December 1, 2007
In spite of the worsening weather, Bryan Ehlmann and I enjoyed a cold day of birding.
At first light, we walked around the Denver West Office Complex (Jefferson County). It was too dark to see much, but we narrowed down the location of feeders where the Pine Warbler could possibly visit. Only one feeder had seeds; it was at the southwest corner of building # 17. Later, once the House Sparrows found the feeder, the seeds did not last long.
From 7:22am to 7:26am we watched the Pine Warbler flutter about the Pine Tree at the southwest corner of building # 15. A couple of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, a Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Townsend's Solitaire were also in the tree. Fifty+ House Sparrows were in the bushes underneath the tree. When the House Sparrows flushed, the Pine Warbler flew with them around to the feeders at building # 17. We were not able to relocate the warbler.
We walked over to nearby building # 15 because Pine Warblers have been seen behind it several times in the past. No Pine Warbler, but we found a flock of birds which included 22 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 2 Red breasted Nuthatches, 2 White breasted Nuthatches, 2 Brown Creepers, and 7+ Ruby crowned Kinglets.
From here, we drove over to Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (Prospect Park) to see if any Western Screech-Owls were out. None were; it was pretty cold, windy, and cloudy. Not much of a reason for the owls to come out to sun themselves.
We received a text message about the Brant at Glasser Reservoir in Broomfield County and headed up that way. We only gave the search 15 minutes; without success and moved on to the South Platte River.
On the trip south, we drove by Sheridan Blvd and 104th Avenue. The partial albino Red-tailed Hawk was in a tree about 0.4 miles east of the intersection. It has been around for half a dozen years now!
From Colorado Blvd & 88th avenue (Adams County), we walked the west side of the Platte River down to Hwy 225, then crossed over and returned via the east side. West and East Gravel Lakes only had a little ice; this tends to spread the ducks out over a larger search area (best when the lakes are frozen and the ducks are forced onto the Platte River).
At the confluence of Clear Creek, we detoured along the Creek down to York Street. Several years in the past, Harris's Sparrows and other interesting birds have been reported in the bushes along Clear Creek. Unfortunately, nothing uncommon showed up today.
On the return trip (east side of the Platte) we found a male Barrow's Goldeneye on East Gravel Lake. There were plenty of ducks (Ring-necked Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Mallards, Gadwalls, dozens of Common Goldeneyes); nothing else uncommon.
We also found a Northern Shrike on the chain link fence along the west side of Tani Reservoir (that's the lake south of East Gravel Lake).
Nothing unusual was on the Dahlia Ponds and we left as the weather was deteriorating rapidly.
In spite of the worsening weather, Bryan Ehlmann and I enjoyed a cold day of birding.
At first light, we walked around the Denver West Office Complex (Jefferson County). It was too dark to see much, but we narrowed down the location of feeders where the Pine Warbler could possibly visit. Only one feeder had seeds; it was at the southwest corner of building # 17. Later, once the House Sparrows found the feeder, the seeds did not last long.
From 7:22am to 7:26am we watched the Pine Warbler flutter about the Pine Tree at the southwest corner of building # 15. A couple of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, a Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Townsend's Solitaire were also in the tree. Fifty+ House Sparrows were in the bushes underneath the tree. When the House Sparrows flushed, the Pine Warbler flew with them around to the feeders at building # 17. We were not able to relocate the warbler.
We walked over to nearby building # 15 because Pine Warblers have been seen behind it several times in the past. No Pine Warbler, but we found a flock of birds which included 22 Mountain Chickadees, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, 2 Red breasted Nuthatches, 2 White breasted Nuthatches, 2 Brown Creepers, and 7+ Ruby crowned Kinglets.
From here, we drove over to Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (Prospect Park) to see if any Western Screech-Owls were out. None were; it was pretty cold, windy, and cloudy. Not much of a reason for the owls to come out to sun themselves.
We received a text message about the Brant at Glasser Reservoir in Broomfield County and headed up that way. We only gave the search 15 minutes; without success and moved on to the South Platte River.
On the trip south, we drove by Sheridan Blvd and 104th Avenue. The partial albino Red-tailed Hawk was in a tree about 0.4 miles east of the intersection. It has been around for half a dozen years now!
From Colorado Blvd & 88th avenue (Adams County), we walked the west side of the Platte River down to Hwy 225, then crossed over and returned via the east side. West and East Gravel Lakes only had a little ice; this tends to spread the ducks out over a larger search area (best when the lakes are frozen and the ducks are forced onto the Platte River).
At the confluence of Clear Creek, we detoured along the Creek down to York Street. Several years in the past, Harris's Sparrows and other interesting birds have been reported in the bushes along Clear Creek. Unfortunately, nothing uncommon showed up today.
On the return trip (east side of the Platte) we found a male Barrow's Goldeneye on East Gravel Lake. There were plenty of ducks (Ring-necked Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Mallards, Gadwalls, dozens of Common Goldeneyes); nothing else uncommon.
We also found a Northern Shrike on the chain link fence along the west side of Tani Reservoir (that's the lake south of East Gravel Lake).
Nothing unusual was on the Dahlia Ponds and we left as the weather was deteriorating rapidly.
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