January 28, 2008
At 2:30am I drove down to Castlewood Canyon State Park area to investigate a Northern Saw-whet Owl report at a friend's yard. The owl did not disappoint; we found the owl calling just before civil twilight. After sunrise, we went back out and we able to see the small owl hiding deep in an evergreen tree.
A second Northern Saw-whet Owl was heard calling around the State Park area!
Birds in Castlewood Canyon State Park we few and far between. Two Spotted Towhees fluttered about the bushes below (east) of the old farmhouse at the north end of the park.
I was surprised by the lack of any bluebirds around the Winkler Ranch (just outside the southwest entrance of the park). A Northern Shrike was on the telephone wires about 0.6 miles south of the Winkler Ranch entrance.
From Castlewood Canyon I headed southeast to see about a report of a Barn Owl east of Franktown. The landowner described seeing on 3 occasions last week what could not have been a Great Horned Owl. Unfortunately, we did not find it today.
I was close enough to Kiowa to tempt a trip there to checkout birds. I hope the waxwings seen last month by Cici Lee would still be around. She had some first Elbert County waxwing sightings (reports). Birds were few. I did find a pair of Mountain Chickadees around the museum. A Red-breasted Nuthatch and eastern White-breasted Nuthatch were around the park.
Just before sunset, I drove through Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). Here, two additional Northern Shrikes were added to my day list. The first was at his usual location between the shooting range and the field west of where the main road crosses over Cherry Creek. The second was found in the field east of the road that goes to the southern entrance to the campgrounds.
An adult and immature Bald Eagle were again in the trees just south of the campground entrance.
At 2:30am I drove down to Castlewood Canyon State Park area to investigate a Northern Saw-whet Owl report at a friend's yard. The owl did not disappoint; we found the owl calling just before civil twilight. After sunrise, we went back out and we able to see the small owl hiding deep in an evergreen tree.
A second Northern Saw-whet Owl was heard calling around the State Park area!
Birds in Castlewood Canyon State Park we few and far between. Two Spotted Towhees fluttered about the bushes below (east) of the old farmhouse at the north end of the park.
I was surprised by the lack of any bluebirds around the Winkler Ranch (just outside the southwest entrance of the park). A Northern Shrike was on the telephone wires about 0.6 miles south of the Winkler Ranch entrance.
From Castlewood Canyon I headed southeast to see about a report of a Barn Owl east of Franktown. The landowner described seeing on 3 occasions last week what could not have been a Great Horned Owl. Unfortunately, we did not find it today.
I was close enough to Kiowa to tempt a trip there to checkout birds. I hope the waxwings seen last month by Cici Lee would still be around. She had some first Elbert County waxwing sightings (reports). Birds were few. I did find a pair of Mountain Chickadees around the museum. A Red-breasted Nuthatch and eastern White-breasted Nuthatch were around the park.
Just before sunset, I drove through Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). Here, two additional Northern Shrikes were added to my day list. The first was at his usual location between the shooting range and the field west of where the main road crosses over Cherry Creek. The second was found in the field east of the road that goes to the southern entrance to the campgrounds.
An adult and immature Bald Eagle were again in the trees just south of the campground entrance.
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