Saturday, December 27, 2008

Some Douglas County Birding

December 27, 2008

Bryan Ehlmann;

Gary Weston, Richard Stevens and I did some owling along Deer Creek Canyon Road, Foxton Road, Decker Road, South Platte River Road and Platte Canyon Road this morning. We did get responses to our playback tapes at two locations. Both Northern Pygmy-Owls were heard along Decker Road. One just after the paved road turns to gravel. The other was just west of the town of South Platte.

We did not find any Lewis's Woodpeckers, Red-headed Woodpeckers, or American Three-toed Woodpeckers around the entrance to Cheesman Reservoir. I believe they were last reported in early summer, but maybe no one has searched since then?

Returning toward Denver, we found many Pine Siskins at several feeders. Our count was over 210. American Goldfinches numbered about 40-45. Black-billed Magpies and a few Western Scrub-Jays were also seen.

Afterwards we relocated the Dunlin on the South Platte River about 100 yards south of the C470 bridge. Access it from the dog walking area of Chatfield State Park, Douglas County.

We ran into several other birders. Ray Simmons and Dave King didn't relocate the Northern Pygmy-Owls at Reynolds Park, Jeffco. They did find an adult male American Three-toed Woodpecker along the Strawberry Jack trail about 300 yards east of the Buck Gulch trail in Pine Valley Ranch Park, Jeffco. A husband and wife who I am sorry I misplaced your name, found Barrow's Goldeneyes on the Blue River Water Treatment Plant north of Silverthorne, Summit County.

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