December 4, 2010
Richard Stevens:
Bryan Ehlmann and I found ourselves at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County) before sunrise. No Short-eared Owls flew over the large cattail fields west of where the main road crosses Cherry Creek.
No uncommon gulls were found in the southeast corner of the reservoir. While we did not walk around to the southeast corner, we do not believe the Dunlin are still there (could not find them in our scopes from north of the eastern water inlet.
The Mew Gull was again on the swim beach with many Ring-billed Gulls, California Gulls and a few Herring Gulls.
We stopped only briefly at Lakecrest (Denver County). Two Greater White-fronted Geese and several Ross's Geese were easily spotted. We did not see the Brant at that time. I heard Bryan and Sue relocated the Brant later in the day.
I took Bryan back to Barr Lake (Adams) where the Harris's Sparrow was again found in the tall bushes 25 yards west of the Visitor's Center.
Rebecca Kosten and I drove down to Tomichi Gulch for my third attempt at finding the Eastern Towhee. We missed the any Spotted Towhees within 500 yards of the parking area during our first hour of searching.
I then walked 0.7 miles east to where the trail opens into rolling prairie (northeast corner of the "working ranch"). On the return trip, I found 3 Spotted Towhees south of the creek where the path goes under telephone wires.
Continuing west, I found 5 or 6 Spotted Towhees less than 200 yards from the parking area. Then, finally, the Eastern Towhee popped out of the brush and stood on top of a willow for 20 seconds.
I radioed Rebecca and she rapidly ran down the trail. The Eastern Towhee again popped up for 15 seconds and gave us good looks. Eventually, all the towhees flew north of the creek and buried themselves in the willows.
By the way, while I had an Eastern Towhee recording with me, I did not play it. I did play a Spotted Towhee alarm call, which attracted the Spotted Towhees from 20 yards south of the trail. The Eastern Towhee followed the Spotted Towhees to the creek. The Spotted Towhees called back while the Eastern Towhee never made a sound.
Richard Stevens:
Bryan Ehlmann and I found ourselves at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County) before sunrise. No Short-eared Owls flew over the large cattail fields west of where the main road crosses Cherry Creek.
No uncommon gulls were found in the southeast corner of the reservoir. While we did not walk around to the southeast corner, we do not believe the Dunlin are still there (could not find them in our scopes from north of the eastern water inlet.
The Mew Gull was again on the swim beach with many Ring-billed Gulls, California Gulls and a few Herring Gulls.
We stopped only briefly at Lakecrest (Denver County). Two Greater White-fronted Geese and several Ross's Geese were easily spotted. We did not see the Brant at that time. I heard Bryan and Sue relocated the Brant later in the day.
I took Bryan back to Barr Lake (Adams) where the Harris's Sparrow was again found in the tall bushes 25 yards west of the Visitor's Center.
Rebecca Kosten and I drove down to Tomichi Gulch for my third attempt at finding the Eastern Towhee. We missed the any Spotted Towhees within 500 yards of the parking area during our first hour of searching.
I then walked 0.7 miles east to where the trail opens into rolling prairie (northeast corner of the "working ranch"). On the return trip, I found 3 Spotted Towhees south of the creek where the path goes under telephone wires.
Continuing west, I found 5 or 6 Spotted Towhees less than 200 yards from the parking area. Then, finally, the Eastern Towhee popped out of the brush and stood on top of a willow for 20 seconds.
I radioed Rebecca and she rapidly ran down the trail. The Eastern Towhee again popped up for 15 seconds and gave us good looks. Eventually, all the towhees flew north of the creek and buried themselves in the willows.
By the way, while I had an Eastern Towhee recording with me, I did not play it. I did play a Spotted Towhee alarm call, which attracted the Spotted Towhees from 20 yards south of the trail. The Eastern Towhee followed the Spotted Towhees to the creek. The Spotted Towhees called back while the Eastern Towhee never made a sound.
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