Sunday, March 14, 2010

Rocky Mountain Arsenal & Wheat Ridge Greenbelt

March 13, 2010

Bryan Ehlmann and I went back out owling early this morning. At a Jefferson County Park that I have never visited before, we heard one Northern Pygmy-Owl. Directions to possible Northern Saw-whet Owl locations did not prove productive.

In the afternoon, Rebecca Kosten and I went over to Rocky Mountain Arsenal (Adams). Approximately, 27 Great-tailed Grackles were still around the feedlot south of the Tree Nursery at 152nd and Picadilly Road.

The Harris's Sparrow made a brief 3 minute appearance at 4:00 pm. The sparrow never went down to the feeders. Instead, he perched high in the overhead cottonwoods. Only one pair of Dark-eyed Juncos was under the feeders. In the past, the Harris's Sparrow usually followed 20-30 Dark-eyed Juncos to the feeders.

We walked over to Lake Ladora on which were 8 Hooded Mergansers, 2 Common Goldeneyes, 1 American Coot and 1 Double-crested Cormorant.

Our birding day ended at Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (Jefferson). The Rusty Blackbirds could not be found from 5:00 to 5:30 pm. We also did not relocate the male Barrow's Goldeneye, which spent several days on Prospect, Tabor, and Bass Lakes.

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