January 8, 2009
Richard Stevens:
Again informed that winds in the mountains were quite high, we decided to drive instead to Reynolds Park before sunrise. When we arrived at the western parking area at 6:44am, two Northern Pygmy-Owls were calling. One from the woods just north (downhill) of the Elkhorn and Oxen Draw trails. The other was 10 yards or so east of the parking area.
We also heard a possible third owl in the woods south (uphill) of the western end of the parking area. We did not think that it was one of the other owls that had moved; of course we could not be sure. Unfortunately we never did see any of these birds.
Six Townsend's Solitaires called constantly from around the parking area. Along the hike to the eastern parking area we would count another nine Townsend's Solitaires.
After sunrise, we hiked the Elkhorn to Songbird trail down to the eastern parking area. At the obvious spot along the trail (not going to give a better hint than that) we finally observed a Northern Pygmy-Owl standing on a cottonwood limb.
While we watched this owl who definitely was watching us, Bryan Sullivan briefly saw another Northern Pygmy-Owl sticking its head out of a hole. As this could be a possible nesting hole, I am not providing specific directions.
We did not use tapes, recordings, or vocalizations to locate these birds. They called on their own. Again, this is a quite sensitive nesting area. Owls can be found without disturbing noises from humans.
Later we decided to hike to the top of Eagle's View trail and back to look for an American Three-toed Woodpecker. On the trip back to the Oxen Draw Trail, I spotted a Dusky Grouse uphill (south) of the Songbird trail.
A female Three-toed Woodpecker was heard and found drumming in the trees, first below (north) and later to the east of the intersection of the Oxen Draw, Eagle's View, & Raven's Roost trails.
We continued to the top of Eagle's View where Bryan Ehlmann found our second Dusky Grouse of the day! Along the loop we also saw 2 Red Crossbills, three species of nuthatches, and several flocks of Pine Siskins.
Returning to Denver we passed Chatfield Reservoir and stopped at the new South Platte Reservoir. Few birds were on the lake. We drove to the southeast parking area just north of the C470 Bridge.
A short walk of 200 yards and we spotted the Dunlin still on the South Platte River mudflats.
We then walked north to the island about 40 yards north of where the power poles cross the bike path. We gave the Winter Wren 15 minutes to show itself or call; it did not and we walked back south.
Bryan Ehlmann saw a small bird with a short tail (got to be the Winter Wren?) skulking along the western bank in the cattails (about 55 paces north of the most eastern power pole). We only had glimpses but all described a small bird with a short tail running along like a mouse.
We backtracked to Marston Reservoir (Denver). About 14 Hooded Mergansers swam at the southern end. The 100+ gulls on the northwest ice cover were all Ring-billed Gulls except for one Herring Gull.
A dozen Common Goldeneye and 8 Common Mergansers were all we saw out on the lake. Most of the lake is unfrozen now (90 percent frozen just a few days ago).
A quick stop at nearby Fort Logan National Cemetery found the Greater White-fronted Goose on the hillside south of Veteran's Lake. Not much else but White-cheeked Geese were around as both Memorial and Veteran's Lakes are iced covered. Two funerals were progress so we did not stay long.
We ended our birding day at the Centennial Airport Waste Treatment Pond. Neither the female Greater Scaup nor Swamp Sparrow seen last week by Bryan Ehlmann was found.
Richard Stevens:
Again informed that winds in the mountains were quite high, we decided to drive instead to Reynolds Park before sunrise. When we arrived at the western parking area at 6:44am, two Northern Pygmy-Owls were calling. One from the woods just north (downhill) of the Elkhorn and Oxen Draw trails. The other was 10 yards or so east of the parking area.
We also heard a possible third owl in the woods south (uphill) of the western end of the parking area. We did not think that it was one of the other owls that had moved; of course we could not be sure. Unfortunately we never did see any of these birds.
Six Townsend's Solitaires called constantly from around the parking area. Along the hike to the eastern parking area we would count another nine Townsend's Solitaires.
After sunrise, we hiked the Elkhorn to Songbird trail down to the eastern parking area. At the obvious spot along the trail (not going to give a better hint than that) we finally observed a Northern Pygmy-Owl standing on a cottonwood limb.
While we watched this owl who definitely was watching us, Bryan Sullivan briefly saw another Northern Pygmy-Owl sticking its head out of a hole. As this could be a possible nesting hole, I am not providing specific directions.
We did not use tapes, recordings, or vocalizations to locate these birds. They called on their own. Again, this is a quite sensitive nesting area. Owls can be found without disturbing noises from humans.
Later we decided to hike to the top of Eagle's View trail and back to look for an American Three-toed Woodpecker. On the trip back to the Oxen Draw Trail, I spotted a Dusky Grouse uphill (south) of the Songbird trail.
A female Three-toed Woodpecker was heard and found drumming in the trees, first below (north) and later to the east of the intersection of the Oxen Draw, Eagle's View, & Raven's Roost trails.
We continued to the top of Eagle's View where Bryan Ehlmann found our second Dusky Grouse of the day! Along the loop we also saw 2 Red Crossbills, three species of nuthatches, and several flocks of Pine Siskins.
Returning to Denver we passed Chatfield Reservoir and stopped at the new South Platte Reservoir. Few birds were on the lake. We drove to the southeast parking area just north of the C470 Bridge.
A short walk of 200 yards and we spotted the Dunlin still on the South Platte River mudflats.
We then walked north to the island about 40 yards north of where the power poles cross the bike path. We gave the Winter Wren 15 minutes to show itself or call; it did not and we walked back south.
Bryan Ehlmann saw a small bird with a short tail (got to be the Winter Wren?) skulking along the western bank in the cattails (about 55 paces north of the most eastern power pole). We only had glimpses but all described a small bird with a short tail running along like a mouse.
We backtracked to Marston Reservoir (Denver). About 14 Hooded Mergansers swam at the southern end. The 100+ gulls on the northwest ice cover were all Ring-billed Gulls except for one Herring Gull.
A dozen Common Goldeneye and 8 Common Mergansers were all we saw out on the lake. Most of the lake is unfrozen now (90 percent frozen just a few days ago).
A quick stop at nearby Fort Logan National Cemetery found the Greater White-fronted Goose on the hillside south of Veteran's Lake. Not much else but White-cheeked Geese were around as both Memorial and Veteran's Lakes are iced covered. Two funerals were progress so we did not stay long.
We ended our birding day at the Centennial Airport Waste Treatment Pond. Neither the female Greater Scaup nor Swamp Sparrow seen last week by Bryan Ehlmann was found.
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