Thursday, December 31, 2015

Birding Around Denver

December 31, 2015

Richard Stevens:

I walked the Platte River Birding Area (Adams County) from 88th avenue to Hwy 224 and back, including a detour along Clear Creek to Washington Avenue.  Temperature peaked at 24 degrees; winds calm to 8 mph during the morning.

A pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes is still on the South Platte River at 0.6 miles south of 88th avenue.  Just about, any of the common ducks that winter in Colorado were and can be found between 88th avenue & Hwy 224.

No Rusty Blackbirds, uncommon sparrows (Harris's, White-throated), wrens or shrikes were encountered.

Next, I hike Clear Creek from Lowell Ponds Wildlife Area (Adams) to the I76 bridges.  One American Dipper was between the bridges.  Thanks Bob Canter for the heads up.

On the way home, I scoped Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe) from the lower parking lot north of the swim beach.  Two Glaucous Gulls and at least two Lesser Black-backed Gulls were observed with many gulls to the east.

The lake is almost completely ice covered now.  Unfortunately, ice anglers kept most of the gulls quite far from shore.

A drive around the DIA Owl Loop (Adams/Denver) 30 minutes before sunset did not find any owls, Snow Buntings or Lapland Longspurs this afternoon.

Year lists start over tomorrow!  Happy New Year!

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