls. I have about 5 locations
where they have been found in the past. None were around tonight.
After leaving Phantom Canyon, we stopped at the "Oro"s (dry creek
beds crossing Phantom Canyon Road). A Northern Saw-whet Owl
answered our playback at the first Oro north of Oro Juno (which
is signed; I forgot to look for the name of the Oro where the
Northern Saw-whet Owl was. Several times in the past, I have
found Northern Saw-whet Owls at Oro Juno).
Our last stop of the night (early morning) was Beaver Creek
Wildlife Area (Fremont). We stopped and played a Northern Pygmy-
Owl tape at several parking areas (both forks of the wildlife
area). A Northern Pygmy-Owl briefly answered our tape at the
first parking area of the left fork of the wildlife area.
From here, we headed back to Denver to beat the predicted snowstorm.
Note: added later (The snowstorm was late in arriving.)
By Thursday night, Denver had received 12 inches of
snow in some parts.)
Cherry Creek Reservoir 10/23
Kind of rushed right now, however wanted to say that photos of the
Garland Park (Denver County) goose are now on the CoBus Photo
Library. After looking at the photos, it appears that the goose
may be a Ross's X Lesser Snow Goose Hybrid. It was quite small
in size. Bill has a hint of the grin patch. Comments welcomed.
We then went over to Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe) and were
quite lucky. The Red throated and Pacific Loon were just off the
eastern shore at the Lake Loop. We also counted 5 Common Loons.
I ran into several other cobirders who counted 7 Common Loons and
a Surf Scoter. Unfortunately, we were not able to locate the scoter.
There is still a high number of Eared Grebes and Horned Grebes.
Pelican count is well over 80 birds. Gulls included many
Ring-billed, California, and a Herring Gull. Several dozen
Double-crested Cormorants continue also.
Into the Northern Mountains 10/22
Roger Danka and I headed into the mountains in search of Rosy
Finches and Barrow's Goldeneyes. We ran into snow and high
winds on several occasions.
It was snowing when we drove by Georgetown; so we decided not
to try and get up Guanella Pass (Clear Creek County). Instead we
checked the mountain side at Loveland Pass (Hwy 6). Our scopes
could not be held steady in the strong winds (35+ mph).
Results: no Ptarmigan
We drove around Dillon and Silverthorne next. A few Pine
Grosbeak, Evening Grosbeak, Rosy Finches, Mountain Chickadees,
Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, and Pine Siskin were found.
The drive north was uneventful until we reached Windy Gap
Reservoir (Grand County). Four Barrow's Goldeneyes were
on the northeast shore.
We continued to Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain Reservoir (Grand).
No much was found on Grand Lake. However, we had a good time at
Shadow Mountain Reservoir. Roger picked out a Surf Scoter among
11 Barrow's Goldeneyes. This may be a first scoter sighting for
Grand County.
We ended the daylight portion of our day by checking Jackson
CR 26 for Greater Sage-Grouse; without success.
After dark we checked Cameron Pass for Boreal Owls. Only one
Boreal Owl was found as we stopped every 0.5 miles along
Highway 14 from the Colorado Forest Visitor's Center to the
Upper Joe Wright Reservoir parking area.
The next morning we checked CR 25 for birds. Here we found a
Greater Sage-Grouse about 0.2 miles south of Highway 14. A lone
Sage Thrasher was quite a surprise this late in the season!
Rocky Mountain Arsenal 10/21
I went on the DFO trip to Rocky Mountain Arsenal this morning.
At 8:00am temperatures were in the high 30s; winds were calm.
The ground and tree branches were covered with last night's snow.
It was a beautiful spectacle that made the trip worthwhile.
The birds were a bonus.
We ended up with 47 species. Highlights included an adult and
juvenile Chipping Sparrows below the feeders near the visitor's
center. Seven American Avocets and 8 Long-billed Dowitchers
walked the shore of Lower Derby Lake.
We also found 4 Great Horned Owls, many Eared Grebes and
one Horned Grebe. A Prairie Falcon passed overhead.
On the mammal side, we saw plenty of White-tailed and Mule Deer.
Four Coyotes wandered the property. A racoon was stuck in the
trash dump by the visitor's center.
Access is restricted to Saturdays and Sundays only. Options
include hiking trails or the tram which leaves somewhat after
noon (call for reservations).
Afterwards, I drove the DIA Owl Loop in search of Burrowing Owls.
I did not find any and my late date of 10/20 was not broken.
Last sightings were 10/14 and 10/17.
I received a call from Terry Michaels and drove over to Cherry
Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). It took about 20 minutes; finally
the Red-throated Loon was spotted below the dam.
I was surprised by the high number of Eared, Horned, and
Pied-billed Grebes around the lake. One female/immature
Common Merganser also was out diving for food. Over 60
American White Pelicans stood on the sandbar north of
the southwest marina.
Aurora Reservoir Hike 10/20
The story of Aurora Reservoir today was definitely the wind.
My arrival at 8:00am was with winds around 15+mph.
By 11:00am however, the wind died completely. It was
so quiet, that several wind surfers had to paddle back to shore.
My 8.2 mile hike initiated at the west end of the dam.
Birding appeared to be slow today, so I decided to walk
the entire shoreline. This increased the 7.8 mile bike path
distance by a little bit. The only shorebirds of the day
were 2 Baird's Sandpipers just south of the dam (at mile
marker 7.4). Several American Pipits walked the shore also.
The majority of the 10 White-crowned Sparrows and 16 Song
Sparrows were found around the willows and cattails at mm 1.0.
A lone Common Loon was swimming 10 yards off shore at mm 1.5.
The cove at mm 2.0 had most of the 18 Horned Grebes and 6 Eared
Grebes that I found throughout the day. By now the time was
11:00am. On the hill behind me, 3 Great Blue Herons stood on
the prairie, perhaps hunting grasshoppers which did seem quite
numerous. Still it was a little strange to see them so far from
water. The mm 2.0 cove had 37 California Gulls; they appeared to
stick together. If fact, it was the only species of gulls here.
A lone Double-crested Cormorant stood on a stump in the cove at
mm 2.5. This cove has a nice collection of dead trees and stumps.
It appears it would make a nice rookery? Maybe they are just too
far from the foothills? A male Belted Kingfisher flew by
chattering at my close proximity to his hunting grounds.
Out on the point, I counted 341 Ring-billed Gulls, 17 California
Gulls, and 127 Canada Geese. Four Northern Flickers searching
for food on the ground here were the only woodpeckers of the day.
A couple of additional Horned Grebes, pair of Eared Grebes, 57
American Coots, and a raft of 21 Ruddy Ducks swam in the mm 3.0
cove. A second Common Loon and a Pacific Loon were also here.
The bike path at the south end of this cove is the farthest point
in my hike.
Another surprise in the few cottonwood trees here (and at the
whole reservoir for that matter) was that a male American Kestrel
chased a Sharp-shinned Hawk out. The Sharp-shinned Hawk
appeared out of place with so few trees to hunt around and rest.
The mm 4.0 cove had mostly Mallards (61), Gadwalls (7), Green-
winged Teal (4), Northern Shovelers (9), and many more American
Coots. By the time I reached this cove at 3:00pm, winds started
to pick up. A male Northern Harrier flew quickly by (or was
blown by).
Winds were well over 35mph by now. It was like I was in a
blizzard, not of snow, but of plant seeds with white tails.
Not only did the wind take my breathe away, but keeping the
seeds out of my nose and mouth was quite difficult. A jogger
(the only person I met during my trek), laughed at his seed
covered face (picking the seeds out of his nose and mouth also).
Because I had decided to hike counterclockwise, the second half
of my hike was directly into the north-northwest winds. A Northern
Shrike tried desperately to hold on to the barb wire fence at mm
4.5. Four American Tree Sparrows were the only passerines that
I found on the second half of my hike.
While watching the shrike, I noticed that there was a funnel of
Franklin's Gulls overhead. Perhaps as many as 81 spiraled up from
20 feet to thousands of feet above my head. What did the gulls
thousands of feet above have to gain? Or were they just caught up
in the winds as I was? I tried to hold my binoculars steady and
study as many of them as possible. Perhaps the Laughing Gull that
spent several weeks before up in Weld County was among them?
I however, never could pick out one.
Five hundred plus gulls stood on the shore at mm 6.0. The dam
offered some protection from the howling winds. Most were Ring-
billed Gulls with around 24 California Gulls. I did not find any
uncommon gulls. The Bonaparte's and Great Black-backed Gull
which were around last weekend could not be located (if they were
still around).
I sat below the west end of the dam to get a little respite from
the winds. A few gulls were out on the water, but most birds
were blown down to the south end and too far away to see.
At 5:00pm, the sun was coming and going behind the low clouds.
When it finally dropped below the clouds (as the sky was clear to
the west), it lit up the gulls as while spots against the higher
dark clouds. The gulls formed a constant stream of white birds
flying north to the landfill only a mile away.
I was hoping for a spectacular sunset, but was fooled by a line of
fast moving clouds coming over the Rocky Mountains in the distant
west. It started to rain about 5:15pm and I left to just miss
a downpour.
Search for White-tailed Ptarmigan 10/19
Bryan Ehlmann, Jesse Abrams, and I went to search for White-tailed
Ptarmigan on Guanella Pass. Temperatures were in the middle 20s;
winds were quite strong (30+mph).
First we drove into Summit County to search for Rosy Finches.
We managed to find a small flock of 9 Brown-capped Rosy Finches
and 1 Gray-crowned Rosy Finch. Four Evening Grosbeaks,
2 Pine Grosbeaks, White-breasted Nuthatches, Pygmy Nuthatches,
and 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpeckers, and
Hairy Woodpeckers were also located.
No Band-tailed Pigeons or Rosy Finches could be found in Silver
Plume and we continued east.
Fortunately, once at Guanella Pass we decided to check the last
place I had observed White-tailed Ptarmigan first! We found 3
White-tailed Ptarmigan about 30 yards below the Rosalie Trail at
500 yards east of the 603 trail. Every now and then, a quick find
of this bird is welcomed. I put in about 110 hours of searching
last season. Two successes for two trips this new season is nice!
A quick side trip to Empire did not find any uncommon birds.
We were looking for Band-tailed Pigeons or feeders that might
be productive once much snow falls.
Next we wanted to see if any Williamson's Sapsuckers were still
at Genesee Mountain Park. We walked around for about two hours
without finding any.
We received a text message about the Winter Wren at Red Rocks Park
(Jefferson) and briefly checked that out; without success. Half
a dozen Dark-eyed Juncos and 2 Western Scrub-Jays fluttered about
the bushes where Ken Chavez had earlier found the Winter Wren.
Our birding day ended at Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (Jefferson).
We did not find any Eastern Screech-Owls at their usual haunts.
Arapahoe County Reservoirs 10/18
Bryan Ehlmann and I checked out several Arapahoe County Reservoirs
today. It was cold at 7:30am; winds were mild.
Chatfield Reservoir: (Jefferson/Douglas Counties) We actually
started at Chatfield Reservoir. Nothing uncommon stood out at
Plum Creek Delta, the southeast sand spit or below the Heron
Rookery. We did see one Common Loon below the overlook.
Most Murres and Murrelets reported in Colorado are found after
a late October, early November snowstorm. We did not find any.
Aurora Reservoir: We hiked the 7.8 miles around Aurora Reservoir.
Birds were few; however we did find a few good ones. A Common
Loon swam off the northwest corner of the dam (mile marker 7.0).
We continued counterclockwise and ran into 4 American Tree
Sparrows in the willows along the shore at mm 7.3.
A dozen Ruddy Ducks, 17 Western Grebes (no Clark's Grebes),
and many White-cheeked Geese were out on the lake.
We continued around to the south end and found 1 Bonaparte's Gull
among 350+ Ring-billed Gulls and 21 California Gulls at the mm 1.0
shore.
In the cove at mm 3.0, we watched a Surf Scoter and 37+ American
Coots. Two Double-crested Cormorants and a Great Blue Heron
were also here. A flock of 34 Sandhill Cranes flew overhead.
Another mixed group of 200+ gulls were at the mm 4.0 shore
(no uncommon gulls). We found 2 or 3 additional American Tree
Sparrows at mm 4.5.
Another 200+ gulls were below the eastern end of the dam.
That was just about our daily count here.
Quincy Reservoir: We could see 80+ Ring-billed Gulls and half
a dozen California Gulls at Quincy Reservoir. Nothing uncommon
could be found as we scoped from outside the fence. It is a
separate $5 fee per person to go into the reservoir; we saw no
need for a closer look.
Cherry Creek Reservoir: Our birding day ended at Cherry Creek
Reservoir. Again birding was pretty slow. Bird count included;
11 Ring-billed Gulls, 2 California Gulls, 7 Great Blue Herons,
400+ American Coots, 100+ Western Grebes (no Clark's Grebes
were picked out), 6 Horned Grebes, 2 Eared Grebes, 5 Pied-billed
Grebes, and many Killdeer. No shorebirds were off the Bird
Platform at the Cottonwood Creek Loop. Our only hawk of
the park was 1 Red-tailed Hawk.
Birding In the Snow 10/17
We again searched for the Baird's Sparrow on Roger's ranch;
without success. Conditions were terrible as we measured
20+mph winds with gusts up to 36mph.
Late in the afternoon, I drove over to Cherry Creek Reservoir.
Mostly to get groceries, but I had to stop at the park too!
Visibility was terrible; I could not see 75 yards onto the lake.
I only counted 7 gulls (5 Ring-billed, 2 California) while scoping
the lake from all sides.
At the Dam Tower Loop, I barely could make out a Common Loon
about 50 yards off shore. Many American Coots swam along the
shoreline around the whole lake.
A Cooper's Hawk fly through the woods while I walked down to
the Bird Platform at the Cottonwood Creek Loop. No gulls,
cormorants, or pelicans were on the poles around the southwest
marina or on the sandbar north. It was snowing quite heavy by 5:00pm.
Search for a Baird's Sparrow 10/16
Roger Danka called Sunday night to report a Baird's Sparrow on his
ranch. Bryan Ehlmann and I drove up today to search for the bird.
Unfortunately, we were not able to relocate the sparrow.
Conditions were not good; we measured winds of 20+mph with
gusts to 30mph.
We were able to relocated one of the Sprague's Pipits that was
found last week. An Eastern Screech-Owl called after dark.
Sandhill Cranes were quite numerous. We estimated a count of
over 21,000 cranes. One flock of about 14,000 flew overhead
just before sunset. It seemed like the flock would never end!
Long Day of Birding 10/15
I enjoyed a long but satisfying day of birding. Mark Peale and I
started out searching for owls at Golden Gate Canyon State Park
(Jefferson County). We briefly heard a Northern Pygmy-Owl near
the Ralston Roost Trailhead. We had better luck along the Coyote
Trail (from Bootleg Bottoms Picnic Area). Here we observed a
Northern Pygmy-Owl for about 4 minutes before it headed west up
the trail.
We did not have a large amount of time; however Mark wanted to
try for White-tailed Ptarmigan at Guanella Pass (Clear Creek).
Unfortunately, none could be found in the 1.5 hours of allotted
time. We rushed Mark back to DIA to catch a flight home. A
Burrowing Owl was still across from the Wildhorse Ridge Condos
(0.2 miles north of Tower Road & 56th avenue).
Around 1:00pm, I picked up Rebecca and we headed down Parker
Road toward Franktown. It only took a few minutes to pick out
the Surf Scoter in the northeast corner of Lake Walker. Thanks to
Hugh Kingery for reporting the bird on Saturday! Other highlights here
included 7 Western Bluebirds (where Walker Road runs East-West)
and 20+ Mountain Bluebirds where the road runs south-north from
Highway 86.
Our next stop was Bingham Lake (sometimes referred to as Pinery
Pond, location of the Little Gull 11/14/2004). There was little
there today: 1 Double-crested Cormorant, 9 California Gulls,
15 Ring-billed Gulls, and 5 Mallards.
Pine Ridge Park (Douglas) was slow. We managed to find 2 White-
breasted Nuthatches and 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch in this small
park with mostly Ponderosa Pine Trees.
Parker Regional Park (Douglas) was also slow. The total ducks
on the pond included: 6 Buffleheads, 17 Northern Shovelers, and
1 Gadwall. We ran into 7 White-crowned Sparrows along the dry
Cherry Creek.
We ended our birding day with a picnic at Cherry Creek Reservoir
(Arapahoe). We watched the many birds and people enjoying what
maybe one of the last nice fall days. The highlight was an appearance
by the adult Great Black-backed Gull (we sat at the Lake Loop).
No Bonaparte's Gulls were found; however most birds escaped
the busy lake filled with motor boats and jet skis by staying
in the extreme southeast end of the lake. We did not wander
down to that corner which has limited access. Definitely
70+ American White Pelicans were joined by 300+ gulls.
Shorebirds were too far away to ID.
Saturday Birding 10/14
Our day (Bryan Ehlmann, Mark Peal, myself) started with a hike
around Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe County). The adult Great
Black-backed Gull was on the east side of the reservoir at 7:45am.
We also observed a Bonaparte's Gull (mile marker 3.0) and
Say's Phoebe (mm 2.5).
I called several birders who might go over to Cherry Creek
Reservoir to see if a Great Black-backed Gull was there.
Bill Cryder couldn't find one at 10:00am; however Terry Michaels
did see a Great Black-backed Gull around 3:00pm. Since we had
left Aurora Reservoir by noon, we still cannot answer the question
of whether Arapahoe County currently has two Great Black-backed Gulls?
We heard about the Red-necked Grebe at Union Reservoir (Weld)
and drove up there. It took awhile, but we managed to finally scope
out the bird in the middle of the lake. Plenty of Western Grebes,
a few Clark's Grebes, Horned Grebes, Eared Grebes, and Pied-billed Grebes also.
Since we were so close, we headed to Fossil Creek Reservoir.
No Brown Pelican, however we got quite lucky as we decided
to go to Lake Loveland. Here, we finally got a glimpse of the
"infamous and well traveled" Brown Pelican!
Our birding day ended back at the DIA Owl loop.
Burrowing Owls were found at the field across from the
Wildhorse Ridge Condominiums and at the site 3.4 miles
east of Tower and 96th avenue. No Short-eared Owls tonight,
however they have been seen twice in October.
We ran out of daylight before we could checkout the Field Sparrow
found Friday along the east side of Rocky Mountain Arsenal.
Arapahoe County Reservoirs 10/13
I decided to drive over to Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe
County) around 4:00pm. An adult Great Black-backed Gull was
standing on the end of the sandbar north of the southwest marina.
Six or more Bonaparte's Gulls were flying overhead. The American
White Pelican count was over 80 birds.
A few gulls stood on the delta off the Bird Platform at the
Cottonwood Creek Loop. Sandpipers there included 2 Baird's
Sandpipers, 2 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 1 Sanderling, and
1 Least Sandpiper.
I then quickly drove over to Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe) where
Bill Cryder reported an adult Great Black-backed Gull this morning.
I was wanting to determine if two Great Black-backed Gulls were
in the neighborhood (only 9 miles apart). However, at that late hour,
I did not have time to circle the reservoir.
I could not find a second Great Black-backed Gull while I
scoped the reservoir from both ends of the dam and the
swim beach. I did find 2 additional Bonaparte's Gulls.
Eastern Plains 10/9-10/13
Bryan Ehlmann & I headed to the eastern plains for several days of
birding. While temperatures were in the 70s; winds were quite
strong most of the time. Averages of 25mph with gusts up to 35mph
were not uncommon.
October 10
We spent most of the day searching for birds at Bonny Reservoir
and Hale Ponds (Yuma County). At Foster's Grove Campgrounds at
Bonny Reservoir, we discovered a Black-and-white Warbler. The
warbler was just west of the campsites.
No Long-eared Owls were found in the windbreaks behind the Hale
Store. A Harris's Sparrow was along CR 4 at 0.2 miles east of CR
LL.5.
In the Hale Ponds area, we found 2 Red-bellied Woodpeckers and
9 Eastern Bluebirds. A Winter Wren was in the little runoff puddle
east of the northeastern Hale Pond. After sunset, we heard an
Eastern Screech-Owl northwest of this pond.
We drove over to Kansas and tried to find additional owls out on
the plains. A pair of Great Horned Owls was found at the Wildlife
Area not far from the Colorado border.
On a private ranch along the Republican River in Kansas, we heard
another pair of Eastern Screech-Owls.
October 11
We continued our search for Sprague's Pipits, uncommon sparrows,
and Eastern Meadowlarks.
We worked our way north along the back roads in Colorado.
At Sandsage Wildlife Area (Yuma) near Wray, we found a
White-throated Sparrow (behind the old barn) and one
Harris's Sparrow along CR C (across from the southern parking area).
At a friend's ranch north of Arvin and still in Yuma County (along
the Kansas border) we checked for Sprague's Pipits. Bryan picked
out 1 or 2 Sprague's Pipits among a flock of Horned Larks!
My friend setup an invitation to another private ranch this time
in Phillips County. We were again able to find a Sprague's Pipit
among a flock of Horned Larks. We were following great advice
from a Nebraskan biologist and Kansas rancher (both of which see
Sprague's Pipits often). I hope to write an article in November's
"Colorado Field Notes" on "Finding Sprague's Pipits, not the
previously expected locations".
Our next stop was Sand Draw Wildlife Area (Sedgwick). Here we
found a Field Sparrow along the eastern border fence. A Harris's
Sparrow was deep in the thickets at the southern parking area.
October 12
Our search continued for Sprague's Pipits and such! No Sprague's
Pipits were found at their "traditional locations" near CR 30 & CR
59. In fact, the only Sprague's Pipits found today were at a
private ranch of a friend of Roger Danka.
While searching for pipits, we checked Julesburg Wayside Rest Stop
and DePoorter Lake. DePoorter Lake is a great place to find
Northern Bobwhite; today we counted 12 birds up the hill southeast
of the parking area. Three Harris's Sparrows were found while we
hiked along the South Platte River (west from the old dump).
The Wayside Rest Stop was pretty quiet.
Two Eastern Screech-Owls called while we ate dinner back at
Roger's place. Afterwards we drove over to Roger's Grove where
three or four Long-eared Owls had spent the summer.
October 13
It was time to give up on our uncommon bird search. We had found
4 Sprague's Pipits, 0 Eastern Meadowlarks, and no "Ammodramus"
sparrows. We did find Eastern Screech-Owls and Long-eared Owls,
caught up on stories with old friends, and made some new friends,
generally experienced an enjoyable trip around the Eastern Plains.
We stopped only briefly at Prewitt Reservoir (Washington/Logan Counties).
No uncommon birds were seen from the northwest shore. We weren't up
to walking out to the shore line.
Arapahoe County 10/9
Bryan Ehlmann and I checked the many Arapahoe County Reservoirs
today. Winds were mild; temperatures in the 70s.
We searched Cherry Creek Reservoir to see if the Pomarine Jaeger
had returned from Chatfield Reservoir. It was not found. We did
find one Bonaparte's Gull and a Common Tern!
Aurora Reservoir was scoped from the dam. No uncommon birds
were found.
Elmwood Cemetery was searched for birds in the afternoon.
Two Eurasian Collared-Doves stood on headstones.
Just before sunset, we drove the DIA Owl Loop. Two Burrowing Owls
were along Tower Road at 0.2 miles north of 56th avenue (across
from the Wildhorse Ridge Condos). Another four Burrowing Owls
were 3.4 miles east of Tower Road & 96th avenue.
Weld County 10/8
Rebecca and I checked several creeks in Sedgwick County hoping for
an American Woodcock; without success. We checked "Dan Bridges"
favorite warbler woods; again without success.
Crow Valley Campground was slow. In order of appearance all birds
counted included: a Brown Thrasher (south of border, east of
horseshoe pits), 1 Long-eared Owl (SW corner), 1 Harris's Sparrow,
1 House Wren, 1 Orange-crowned Warbler, 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets,
1 Slate-colored Dark-eyed Junco, 1 Hermit Thrush, another Brown
Thrasher (NW corner), 1 Lincoln's Sparrow, a second Long-eared Owl
(at cemetery), and a Northern Saw-whet Owl (at Work Center).
No Blue Jays, Northern Flickers, Crows, or American Robins?
It was raining when we reached the Weld County 51 & 62.5 ponds.
This was probably a good thing as it appeared that the gulls did
not want to fly around, but rather swam in the ponds.
The Laughing Gull was easy to pick out of 300+ Franklin's Gulls on
the most eastern pond. Rebecca saw the juvenile Sabine's Gull flying
over the western pond.
Lower Latham Reservoir area was also slow. We did find a
Peregrine Falcon along CR 44 (Beebe Draw area). We hung
around until dusk looking for Short-eared Owls; without success.
We did find a Barn Owl while checking a windbreak north
of Weld County Road 40 and along Kersey Road for owls.
A flock of 7 McCown's Longspurs were also observed.
During the day, we also counted 4 Swainson's Hawks, 7 Red-tailed Hawks,
2 Ferruginous Hawks, an adult and 1st year Golden Eagle, 1 Merlin,
and 11 American Kestrels.
Northeastern Colorado 10/7
Rebecca and I enjoyed our birding weekend in the northeast corner
of Colorado. Over the years I have given away 9 field guides to
ranches in Sedgwick and Phillips Counties. This little "network"
paid off big this weekend.
We were able to see Sprague's Pipits at two private ranches. I
captured one nice photo and if nothing better comes up, it will be
the cover for November's "Colorado Field Notes". Also on private
ranches we were treated to 7 Long-eared Owls, 2 Short-eared Owls,
1 Northern Saw-whet Owl, and 3 Eastern Screech-Owls!
Owls are always a treat to observe.
Our birds included a Varied Thrush, Fox Sparrow (eastern race),
Red-eyed Vireo, 2 Harris's Sparrows, 4 White-throated Sparrows,
Blue-headed Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Tennessee
Warbler, 2 Nashville Warblers, and a Palm Warbler.
Roger Danka had also seen on his ranch during the week, Chestnut-
sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, 2
Townsend's Warblers, Black-and-white Warbler, and a Black-throated
Green Warbler. All of which we could not locate. However, it
demonstrates that warblers are still migrating through Colorado.
We searched Saturday and Sunday morning for Sprague's Pipits on
public access lands; without success. We only briefly checked
Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area (mostly for Bell's Vireos; without
success). One Northern Cardinal was found around Tamarack Pond
area.
West side of Denver 10/6
I took about 50 photos of the Pied Crow in Lakewood. We first
found it one block east of Cedar and Sheridan Blvd. Relocated it
later at Benton and Cedar which is behind and west of the
Albertson's Store at Sheridan and Alameda. It probably spends
most of its time here. It was foraging in a garbage container.
After taking about 50 photos of the Pied Crow, I headed to
Chatfield Reservoir (Jefferson/Douglas Counties). The juvenile
Pomarine Jaeger was harassing the gulls at the Plum Creek Delta.
Also on the delta were 2 Ospreys, 2 Caspian Terns, and 2 Common
Terns among many Ring billed and California Gulls. I captured a
couple of photos of the Jaeger and compared them to Jaeger at
Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). They appear to be of
the same bird.
I also spent the last two hours at Cherry Creek and scoped the
whole lake. No sign of any Jaegers there.
Search for Chatfield's American Golden-Plover 10/4
After sleeping late after owling all night, Bryan Ehlmann
and I went over to Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County).
The juvenile Pomarine Jaeger was still there at 11:45am.
It was also reported by Terry Michaels a little after 6:30am.
I wanted to checkout the American Golden-Plover at Chatfield
Reservoir (Jefferson/Douglas Counties) and Bryan and I split up
but arranged to meet back at Aurora Reservoir before sunset.
We wanted to see what flew in before dark.
After lunch, I hit Chatfield Reservoir around 3:00pm. A pair
of Caspian Terns and 2 Common Terns stood on the north end of
Plum Creek Delta. No American Golden-Plover was there (2 Baird's
Sandpipers, 1 Least Sandpiper, and 2 Long-billed Dowitchers were
there). Meanwhile, the 2 Caspian Terns had taken off.
I checked out the sand spit near the southeast marina for the
American Golden-Plover; without success. I ran into Joe Roller
about 4:15pm and he pointed out a juvenile intermediate jaeger.
When it flew over to the handicap fishing area, it was determined
to be a Pomarine Jaeger. It looked similar to the Cherry Creek
Reservoir bird; however we could not be certain. I left Joe to
try and relocated the Caspian Terns and headed east.
Miracles happen as I was able to drive back to Cherry Creek
Reservoir in less than 25 minutes. Rush hour traffic has never
been that light before. While it is not possible to prove the
negative, I did not find the juvenile Pomarine Jaeger that has
been since 9/24. I spent a full hour scoping the whole reservoir.
On all my past visits, the Pomarine Jaeger eventually flew about
chasing gulls. There was no sign of it tonight.
Owling 10/3 into 10/4
Bryan Ehlmann & I went looking for Flammulated Owls and Boreal
Owls in Larimer and Jackson Counties.
We did not find any Flammulated Owls at their recent Larimer
County locations. We also did not find any Boreal Owls at their
recent Jackson County locations.
It was an awful windy night. Winds were measured at 30+mph, with
gusts up to 45mph. If any Boreal Owls were calling, we could not
hear them.
The only owl of the night was a Great Horned Owl along Pennock Pass road.
Arapahoe County Reservoirs 10/2
This morning at first light, Bryan Ehlmann and I checked out
Aurora Reservoir. As we popped up over the hill at the western
end of the dam, we saw an adult Long-tailed Jaeger flying along
the eastern shore. The jaeger flew down to the swim beach, turned
around and came back to the northwest corner, and then disappeared
back behind the Ranger's Office (at the swim beach).
We drove over to Quincy Reservoir and Cherry Creek Reservoir to
see if the jaeger had shown up there. It was not found at either
reservoir. We did see the juvenile Pomarine Jaeger at Cherry
Creek Reservoir!
Our last attempt was at Barr Lake (Adams County). We did
not find the Long-tailed Jaeger; however we did run into an
American Golden-Plover (first reported by the WFO on 9/21)!
Seven Burrowing Owls were still along the DIA Owl Loop.
Return to Cherry Creek Reservoir 10/1
Rebecca and I decided to enjoy Sunday's beautiful day with a
picnic at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County). We sat
at the northern picnic area and watched birds and people.
The juvenile Pomarine Jaeger flew by about half a dozen times in
the 2 hours we were there. Several times in landed about 30 yards
from us. I took several videos of it with my digital camera.
Afterwards we went to check on several Short eared Owl locations
along the DIA Owl Loop (Adams County). There was not much
action north of the DIA runways and we went over to my second
favorite location, the tree line north of 128th and Powhaton Road.
We had no luck there and drove back to 114th avenue north of the
runways. A Short eared Owl was hunting along the mounds east of
the runways and south of 114th avenue.
Burrowing Owls can still be found at 3.4 miles east of Tower Road
& 96th avenue. Also at 128th avenue & Powhaton Road. (My late
dates are 10/16 & 10/20).
More Bird Trips
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