Sunday, April 17, 2016

Reynolds Park & Cherry Creek Reservoir

April 16, 2016

Richard Stevens:

We received over 12 inches of snow today.  Temperatures reached the middle 40s and some of it melted.  Rebecca and I stayed home and did chores.

April 15, 2016

Five of us arrived at Reynolds Park about an hour before sunrise.  Temperatures were in the 20s; fortunately, winds were calm.

We walked along the Songbird Trail from the smaller parking area to the larger parking area.  A Northern Pygmy-Owl was found just east of the larger/main parking area.

We headed up hill along the Oxen Draw Trail to the intersection with Eagle's View and Raven's Roost trails.  A female American Three-toed Woodpecker was 30 yards northeast of Oxen Draw Trail, 40 yards north of the intersection with the other two trails.

Our trek continued up (south) the Eagle's View Trail.  A Dusky Grouse was found in a similar area that Merlynn Brown saw one on 4/13.  Perhaps it was 10 yards east of the Eagle's View Trail and 150-200 yards south of the intersection with the other two trails.

We continued to the top of the Eagle's View trail and then back down to the Songbird Trail.  A male Williamson's Sapsucker was encountered 20 yards south/uphill of the old service road.

About an hour before sunset, I passed through Cherry Creek State Park (Arapahoe).  The Common Loon found yesterday was not seen during the hour I scoped the lake.  Three Bonaparte's Gulls were observed flying around the lake.

At 7:11 pm, the Glaucous Gull was back on the southwest marina.  I mention the time as the Gull seems to appear near sunset.  Whether it is out on the lake or somewhere else during the day has not been determined.

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