Saturday, November 19, 2016

Birding In Douglas County

November 19, 2016

Richard Stevens:

Rebecca and I were invited to a barbecue at a friend's ranch near Franktown.  We birded several places on the trip south.  Temperatures today barely reached 42 degrees; winds were less than 2 mph most of the afternoon.

We stopped at many lakes and ponds in Douglas County on the trip to Franktown.  Target birds were Barrow's Goldeneyes and Greater Scaup; neither of which was found.

At Bar CCC Pond, the majority bird was Ring-necked Ducks.  At McCabe Meadows Pond, there were dozens of Ring-necked Ducks, Gadwalls, American Coots, and Redheads.

North Piney Lake had a few Cackling Geese and three dozen Canada Geese.  The highlight was two mule deer walking within 15 feet of my tripod.  When I backed away to give them room to pass, a Black-billed Magpie landed on my scope!

Closer to Franktown, the previously reported Greater White-fronted Goose and Greater Scaup were gone at Walker Gravel Pit.  The majority bird was Gadwalls.  South of Hwy 86 at McLain Gravel Pit, Ring-necked Ducks were the majority bird with a few Canada Geese and a couple of Cackling Geese.

After the barbecue, we stopped at several locations along Castlewood Canyon Road in search of Northern Saw-whet Owls.  No owls were found this night.

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