Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Arapahoe County Birding

May 23, 2015

Richard Stevens:

The 4.6 mile hike at Quincy Reservoir (Arapahoe County) would stretch my legs today.  The 2.3 miles to the turn around and then back might be considered "flat", however, the rolling hills require a good effort to make this hike.

I mentioned that to a ranger who stopped to see what I had found.  He thought the hike was quite flat; however, he was riding an ATV two miles from the trailhead.

My success was not as productive as Jerry Petrosky's experience of 5/20.  Western Wood-pewees continued to out number as species.  A Northern Waterthrush 120 yards south and east of the first trash bin from the trailhead was that far from the one that Jerry reported.

A Red-eyed Vireo was in the tall cottonwoods directly south of the cream colored house with twenty+ solar panels on its roof.

A Veery was just west of the second trash bin (next to a bench).  If the same one as Jerry's, it had moved 80 yards to the west.

The only other uncommon bird was a Dusky Flycatcher on the south side of the lake (just west of the 1.5 Km marker).

No Great-tailed Grackles, Bobolink or warblers (other than Yellow Warblers) found today.  The willow/Russian Olive tree grove had not birds today.  Ninety six American Crows roosted near the grove today.

Before the Quincy Reservoir trip, I stopped at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe) where a Chestnut-sided Warbler was reported.  When I arrived at 1:00 pm, a rainstorm with strong winds hit the Park.  The wind was blowing out of the south; I figured any birds were blown to the northwest corner of the Lake Loop.

The trees in this corner are down a small hill and somewhat protected from the winds.  Sure enough, I found seven Yellow Warblers, four Western Wood-pewees, two Warbling Vireos and the Chestnut-sided Warbler.

After my trip to Quincy Reservoir, I returned hoping to get a photo of the Chestnut-sided Warbler in calmer winds (earlier it stayed quite high in the cottonwoods).  Unfortunately, no one could relocate the bird.  A friend reported seeing it behind the rowing club building at 2:30 pm.

Birding was between 10 minute rain storms.  I also hiked part way up the Lake Loop drainage toward Bellevue, only got halfway before another downpour and turned around.

A Red-eyed Vireo was about 100 yards south/up hill of Lake View Drive.

It started to get dark before the last downpour stopped; I went home.

No comments: