Friday, April 15, 2016

Loveland Pass, Genesee Mountain Park & Arapahoe County Reservoirs

April 14, 2016

Richard Stevens:

It was a beautiful but windy day east of the foothills today.  Temperatures reached 76 degrees; anemometer readings were 16 mph with gusts to 25 mph.

Six European birders had planned to start a Grouse Trip this morning.  Unfortunately, two of them missed their flights.  With 3-4 feet of snow predicted in the next couple of days in the mountains, it was not a good time to "miss a day".

Instead, I took the others up to Loveland Pass where we found two White-tailed Ptarmigan below the Summit (Clear Creek County).

Later we stopped at Genesee Mountain Park and found the pair of Williamson's Sapsuckers.  Regrettably, our target bird, Dusky Grouse was not found.

After dropping them off at their motel, I stopped at Arapahoe County reservoirs.  The Common Loon was still at Cherry Creek Reservoir (in the southeastern corner).  The only shorebird found was a lone American Avocet on the sand spit at the eastern end.

A Common Loon was also again at Aurora Reservoir.  I could not pick out any uncommon gulls among the 600+ swimming in the middle of the lake.

Burrowing Owls continue at Third Creek & West Cargo Road, Trussville & 114th Avenue and Picadilly Road between 128th & 120th Avenues.  No Short-eared Owls were found this evening.

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