May 21, 2012
Richard Stevens:
Bryan Ehlmann and I decided to retrace Jerry, Sue, Amy and Rebecca's yesterday trip to Douglas County.
We relocated the Northern Waterthrush but blanked on the White-eyed Vireo and American Redstart at Hidden Mesa Open Space. If there are any Yellow-billed Cuckoos nesting this year, we were not able to find them.
Over a dozen Yellow Warblers, half a dozen Song Sparrows, two Eastern Kingbirds, half a dozen Western Kingbirds, a dozen American Goldfinches, two Lesser Goldfinches, and a few Vesper Sparrows were also observed.
The American Redstart was relocated along the Cherry Creek Regional Trail at Walker Pit. We blanked on the Summer Tanager and Plumbeous Vireo. Again no Yellow-billed Cuckoos were found.
Here again, we saw Eastern Kingbirds, Western Kingbirds, unfortunately no Cassin's Kingbirds (for the triple crown), Vesper Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Bullock's Orioles, and a MacGillivray's Warbler.
At the field south of the Winkler Ranch on Castlewood Canyon Road, south of the State Park, we counted 9+ male and 2 female Bobolinks.
On the hillside to the west of the Winkler Ranch we had a singing Cordilleran Flycatcher, Spotted Towhees, Vesper Sparrows, Mountain Bluebirds, many Tree Swallows and a Savannah Sparrow.
Several pairs of Western Bluebirds were using nesting boxes to the north (where Castlewood Canyon Road runs east to west). We could not find any Eastern Bluebirds (have not heard of any this year, as usually there is at least one pair). A lone Wild Turkey walked the forest edge here.
Back at the Castlewood Canyon State Park, we found a Least Flycatcher below the old Cherry Creek dam. Bullock's Orioles, Spotted Towhees, and a few Black-headed Grosbeaks were also recorded here.
In the afternoon, I decided to bike around the southern end of Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). The target, the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher reported last Thursday south of the gun shooting range down to Windmill Creek and Pond. The bird was never found.
I have heard of Cottonwood Creek and Lone Tree Creek south of the State Park, however never Windmill Creek. I was not able to find it or a pond either.
Along the way, I stopped and heard a Virginia Rail at the southern end of the 12 Mile Beaver Pond. An American Redstart was in the cottonwoods just south of the pond (no sign of last week's Tennessee Warbler).
I zigzagged around the trails south of the main road (and gun range) down to Jordan Road. Then I rode up Peoria to Bellevue and back into Cherry Creek Reservoir. A couple of additional Virginia Rails called from the Bellevue Wetlands.
Finally, I rode over to the Prairie Loop. Having never tried playing a recording for a warbler (I have only used it on owls), I played an American Redstart song.
Half a dozen Yellow Warblers and two Black-capped Chickadees came out of the trees just west of the path down to the bird platform. Then I heard an American Redstart. It was enticed into emerging from the trees just east of the path!
No uncommon gulls or terns of any kind were around the southwest marina as the sunset.
Richard Stevens:
Bryan Ehlmann and I decided to retrace Jerry, Sue, Amy and Rebecca's yesterday trip to Douglas County.
We relocated the Northern Waterthrush but blanked on the White-eyed Vireo and American Redstart at Hidden Mesa Open Space. If there are any Yellow-billed Cuckoos nesting this year, we were not able to find them.
Over a dozen Yellow Warblers, half a dozen Song Sparrows, two Eastern Kingbirds, half a dozen Western Kingbirds, a dozen American Goldfinches, two Lesser Goldfinches, and a few Vesper Sparrows were also observed.
The American Redstart was relocated along the Cherry Creek Regional Trail at Walker Pit. We blanked on the Summer Tanager and Plumbeous Vireo. Again no Yellow-billed Cuckoos were found.
Here again, we saw Eastern Kingbirds, Western Kingbirds, unfortunately no Cassin's Kingbirds (for the triple crown), Vesper Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Bullock's Orioles, and a MacGillivray's Warbler.
At the field south of the Winkler Ranch on Castlewood Canyon Road, south of the State Park, we counted 9+ male and 2 female Bobolinks.
On the hillside to the west of the Winkler Ranch we had a singing Cordilleran Flycatcher, Spotted Towhees, Vesper Sparrows, Mountain Bluebirds, many Tree Swallows and a Savannah Sparrow.
Several pairs of Western Bluebirds were using nesting boxes to the north (where Castlewood Canyon Road runs east to west). We could not find any Eastern Bluebirds (have not heard of any this year, as usually there is at least one pair). A lone Wild Turkey walked the forest edge here.
Back at the Castlewood Canyon State Park, we found a Least Flycatcher below the old Cherry Creek dam. Bullock's Orioles, Spotted Towhees, and a few Black-headed Grosbeaks were also recorded here.
In the afternoon, I decided to bike around the southern end of Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). The target, the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher reported last Thursday south of the gun shooting range down to Windmill Creek and Pond. The bird was never found.
I have heard of Cottonwood Creek and Lone Tree Creek south of the State Park, however never Windmill Creek. I was not able to find it or a pond either.
Along the way, I stopped and heard a Virginia Rail at the southern end of the 12 Mile Beaver Pond. An American Redstart was in the cottonwoods just south of the pond (no sign of last week's Tennessee Warbler).
I zigzagged around the trails south of the main road (and gun range) down to Jordan Road. Then I rode up Peoria to Bellevue and back into Cherry Creek Reservoir. A couple of additional Virginia Rails called from the Bellevue Wetlands.
Finally, I rode over to the Prairie Loop. Having never tried playing a recording for a warbler (I have only used it on owls), I played an American Redstart song.
Half a dozen Yellow Warblers and two Black-capped Chickadees came out of the trees just west of the path down to the bird platform. Then I heard an American Redstart. It was enticed into emerging from the trees just east of the path!
No uncommon gulls or terns of any kind were around the southwest marina as the sunset.
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