Jackson and Prewitt Reservoirs, Start of an Eastern Plains Trip

May 28, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Bryan Ehlmann and I settled on make a trip to Northeastern Colorado and then south along the Eastern border for the rest of the week.

It was a beautiful late spring day (although temperatures are starting to rise; high was 88 degrees).

Our first stop was Jackson Reservoir (Morgan County).  Highlights included a Blackburnian Warbler at the south end (below the dam).  No Eastern Screech-Owl was enticed to call today.

Along the western side Campgrounds, two Long-eared Owls continue and perhaps are nesting.  A White-throated Sparrow was observed in the trees west of the marina while we searched for additional Long-eared Owls.

The rest of our birding day was spent at Prewitt Reservoir (Logan/Washington).  Warm weather has started to bring out the mosquitoes.  While they were not too bad today, it will not be long before we will be birding in long sleeves.

A superb male Mourning Warbler was found below the dam.  A waterthrush put us in a long pursuit before we could call it a Northern Waterthrush.  Our first look appeared to be a Louisiana Waterthrush.

At the inlet area, we found a Magnolia Warbler and Townsend's Warbler.  Again, we hoped for the second Blackburnian Warbler of our day.  It took 20 minutes to confirm it as a Townsend's.

Other birds found included a Baltimore Oriole, Great Crested Flycatcher, warblers (MacGillivray's, Virginia's, Wilson's, Yellow, and Yellow-rumped), and a Plumbeous Vireo.

After dusk, we relocated Eastern Screech-Owls at the inlet area and below the dam.

Mt. Evans Byway

May 27, 2014

Richard Stevens:

We heard about the opening of Mt. Evans Byway (Clear Creek County); Bryan Ehlmann and I decided to search for White-tailed Ptarmigan and other birds.  However, when we arrived at the Park, winds blowing snow and ice over the road closed Mt. Evans Road at Summit Lake.

Eventually two Brown-capped Rosy Finches were seen flying over the rocky hillside at the northwest corner of Summit Lake.  We scoped around Summit Lake and the field east of the parking area searching for White-tailed Ptarmigan.  None was found.  We decided not to walk around the snow landscape and limited the search from the main road.

On the trip back down to I70, we scoped Echo Lake and found two Barrow's Goldeneyes swimming around.  They had been previously reported by Karen Tillou, thanks!

At Genesee Mountain Park (Jefferson), we found a male Williamson's Sapsucker around the group picnic pavilion.  A pair of Williamson's Sapsuckers was observed around the flagpole at the top of the mountain.

Continuing east, we made a brief stop at Belmar Historic Park (Jefferson).  The Worm-eating Warbler previously reported was quite cooperative.  It was fluttering about the tall cottonwood tree just south of the ornamental pond, east of Kountze Lake!

Burrowing Owls continue at the prairie dog village at 3.4 miles east of Tower Road and 96th avenue.  No Short-eared Owls could be found along the DIA Owl Loop (Adams).

Back In Denver, Some Great Bird Sightings

May 26, 2014

Richard Stevens: Email sent to "cobirders" listserve:

Hello cobirders;

Bryan and Sue Ehlmann, Rebecca Kosten and I spent the last eight days searching for owls in Larimer & Jackson County.  

Today we returned to Denver by way of Jefferson and Arapahoe Counties and found a few interesting birds.  First we stopped at Welchester Tree Park, Jefferson County and watched the Blue-winged Warbler.   It was only the sixth Jefferson County Record (or will be when accepted by the Colorado Bird Records Board).

 A quick hello at a friend's home near Wheat Ridge Greenbelt's Prospect Park added a male Northern Cardinal to our day list.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal (Adams County) had few birds.  A Baltimore Oriole was around the Rod & Gun Club bird blind.  Two Baird's Sandpipers were at the Havana Ponds mudflats (dam broke, ponds flooded field to the north).

As we drove to the south end of Cherry Creek Reservoir off Jordan Road to search for the Prairie Warbler reported a few days ago, we passed Picadilly Road and 6th Avenue.  I notice a woodpecker on the telephone pole at the southeast corner; its green color caught my eye.  It was a Lewis's Woodpecker!  I can only find two other Arapahoe County records of Lewis's Woodpeckers:
9/10/1967  Cherry Creek Reservoir Van Remson
8/21/2009 Byers,  Ted Floyd.

It was a first county sighting for all of us!

At East Caley Road, east of Jordan, we hiked the cement bike path north to the footbridge and beyond.  A Red-eyed Vireo was on the west side of Cherry Creek (at 40 yards north of the footbridge).  Continuing east over the bridge, a Tennessee Warbler was in the tall willows south of the bench underneath the Cottonwoods, 80 yards from footbridge.

A pair of Lazuli Buntings (beautiful colors) was 20 yards west of the fire hydrant (another 100 yards east of the the above bench).  I caught a reddish color bird farther east.  A Rose-breasted Grosbeak was found in the cottonwood trees south of the hydrant.

The male Black-chinned Hummingbird is still hanging around just east of the Cherry Creek Reservoir ranger's office.

Continued Good Birding!

Directions to birding spots on CoBus website:
http://coloradobirdingsociety.net16.net

Owl Survey, Jackson County

May 18-25, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Three friends accompanied me in inspecting "my" Boreal Owl nesting boxes in Jackson County.  Most of the time, we escaped the rainy weather hitting Denver.  However, a couple of times, we walked around in light snow.  One night, Bryan and I camped 7 miles from a highway and saw a couple of inches of snow by daybreak.

For the last eight years, I have been monitoring 157 owl boxes in the Colorado State Forest and surrounding area.  Winter snowstorms and summer heat is taking a toll on the boxes.  In addition, approximately 20 percent of the boxes have been destroyed by deforestation. 

In spite of the conditions and long hikes, it was a successful survey.  We ended up with a Boreal Owl count of eleven birds.  Included it this were two great highlights.  Two of the boxes are being used by Boreal Owls!  Used boxes were at 9358' and 10521'.  Another box had an American Kestrel; two additional had two squirrels.

On one "rest day", we circumvented snowdrifts on wet, muddy roads and made a slow trip to the Teller Ghost Town.  No Northern Pygmy-Owls were found but we did see a male American Three-toed Woodpecker at the northern end of the self-walking tour of this old silver mine town. 

Snowdrifts were higher southeast of the Ghost Town and we were not able to survey the Owl Mountain area for owls.  We were a long distance from any help if our jeep was stuck.  A 4-wheel drive vehicle is a necessity to drive these roads even in mid-summer.

Another morning we watched three Greater Sage-Grouse at the Jackson County 26b Leks.  Later the same day, we caught a Caspian Tern flying over Delaney Buttes Wildlife Area and two additional Greater Sage-Grouse at a nearby lek!  It is/was late in the season to see birds at either lek.

One final highlight, a Flammulated Owl was found at 9358 feet elevation up Ruby Jewell Road.  It is generally stated that Boreal Owls are found 9000-10500 feet and Flammulated Owls reside 8000-10000 feet (a liberal generalization to be sure).

A Day In Elbert County

May 17, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Bryan Ehlmann and I visited several ranches in Elbert County today.  A couple of public locations were searched for birds also.  Besides migrating warblers, vireos and such we hoped to search for Common Poorwills and Cuckoos.

Winds were 12 mph, gusts to 23 mph; temperatures reached the high 60s.

A Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Tennessee Warbler were highlights in Kiowa.  They flew about the trees at the Kiowa County Museum.

We found no Dickcissels at the traditional Elbert Road field 5.1 miles south of Kiowa.  No Common Poorwills were found at their traditional locations.

The three private ranches that were visited turned out to be quite birdy.

private ranch #1: The stream behind the bunkhouse was hopping with birds.  These included: Magnolia Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Cassin's Vireo, Gray Catbirds (2), Spotted Towhees (5), Green-tailed Towhee (2), sparrows (Grasshopper, Clay-colored, Brewer's, White-crowned, Song, Savannah, and Chipping), Western Kingbirds, Eastern Kingbird, Western Tanager, and Bullock's Orioles.

private ranch #2: the second ranch with a trickling stream: Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo, Nashville Warbler, Gray Catbird and Green-tailed Towhee.

private ranch #3: No creek here, but some nice birds: Cassin's Vireo, Plumbeous Vireo, Tennessee Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler and Red-eyed Vireo.  No Common Poorwills were found today; they nested (eggs found) on 6/16/2002.

An hour before sunset we returned to private ranch #1 and watched a Short-eared Owl fly back and forth down Kiowa Creek.

Return to Rocky Mountain Arsenal

May 16, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Hello cobirders,

Bryan Ehlmann and I spent the last couple of days owling in Larimer & Jackson Counties.  When we returned this afternoon, I dropped Bryan off and picked up Rebecca.  We drove over to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal around 4:00 pm.  It was a good chance!  We hoped to find the Palm Warbler reported a couple of days ago along the south side of Mary Lake; that never happened.

Winds were 5+ mph and most of the birds were in the gulch just south of the Mary Lake trail.  Hoping for a Northern Waterthrush walking along the trickle of water in the ditch, first we found a sparrow that we were almost sure was a Swamp Sparrow.  One additional look would have been nice.  However the sparrow stayed low in the willows along the gulch, eventually disappeared at the closed eastern end of the trail.

Our next bird was a thrush.  We were allowed three or four looks of 20 seconds or so and were positive that it was a Gray-cheeked Thrush.  It also moved from west to east up the gulch.  As the Gray-cheeked Thrush was followed, we found two Swainson's Thrushes and a Hermit Thrush also.

Then we came upon a secretive warbler which appeared to be an "Oporornis" (no wingbars, gray head, olive back).  With additional looks we saw a very narrow broken eye ring, gray head, and bright yellow belly.  It looked like a female Mourning Warbler.  Yellow in lower breast, belly and undertail coverts, shape of an "Oporornis" warbler.  Too big, wrong shape, wrong colored head and wrong underneath colors to be a female Common Yellowthroat.  Absent of Strong eye ring (broken in MacGillivray's Warbler and complete in Connecticut Warbler) and long undertail coverts with short looking tail ruled out other "Oporornis" warblers (wrong facial pattern for Kentucky Warbler).

Later we hiked to the Havana Ponds area.  The dam broke during last fall's rain storms.  The field below the dam is now filled with water and the "Havana Ponds" are a mudflat.  We did not find the American Golden-Plover reported a few days ago.  Two American Avocets were on the mud flats.

To our surprise, the flooded sandy field below the old dam had 500+ Ring-billed Gulls, a dozen California Gulls, four Franklin's Gulls and one Bonaparte's Gull.  Among the many gulls was a larger black headed bird which turned out to be a Caspian Tern!  This did solve our mystery of what happened to all the gulls at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal?  High waters at Lake Ladora and Lower Derby Lake have left no exposed shore.

On our way out, another 300+ Ring-billed Gulls and half a dozen California Gulls were standing in the prairie dog town south of the Visitor's Center.

We had skipped lunch/dinner to get to the arsenal as the hours have been 6:00 am to 6:00 pm for quite some time.  I flagged down a ranger who stated that as of 5/15, the new hours are sunrise to sunset.  He also mentioned that they are becoming strict about enforcing the 30 mph speed limit (as a birder looking for birds, I seldom am going over 25 mph); watch out.

Other birds observed included many Western Kingbirds, four Eastern Kingbirds, one Cassin's Kingbird, Sparrows (Chipping, Lark, Song, Brewer's, Clay-colored, White-crowned and one Savannah), Swainson's Hawks, Red-tailed Hawk and one Golden Eagle.

Continued Good Birding!

Directions to birding spots on CoBus website:
http://coloradobirdingsociety.net16.net

Richard Stevens; Director, Colorado Birding Society
Denver, Colorado
Contact CoBus/Report Interesting Birds: 303-324-7994
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Owling Trip to Northcentral Colorado

May 14-16, 2014

Richard Stevens:

May 14

Bryan Ehlmann and I headed to Jackson County for some owling.  Along the way, we made several stops.

Our first stop was a private yard near Washington Park (Denver County).  A birder had reported a Carolina Wren in her garden for the last three days.  While Bryan and I watched the Carolina Wren, Angela Koehler texted that two Carolina Wrens were currently flying around her yard!

Angela's yard is about 1.3 miles southwest of our location!

Next, we stopped at a friend's ranch outside of Loveland (Larimer County).  Northern Saw-whet Owls have nested on his property for 4 of the last 5 years.  They are back again this year.

Afterwards we continued to Estes Park (Larimer) and walked the Cow Creek Trail.  A Northern Pygmy-Owl briefly called (north of the wooden stairs about 0.7 miles west of the trailhead).

We continued over Cow Creek in search of Flammulated Owls.  Unfortunately, none was found this night.

May 15

The feeders at the Colorado State Forest Visitor's Center had few birds around.  The large number of Red-winged Blackbirds probably kept most other birds away.

Late in the afternoon, Bryan and I hiked the west side of Pennock Pass.  The road is closed between Stove Prairie Road and Larimer County Road 27 due to muddy conditions. 

Winds were calm and the full moon lit up the forest.  Eventually we found two Flammulated Owls.

May 16

On the way toward Gould, we looked for owls on Cameron Pass. Two Boreal Owls were heard this morning.

Aurora Sports Park

May 13, 2014

Email sent to the "cobirders" listserve:

Hello birders,

Rich Stevens and I birded Aurora Sports Park. The place was loaded with birds. Probably those were stopped by yesterday's storm.

We walked the creek from the south end of the park to north then turned west. Sorry I do not remember the name of the creek.

Highlights included an Olive sided Flycatcher, Cassin's Vireo, Plumbeous Vireo, Townsend's Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, and Gray cheeked Thrush.

Several Lark Buntings and four species of sparrows were in the field east of the park.

Good birding!

Jerry Petrosky; Colorado Birding Society
Denver, CO
Contact CoBus/Report Interesting Birds: 303-324-7994
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Some Private Yards in Denver

May 12, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Email sent to "cobirders" listserve:

Hello birders,

Rich Stevens and I cruised around Denver today. None of the birds are chasable as they are on private lands. I wanted to put on notice that these species are in Denver.

While watching a Carolina Wren near Washington Park, we got a text message of a second one being seen several miles away. Photos in June's Colorado Field Notes

A male Calliope Hummingbird visited a feeder in another yard. This makes four Calliope Hummingbird sightings over three locations in the past 10 days.

A Rufous Hummingbird was reported by another birder in the Cheesman Park area. This is the second sighting in the last 10 days.

Both hummingbird species are rare in spring.

We conducted a mini-owl search and found three Eastern Screech-Owls between Capitol Hill and Bonny Brae.

Good birding!

Jerry Petrosky; Colorado Birding Society
Denver, CO
Contact CoBus/Report Interesting Birds: 303-324-7994
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Some Great Birds in a Snowstorm, Marston Reservoir

May 11, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Winds were 14+ mph, gusts to 21 mph.  Light snow felt when we left the house.  It came down more heavy by 2:00 pm.

Visibility was poor when Rebecca and I arrived at Marston Reservoir (Denver County).  Fortunately most of the shorebirds were close to the northeastern shore.

Through the falling snow we found the two Ruddy Turnstones and four of the six Black-bellied Plovers reported previously.

While watching the shorebirds, a Bonaparte's Gull flew across our view.

The Ruddy Turnstones walked toward the eastern shore and disappeared below the hill.  Relocating them would take some patience!

Watching Bird At Home

May 10, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Snow fell off and on all day.  We stayed in the warm house.  Fortunately, the storm brought many birds to our feeders and backyard.

New yard birds included four Brewer's Sparrows and two Clay-colored Sparrows.  Other uncommon visitors included a McCown's Longspur (first one ever to our yard), a Green-tailed Towhee, a Spotted Towhee, several White-crowned Sparrows and a Wilson's Warbler.

Common visitors included our six Mourning Doves and a pair of Eurasian Collared-Doves.  In 1996, we drove 300+ miles round trip to get a Eurasian Collared-Dove lifebird.  Now they nest in our neighbor's yard.

Wheat Ridge Greenbelt to Cherry Creek Reservoir

May 9, 2014

Richard Stevens:

In light snow, Rebecca Kosten and I decided to see if the Northern Parula had made it through last night's heavy snowstorm.

It did!  After a 45 minute search, we found the Northern Parula in the tall two cottonwoods north of the southeast end of the ball fields.  Several times it flew to the chokecherry bushes to the west.

When we left, the Northern Parula had flown closer to us.  First it landed in the chokecherry bushh at the southeast corner of the private property and ball field.  Then it "followed" two Yellow-rumped Warblers and flew high overhead in the cottonwood tree over the path.

We stopped at Rocky Mountain Lake (Denver) on our way back home.  The Long-tailed Duck continued in the western corner of the lake.

email sent to "cobirders" listserve by Rebecca Kosten:

cobirders,

Richard Stevens and I went through Cherry Creek State Park after our Jefferson County trip.

The male Black chinned Hummingbird is back behind the ranger's office.

The trees north of the Smoky Hill Group Picnic Area had 31 Yellow rumped Warblers, 2 Warbling Vireos, 2 Chipping Sparrows, and 1 Red eyed Vireo.

Four Bonaparte's Gulls flew around the east end.

Good birding.
Directions to birding spots on CoBus website:
http://coloradobirdingsociety.net16.net

Rebecca Kosten, Colorado Birding Society
Contact CoBus/Report Interesting Birds: 303-324-7994
Subscribe to "cobirders" by sending blank email to:
cobirders-subscribe AT yahoogroups.com
Read "cobirders" at:
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Carolina Wren In Denver

May 8, 2014

Richard Stevens:

I received a call from Angela Koehler and headed over to her yard near Washington Park.

She later emailed the "cobirders" listserve before I was able to call her back:

it's been two days since I last seen or heard the Carolina Wren.  Unfortunately I haven't seen or heard this beauty, since late Monday morning,  (May 5,  2014).  I was hoping for Richard Stevens, to witness this rare visitor here, when he came to document this rare sighting in Denver.

Later Angela went inside; I walked the alley behind her house and the surrounding neighborhood for about an hour.   The Carolina Wren called from the back yard two houses west of Angie's when I passed by down the alley.

Visits to Rocky Mountain Arsenal and Bluff Lake Nature Area

May 7, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Rebecca Kosten and I went to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal (Adams) when they opened at 6:00 am.  A Long-eared Owl (possible two) was heard in the Governor's Row area.

Later we search for an hour at the parking area along 64th Avenue for the Black-throated Sparrow reported yesterday.  Unfortunately, the sparrow was not found.  Two Burrowing Owls were between the parking area and Lake Ladora.

The day started out partly sunny, calm winds and temperatures in the 60s.  By noon, a storm blew in and anemometer readings were 26 mph, gusts to 33 mph.

Rebecca and I made the 3.6 mile round trip to the Rod & Gun Club Pond.  The trail was quite birdy after we reached the trailhead (1.1 miles from 64th avenue).

A Cassin's Vireo and Black-and-white Warbler fluttered about above the blind.  Unfortunately, no shorebirds were there.  On the trip back to our car, a male Burrowing Owl in its fresh orange and black plumage flew across the trail.  Many Chipping Sparrows and Lark Sparrows flew up from the rabbit brush.  A Lazuli Bunting added blue to the drab landscape.

We drove down 6th street (64th avenue) from Havana Street to where 64th turns from paved to gravel road.  On the trip back to Havana, a red bird was seen in the grove of trees just west of where First Creek crosses the paved portion of 64th.

After getting better views, the red bird was determined to be a young male Summer Tanager!

We stopped at Bluff Lake Nature Area (Denver) on the trip home.  A Northern Waterthrush walked along the shore at the southwest corner.  A Dusky Flycatcher and unidentified "empidonax" flycatcher were along the south end of the trail.

A Western Wood-pewee was farther east of the southwest corner and a Virginia Rail called from the cattails.

Winds increased and we headed for home before the rain and hail fell.

Another Day Around Denver

May 6, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Bryan Ehlmann and I returned to Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (Prospect Park) at sunrise.  The Northern Parula was relocated about 100 yards east of the Footbridge over Clear Creek.  A Cooper's Hawk was found farther east.  No Eastern Screech-Owls could be found this trip.

We stopped at Matthews-Winter Open Space on our way to Red Rocks Park (Jefferson).  A male Summer Tanager surprised us (along Mount Vernon Creek, behind the restroom).  A couple of House Wren chattered the whole time we walked the park.

No Golden-crowned Sparrow or Fox Sparrow was found in the hour we waited behind the Trading Post at Red Rocks Park.

After dropping Bryan off, I heard about the Worm-eating Warbler at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe) and headed over that way.  Unfortunately, I arrived about 50 minutes since that last report.  The warbler was not reported after that.

Burrowing Owls, no Short-eared Owls were observed along the DIA Owl Loop (Adams).

Birding Around Denver

May 5, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Today, temperatures reached to the high 70s; summer is coming.  Winds were calm.

We received an email from Angela Koehler that she had photographed a Carolina Wren visiting her Denver yard.  I went over to talk to her; regrettably, the Carolina Wren did not come back to her yard in the two hours we waited.

I then walked west down the alley for a block.  On the way back, I played a Carolina Wren recording and the Carolina Wren popped up from bushes in the yard just west of Angela's!

The Marbled Godwits reported earlier at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe) were not found when I drove through the park.

Half a dozen Burrowing Owls were observed along the DIA Owl Loop (Adams, 3.4 miles east of Tower Road & 96th avenue).

A Long Trip to Pawnee National Grasslands Area

May 4, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Rebecca Kosten and I went to Crow Valley Campground (Weld County).  She wanted to see the Painted Redstart that was first reported on 5/1 (it was reported early 5/4).  Regrettably, the bird was not relocated after 7:00 am.

We walked around for about three hours.  I hiked to the north end of the property without seeing the Redstart (it was last observed north of the fenced in area, north of the group camping area at 6:35 am).

Eventually, I did find a Townsend's Warbler (group picnic area) and Plumbeous Vireo (southwest corner of the Campgrounds).  A couple of Brown Thrashers, House Wrens and a Hermit Thrush were other interesting birds around.

After checking the Washington Work area (northeast of the Campgrounds), we headed to Murphy's Pasture (CR 96, west of CR 77).  The highlights here were a Black-throated Gray Warbler and Chestnut-collared Longspur.

We relocated the Mountain Plover in the field south of CR 96, west of CR 77 and a second Mountain Plover on a traditional nesting area (to remain unnamed to protect the birds).

Because it took quite an effort to obtain the permit, we stopped at the field southeast of Highway 85 and CR 114.  Another Chestnut-collared Longspur was observed without having to walk farther than 40 yards into the field.

We passed Lower Latham Reservoir (CR 48) on our way back home.  A couple of Marbled Godwits were the only shorebirds around.  No Short-eared Owls flew around at dusk.

A Brief Grouse Trip, Northern Colorado

May 2-3, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Bryan Ehlmann, Mark Abrams and I made a short mini-grouse trip.  Gunnison Sage-Grouse have been scarce at the Waunita Hot Springs Lek (Gunnison County) the last few days and the extra 400 mile drive was skipped.

May 2

At first light we observed 21 Greater Sage-Grouse at the Jackson County Road 26b leks!

Before breakfast we drove around Walden Reservoir and found half a dozen Marbled Godwits and Willets.

The feeders at the Colorado State Forest Visitor's Center had no uncommon birds.  A few Mountain Chickadees, Pine Siskins and a horde of Red-winged Blackbirds came to the feeders.

A male American Three-toed Woodpecker drummed across highway 14, about 40 yards east of the Visitor's Center.

Lake John Wildlife Area had few birds and we sat at the Delaney Butte Lek.  Seven Greater Sage-Grouse eventually displayed.

After dark, we walked a 1/2 mile either side of Cameron Pass.  Two Boreal Owls were found (one seen, another heard).

May 3

It was a long day today. We drove the 80 Route 30 minutes before sunrise.  A Dusky Grouse was at his usual place near the 2nd cattle guard. 

A dozen Sharp-tailed Grouse were relocated near the old Jimmy Gulch State Trust Lands.

A few Brown-capped Rosy Finches were found in Summit County.

We detoured to Loveland Pass (Clear Creek) where a pair of White-tailed Ptarmigan was observed below the western side of the Summit.

On the trip back to Denver, we made two stops.  The Long-tailed Duck was still at the west end of Rocky Mountain Lake.  The Northern Parula was heard near the eastern end of the chain link fence south of the Prospect Park footbridge.

Birding the Foothills

May 1, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Rebecca Kosten and I stopped at Rocky Mountain Lake (Denver County); the Long-tailed Duck is still on the lake!

The Golden-crowned Sparrow did not show up in the 30 minutes we watched behind the Red Rocks Park Trading Post.

Then we continued west to Genesee Mountain Park (Jefferson).  A male Williamson's Sapsucker was found around the pavilion at the group picnic area.  Another male and a female were observed around the snag near the flagpole at the top of the park.

Later Burrowing Owls were observed at the Prairie Dog Town at 3.4 miles east of Tower Road & 96th avenue.

A Great-tailed Grackle was at the feedlot at 152nd avenue & Picadilly Road.  The Ibis were at the flooded field along 152nd avenue, 0.1 miles east of Picadilly Road.

I picked up Bryan Ehlmann and Mark Abrams and we headed into the mountains.  A quick stop at Crow Valley Campground (Weld) found the Painted Redstart reported earlier in the day.

We searched unsuccessfully for Flammulated Owls on Pennock Pass (Larimer).