Monday, April 28, 2008

Sunday at Cherry Creek State Park

April 27, 2008

Inserted by Rebecca Kosten:

This morning Richard Stevens and Gary Weston birded Cherry Creek State Park. They searched for the shorebirds that Bill Cryder reported Saturday afternoon. Bill found 28 Willets and a Marbled Godwit around the southwest marina.

They were able to relocate 21 Willets, no Godwit. A male Yellow-headed Blackbird squawked in the cottonwoods at the end of the Lake Loop. Water levels are very high and there is no shore at the Cottonwood Creek Loop.

They found no unusual birds on the reservoir. Many Pelicans and Double-crested Cormorants are now around. No Green Herons were found yet at the Cottonwood Creek Wetlands Pond or north of the swim beach. No hummingbirds yet around the ranger's office. The Black-chinned Hummingbird(s) usually do not show up until the first of May.

Later, same day:

Sunday evening Richard and I enjoyed a picnic at Cherry Creek State Park. We wanted to get one in before mosquitoes start to show up in a few weeks.

The Cottonwood Creek Wetlands Pond is almost drained of water. We did see 4 American Avocets and 2 Willets feeding on the mudflats. A few ducks swam in the greatly reduced inlet stream.

We watched 39 Willets on the sandbar in the southeastern corner. One Least Sandpiper was also in the area. No Marbled Godwits. Photos are on the CoBus photo library.
http://home.att.net/~birdertoo


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