October 11, 2010
Richard Stevens:
I was to meet Bryan & Sue Ehlmann and Rebecca for bunch. While everyone was still sleeping, I drove over to Barr Lake (Adams County) for a "quick" birding trip. The weatherman messed me up as he predicted rain and overcast skies until late afternoon. At sunrise, skies were clear and remained so.
In any case, I thought that last night's rainstorm might have forced migrating birds down to the trees. When I hiked over to the Niedrach trail, I was quite disappointed. Ignoring European Starlings, the only bird found was one House Wren.
My hike continued north to the boat ramp. Few birds were moving around. Three Spotted Towhees and a flock of 9 White-crowned Sparrows were around the banding area.
Four or five Black-capped Chickadees were chattering in the cottonwoods at mile marker 8.5. While trying to see them better, a greenish/yellow bird popped out high above. It turned out to be a female Black-throated Blue Warbler. At least I had one interesting bird for the morning.
At mile marker 8.0, I finally found a flock of birds. It took 50 minutes to determine that the 71 Yellow-rumped Warblers did not include any uncommon birds. While counting and trying to put my binoculars on each one, a Northern Flicker made much racket from behind me (across the canal).
I turned around to get a look at the noisy bird and saw a flock of sparrows. The flock included 32 Chipping Sparrows, 9 Song Sparrows and a Field Sparrow.
Attention back again on the Yellow-rumped Warbler flock, a Winter Wren started to call from the cattails just north of mm 8.0. I played a recording and the wren popped out of the cattails for about 10 seconds. It sounded like a Winter Wren and had a creamy colored throat (not the buffy color expected on a Pacific Wren).
I called Bryan, Sue and Rebecca and watched the general area until they made it over. Not only did the Winter Wren cooperate and come out of the cattails again, it only took 10 minutes to relocate the Black-throated Blue Warbler still at mm 8.5.
After lunch, Rebecca and I resolved to checkout some "hotspots" of previous Octobers while Bryan and Sue went home. We only found 2 Burrowing Owls along the DIA Owl Loop. One along Picadilly Road at 0.5 miles south of 128th avenue, the other west of Tower Road at 0.3 miles north of 56th avenue.
I should mention the Great-tailed Grackles and Common Grackles at the feedlot south of the Picadilly Tree Nursery at 152nd and Picadilly. I gave up on the Eurasian Collared-Dove count here after reaching 350+.
Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (Jefferson) continues to be quite slow. One flock of 5 Yellow-rumped Warblers were just south of Clear Creek. We did find a Nashville Warbler on the south side of Clear Creek. The warbler was south of the footbridge, south of the chain link fence and 20 yards east of the same footbridge.
Our final stop of the day was Chatfield Reservoir (Jefferson/Douglas Counties). A hike along the west side from the Kingfisher Bridge to the horse trail crossing the South Platte River was uneventful. Two House Wrens were the highlight. The area just south of the paved path was once an October hotspot; not today.
The east side was not productive either. Four Cedar Waxwings being the highlight.
Plum Creek Delta was also slow. Three Yellow-rumped Warblers were northeast of the parking area. The highlight was a Black-and-white Warbler 120 yards south of the footbridge.
The lake itself was also quiet. We could not find the Sabine's Gull reported a few days ago.
To continue enjoying this fantastic fall day, we drove up Deer Creek Canyon looking for Northern Pygmy-Owls; without success.
Richard Stevens:
I was to meet Bryan & Sue Ehlmann and Rebecca for bunch. While everyone was still sleeping, I drove over to Barr Lake (Adams County) for a "quick" birding trip. The weatherman messed me up as he predicted rain and overcast skies until late afternoon. At sunrise, skies were clear and remained so.
In any case, I thought that last night's rainstorm might have forced migrating birds down to the trees. When I hiked over to the Niedrach trail, I was quite disappointed. Ignoring European Starlings, the only bird found was one House Wren.
My hike continued north to the boat ramp. Few birds were moving around. Three Spotted Towhees and a flock of 9 White-crowned Sparrows were around the banding area.
Four or five Black-capped Chickadees were chattering in the cottonwoods at mile marker 8.5. While trying to see them better, a greenish/yellow bird popped out high above. It turned out to be a female Black-throated Blue Warbler. At least I had one interesting bird for the morning.
At mile marker 8.0, I finally found a flock of birds. It took 50 minutes to determine that the 71 Yellow-rumped Warblers did not include any uncommon birds. While counting and trying to put my binoculars on each one, a Northern Flicker made much racket from behind me (across the canal).
I turned around to get a look at the noisy bird and saw a flock of sparrows. The flock included 32 Chipping Sparrows, 9 Song Sparrows and a Field Sparrow.
Attention back again on the Yellow-rumped Warbler flock, a Winter Wren started to call from the cattails just north of mm 8.0. I played a recording and the wren popped out of the cattails for about 10 seconds. It sounded like a Winter Wren and had a creamy colored throat (not the buffy color expected on a Pacific Wren).
I called Bryan, Sue and Rebecca and watched the general area until they made it over. Not only did the Winter Wren cooperate and come out of the cattails again, it only took 10 minutes to relocate the Black-throated Blue Warbler still at mm 8.5.
After lunch, Rebecca and I resolved to checkout some "hotspots" of previous Octobers while Bryan and Sue went home. We only found 2 Burrowing Owls along the DIA Owl Loop. One along Picadilly Road at 0.5 miles south of 128th avenue, the other west of Tower Road at 0.3 miles north of 56th avenue.
I should mention the Great-tailed Grackles and Common Grackles at the feedlot south of the Picadilly Tree Nursery at 152nd and Picadilly. I gave up on the Eurasian Collared-Dove count here after reaching 350+.
Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (Jefferson) continues to be quite slow. One flock of 5 Yellow-rumped Warblers were just south of Clear Creek. We did find a Nashville Warbler on the south side of Clear Creek. The warbler was south of the footbridge, south of the chain link fence and 20 yards east of the same footbridge.
Our final stop of the day was Chatfield Reservoir (Jefferson/Douglas Counties). A hike along the west side from the Kingfisher Bridge to the horse trail crossing the South Platte River was uneventful. Two House Wrens were the highlight. The area just south of the paved path was once an October hotspot; not today.
The east side was not productive either. Four Cedar Waxwings being the highlight.
Plum Creek Delta was also slow. Three Yellow-rumped Warblers were northeast of the parking area. The highlight was a Black-and-white Warbler 120 yards south of the footbridge.
The lake itself was also quiet. We could not find the Sabine's Gull reported a few days ago.
To continue enjoying this fantastic fall day, we drove up Deer Creek Canyon looking for Northern Pygmy-Owls; without success.
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