Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Cherry Creek Reservoir to Downtown Denver to Barr Lake; Slow Birding, Nice day

May 26, 2015

Richard Stevens:

Bryan Ehlmann and I spent an hour at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe).  However, no uncommon or "new" birds were found at the Lake Loop and Drainage to Bellevue.  Smoky Hill Group Picnic Area was "quiet" also.

After receiving a text message, we drove to downtown Denver and Commons Park.  We relocated the Cassin's Vireo that Greg Schrab had found around 6:50 am this morning.  The vireo was in the fern like trees along the eastern side of the park.  I will have to look up what kind of tree these are.  Migrating birds appear to prefer looking for insects in these trees.

After dropping Bryan off, I wanted a leisure hike to stretch my legs after too many days and miles in a car.  The 7 mile hike today at Barr Lake (Adams County) was nice.  Unfortunately, only a few birds were found.  I did enjoy a slow paced hike in cool but rain free weather.  Winds were mild and temperatures in the 60s in the afternoon.

Mosquitoes were flocking (guess a better word would be swarming).  Fortunately, I only was bit one time.  In a day or two or possibly a week, the Barr Lake trail will become a toll road.  The cost is blood.

Birding was quite slow until I passed the Pioneer Trail.  A Gray-cheeked Thrush walked along the fallen log at 40 yards northeast of the Pioneer Trailhead.  Before my camera booted up, a Swainson's Thrush chased after the Gray-cheeked Thrush, which jumped deep into the brush.

A Gray Catbird and several Bullock's Orioles were also in the area.  My target bird was a Baltimore Oriole.  In the past 15 years, six times a male Baltimore Oriole has been found between May 26 & May 29.  None was found today.

Continued northeast, a Tennessee Warbler and two Yellow Warblers were in the "fern like trees" near mile 7.4. 

The canal below the dam was not busy either.  An Olive-sided Flycatcher hawked insects near mile 6.6.

The Barn Owl was looking out of the nesting box at the banding station as I returned to the Visitor's Center footbridge.

A walk around the Niedrach Boardwalk found nothing to mention.

Thirty minutes before sunset, I drove the DIA Owl Loop.  Nine Burrowing Owls were spread over three locations along the Loop.  No Short-eared Owl appeared this evening.

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