Sunday, April 11, 2010

An Eight Day to the Grouse Trip

April 2, 2010

Richard Stevens:

Randall Whitman and I birded around Jefferson County yesterday as a relaxing day after our 7 day grouse trip. We did have a target bird, White-winged Junco which was never found.

A search of the many ponds around Green Valley Ranch did not find any Cackling Geese. Canvasbacks were at Green Valley Recreation Pond and Montbello Recreation Pond. The Snow Goose continues at Lakecrest.

We drove the roads northeast of Strasburg searching unsuccessfully for Lark Buntings. A Mountain Plover was found in the green fields along Adams County Road 64, west of Bradsbury-Krebs Mile Road.

The Golden-crowned Sparrow came to the platform feeder behind Red Rocks Park from 10:00 to 11:00 am.

We hiked to the top of Genesee Mountain Park (road closed at group picnic area). Two dozen Red Crossbills were around the group picnic area parking lot. A few additional Red Crossbills were seen along the road up to the top. It took about 1.5 hours, but the male Williamson's Sapsucker was finally observed coming from the woods northwest of one of its favorite drumming "trees" (the telephone pole northwest of the pavilion).

One final stop at Red Rocks Park did not find a White-winged Junco. We did see the Peregrine Falcon perched on the rocks at the upper parking lot. Look on rocky cliff (shorter of two at top, north face).

I passed Barr Lake State Park (Adams) on my way home. Not much there. Two Great-tailed Grackles were at the feedlot south of the Tree Nursery at 152nd and Picadilly Road.

I found my first Burrowing Owl of the year along the DIA Owl Loop at 3.4 miles east of Tower Road and 96th avenue. Only one so far. The Short-eared Owls just north of here last week, were not observed.

1 comment:

Chris in Lakewood said...

Nice to see the Golden Crowned Sparrow is still there. I saw it probably around December or January. Didn't think he would stay here that long.