December 15, 2009
Richard Stevens:
At sunrise, Bryan (Ehlmann) and I saw the male Barrow's Goldeneye on the Platte River about 10 yards north of West Evans Avenue (Denver County).
Next, we walked the S. Platte River from 88th avenue to Hwy 224 and back (Adams County). The pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes was on the river about 10 yards south of the green and white tower. Later they flew to Tani Reservoir.
On the trip north we stopped at Plaster Reservoir (Broomfield County). The Harris's Sparrow did not show. The Marsh Wren was in the cattails 5 yards east of the footbridge near the Russian Olive Grove. It worked its way west to the end of the Grove and then came back to its original location.
We drove the roads south of Lower Latham Reservoir (Weld) and Beebe Draw Ponds. Many raptors observed; dark morph Rough legged Hawk, Red tailed Hawks, American Kestrels, Prairie Falcon, and Ferruginous Hawk.
A walk from the oil storage tanks on county road 48 (south side of Lower Latham Reservoir) added another 3 Marsh Wrens to our trip list.
Highlight; five minutes after sunset, two Short eared Owls circled the cattails 10 yards north of county road 48 and 80 yards west of the oil tanks. We turned around and observed another 3 Short eared Owls about 100 yards to southeast.
I have read and been told that the Northern Harriers were the "day shift" and Short-eared Owls the "night shift". Bryan and I watched the first two Short-eared Owls hunt over the cattails just north of us.
When a female Northern Harrier flew over, the two Short-eared Owls dove after the Harrier and chased her for several hundred yards east of Latham Reservoir. Clash of the "two shifts"?
Richard Stevens:
At sunrise, Bryan (Ehlmann) and I saw the male Barrow's Goldeneye on the Platte River about 10 yards north of West Evans Avenue (Denver County).
Next, we walked the S. Platte River from 88th avenue to Hwy 224 and back (Adams County). The pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes was on the river about 10 yards south of the green and white tower. Later they flew to Tani Reservoir.
On the trip north we stopped at Plaster Reservoir (Broomfield County). The Harris's Sparrow did not show. The Marsh Wren was in the cattails 5 yards east of the footbridge near the Russian Olive Grove. It worked its way west to the end of the Grove and then came back to its original location.
We drove the roads south of Lower Latham Reservoir (Weld) and Beebe Draw Ponds. Many raptors observed; dark morph Rough legged Hawk, Red tailed Hawks, American Kestrels, Prairie Falcon, and Ferruginous Hawk.
A walk from the oil storage tanks on county road 48 (south side of Lower Latham Reservoir) added another 3 Marsh Wrens to our trip list.
Highlight; five minutes after sunset, two Short eared Owls circled the cattails 10 yards north of county road 48 and 80 yards west of the oil tanks. We turned around and observed another 3 Short eared Owls about 100 yards to southeast.
I have read and been told that the Northern Harriers were the "day shift" and Short-eared Owls the "night shift". Bryan and I watched the first two Short-eared Owls hunt over the cattails just north of us.
When a female Northern Harrier flew over, the two Short-eared Owls dove after the Harrier and chased her for several hundred yards east of Latham Reservoir. Clash of the "two shifts"?
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