Boulder County May 27, 2007

Rebecca Kosten and I enjoyed birding in Boulder County on Sunday.

Our first stop was Boulder Creek below Folsom Field. Fortunately the Worm-eating Warbler was singing when we arrived. Finding it in the dense foliage would have been quite difficult. Still we did not get great looks.

Afterwards, we split up and Rebecca found a Chestnut-sided Warbler along the upper dirt path below Folsom Field and the Recreation Center. She radioed me and we relocated the warbler west of the stairs and walkway. It was about 20 yards before an intersection where we could walk down to the lower dirt trail.

I went back for another look at the Worm-eating Warbler (not very good in thick bushes). I heard and later observed a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak. The grosbeak was along the upper dirt path east of the stairs leading up to the stadium.

We also found half a dozen Yellow Warblers and a most likely Cordillera Flycatcher.

Our next stop was the Boulder Bobolink Meadow north side and along Baseline Road (just west of Baseline Reservoir and the Bobolink Trail). We observed at least 2 male Bobolinks and a female flying around at the north end of the field.

We stopped at the Teller Farms Trailhead off Valmont. A hike about a mile along the trail did not find any Bobolinks or Dickcissels. We did see two male Blue Grosbeaks singing away in the trees just before the trail heads west (about 0.5 miles from the trailhead).

Cliff Swallows and Barn Swallows were flying low over the fields and catching insects. We continued until the trail turned north. Here we were able to get a better look at the alfalfa fields which are quite far from the trail this year. Still no Bobolinks or Dickcissels.

It took about an hour to find the Eastern Meadowlark and several Bobolinks south of Cattail Pond in Loveland (Larimer). Thanks to Cole Wild for the heads up on those birds!

Our final stop was Fossil Creek Reservoir (Larimer). Not much uncommon was found; plenty of mosquitoes to go around though