August 12, 2015
Richard Stevens:
Today, Terry Michaels and I conducted "fall" point counts on State Trust Lands along Box Elder Creek (Arapahoe County, later Adams County).
Highlight was a juvenile Yellow-billed Cuckoo, most likely one of two born on the property. The parents were first discovered on May 5th. Several CoBus members watched the progress over the next two months.
Migration may have started here. We found a Warbling Vireo, Wilson's Warbler and Plumbeous Vireo. Several nesting birds included Yellow Warblers, Downy Woodpeckers, and of course, Northern Flickers.
Later we tried to bird parts of Box Elder Creek farther north of the State Trust Lands. Best bird was a Red-headed Woodpecker at 96th avenue. The woodpecker stayed south of 96th avenue in the tall cottonwoods along the dry creek.
We checked for Burrowing Owls along the DIA Owl Loop and found them at three locations in Adams County and one in Denver County (Gun Club Road, south of 112th).
No Short-eared Owls appeared tonight.
We wondered why Loggerhead Shrikes were more common farther south than 96th avenue, and then remembered that E. Yale & E. Quincy and Arapahoe County Road 30 have barbwire fences. They are lacking farther north.
Richard Stevens:
Today, Terry Michaels and I conducted "fall" point counts on State Trust Lands along Box Elder Creek (Arapahoe County, later Adams County).
Highlight was a juvenile Yellow-billed Cuckoo, most likely one of two born on the property. The parents were first discovered on May 5th. Several CoBus members watched the progress over the next two months.
Migration may have started here. We found a Warbling Vireo, Wilson's Warbler and Plumbeous Vireo. Several nesting birds included Yellow Warblers, Downy Woodpeckers, and of course, Northern Flickers.
Later we tried to bird parts of Box Elder Creek farther north of the State Trust Lands. Best bird was a Red-headed Woodpecker at 96th avenue. The woodpecker stayed south of 96th avenue in the tall cottonwoods along the dry creek.
We checked for Burrowing Owls along the DIA Owl Loop and found them at three locations in Adams County and one in Denver County (Gun Club Road, south of 112th).
No Short-eared Owls appeared tonight.
We wondered why Loggerhead Shrikes were more common farther south than 96th avenue, and then remembered that E. Yale & E. Quincy and Arapahoe County Road 30 have barbwire fences. They are lacking farther north.
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