January 17, 2015
Richard Stevens:
What a beautiful winter day in Colorado! While much of the country is experiencing inclement weather, we birded in 60 degree weather with mild winds.
I took my mother up to Bobcat Ridge Natural Area (Larimer County) and arrived around 8:00 am. After walking the creek at the Natural Area entrance, I painted the creek with my binoculars and was able to find the American Woodcock. It was about 50 yards east of its location yesterday.
I showed the bird to eight other birders and took about 300 photos. See photos on Colorado Birding Society's photo library:
http://coloradobirdingsociety.net16.net
On the way home, we stopped at Washington Park (Denver County). The adult Thayer's Gull was still on Smith Lake (the northern lake of the two in the park). The juvenile Thayer's Gull and possible Iceland Gull did not appear to be there.
After dropping my mother off at home, I drove the DIA Owl Loop (Adams County). I did not expect much with the superb weather. Only two Horned Larks were found while I drove around for two hours.
The sunset was one of those many superb sunsets that we get in winter. Raptor count was seven Red-tailed Hawks, one Rough-legged Hawk, seven Northern Harriers, one male American Kestrel, and three Ferruginous Hawks.
The highlight: While I scoped the field east of the infamous prairie dog town at 3.4 miles east of Tower Road and 96th avenue, I noticed a Short-eared Owl standing on a fence post of the fence going west to east toward the airport.
Perhaps it was waiting for the five Northern Harriers working the field to retire for the evening, giving the Short-eared Owl a chance to find some prey/food.
It was a topnotch ending to my remarkable day of birding!
Richard Stevens:
What a beautiful winter day in Colorado! While much of the country is experiencing inclement weather, we birded in 60 degree weather with mild winds.
I took my mother up to Bobcat Ridge Natural Area (Larimer County) and arrived around 8:00 am. After walking the creek at the Natural Area entrance, I painted the creek with my binoculars and was able to find the American Woodcock. It was about 50 yards east of its location yesterday.
I showed the bird to eight other birders and took about 300 photos. See photos on Colorado Birding Society's photo library:
http://coloradobirdingsociety.net16.net
On the way home, we stopped at Washington Park (Denver County). The adult Thayer's Gull was still on Smith Lake (the northern lake of the two in the park). The juvenile Thayer's Gull and possible Iceland Gull did not appear to be there.
After dropping my mother off at home, I drove the DIA Owl Loop (Adams County). I did not expect much with the superb weather. Only two Horned Larks were found while I drove around for two hours.
The sunset was one of those many superb sunsets that we get in winter. Raptor count was seven Red-tailed Hawks, one Rough-legged Hawk, seven Northern Harriers, one male American Kestrel, and three Ferruginous Hawks.
The highlight: While I scoped the field east of the infamous prairie dog town at 3.4 miles east of Tower Road and 96th avenue, I noticed a Short-eared Owl standing on a fence post of the fence going west to east toward the airport.
Perhaps it was waiting for the five Northern Harriers working the field to retire for the evening, giving the Short-eared Owl a chance to find some prey/food.
It was a topnotch ending to my remarkable day of birding!
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