Tuesday, April 26, 2011

A Day in Boulder County

April 25, 2011

Richard Stevens:

My day started at outside of Boulder Reservoir (Boulder County). The previously reported Sedge Wren was not found in 1.5 hours of searching. I stopped briefly at the location of the Hooded Warbler reported yesterday. It did not turn up in my 30 minute search.

From there, I went to the CU South campus to look for the Black-throated Sparrow. My search only lasted about 30 minutes; the sparrow was not found.

My next stop was CU East Campus. Unfortunately, the Yellow-throated Warbler was not conspicuous. Several birders including myself searched for about an hour; without success. We did find a flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers, which included a Ruby-crowned Kinglet and several Black-capped Chickadees.

Left on my own, I continued west from the previously reported site and walked down to the emergency telephone pole. Returning east, I again ran into a flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers that included 2 Brown Creepers, 2 White-breasted Nuthatches and a Black-capped Chickadee.

Now in my second hour of searching, patience paid off. The Yellow-throated Warbler was at the tail end of this flock of about 20 Yellow-throated Warblers. The flock was moving east toward the original sighting location.

After lunch, I returned to Boulder Reservoir for another try for the Sedge Wren; again without success.

On the way back to Denver, I stopped at the Singletree Trailhead in Superior. No birds including the Harris's Sparrow were seen. A nearby house at Douglas Street and 3rd Avenue had several feeders. This maybe a good location to sit and watch for visiting birds. The Harris's Sparrow did not turn up during my 30 minute sit.

Late in the afternoon, I visited Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County). Word of a shorebird invasion spread quickly. At the bird observation platform at the Prairie Loop, I counted 44 Willets, 5 Marbled Godwits, 39 American Avocets, 1 Sanderling, 42 Wilson's Phalaropes, 2 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 1 Baird's Sandpiper, 5 Greater Yellowlegs, and 3 Lesser Yellowlegs.

The reported Caspian Tern was at the sand spit near the southwest marina. I did not find the Neotropic Cormorant. However, it was reported by Cheryl Teuton!

Hundreds of Western Grebes, dozens of Eared Grebes and a few Horned Grebes swam below the dam. A dozen Franklin's Gulls and at least 5 Bonaparte's Gulls were also observed.

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