Sunday, September 25, 2016

Birding Around Denver & Mt Falcon Park Trip

September 24, 2016

Richard Stevens:

Terry Michaels was kind and took my commitment to lead a trip to Mt Falcon Park (Jefferson).  They all heard a Northern Pygmy Owl toward the overlook at Mt Falcon Park.  They also found two Dusky Grouse along the trail going south from the southeast corner of the parking lot.

Meanwhile I drove over to Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe).  I sat and scoped the lake for about two hours, never finding the Parasitic Jaeger.  While doing so, I did see two Sabine's Gulls and three Common Terns.

Next, I stopped at Barr Lake (Adams).  Eventually I walked from the Visitor's Center to banding station and then the peninsula to the north.  Again, I missed the Semipalmated Plover that everyone else seems to find for the past two weeks.

A Nashville Warbler was in the willows just north of where the Willow Tree hangs over the main trail (mile 8.8).  A little farther north, a Cassin's Vireo fluttered about in the cottonwoods.

A Barn Owl was again at the banding station nesting box.  A Hermit Thrush jumped around the fallen trees below the banding station table.

Many American White Pelicans, Ring-billed Gulls and Double-crested Cormorants stood on the shore.  Two Pectoral Sandpipers were along the western side of the peninsula.

My birding day ended with a drive along the DIA Owl Loop (Adams/Denver) in search of owls.  No Short-eared Owls appeared this evening. 

Two Burrowing Owls were along Gun Club Road, south of 112th avenue.  Another two were at W. Cargo Road and Third Creek.  I have not seen any Burrowing Owls at Trussville Road & 114th since August 7.

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