Friday, March 17, 2017

Once Again Trip to Westerly Creek Park & Rocky Mountain Arsenal

March 17, 2017

Richard Stevens:

Barry Humboldt and I drove to Reynolds Park (Jefferson County) an hour before sunrise.  Not related to Alexander Humboldt, naturalist and Humboldt Peak.

A Northern Pygmy-Owl was found along the Songbird Trail.  After sunrise, a Dusky Grouse was along Raven's Roost Trail approximately 100 yards south of the old service road.  An American Three-toed Woodpecker was later found north of the intersection of Raven's Roost & Eagle's View trails.  Misses: could not find a Williamson's Sapsucker.

In the afternoon, temperatures reached 70 degrees.  Winds were 10 mph with gusts to 17 mph.

I stopped by Westerly Creek Park (Denver) for another chance to get a photograph of the Harris's Sparrow.  Regrettably, it was not found.  Neither was yesterday's Long-eared Owl or Brown Thrasher.

Highlights were a Lincoln's Sparrow and White-throated Sparrow loosely associated with a flock of eight White-crowned Sparrows in the brush near 26th Street.  The Townsend's Solitaire called near 26th Street.

The White-throated Sparrow was quite secretive.  I had to follow it for over 15 minutes before getting a good look.  The bright white supercilium caught my attention (from back view).  Eventually a frontal view confirmed the ID.

My next stop was the Rocky Mountain Arsenal (Adams).  The Lesser Black-backed Gull found a few days ago was not at Lake Ladora, Lower Derby Lake or Havana Pond.

I was not comfortable calling any of the 27 Lesser Scaups observed a Greater Scaup.  I find this separation much more difficult than it appears to other birders (see March 2017 "Colorado Field Notes").

No Short-eared Owls were found along the DIA Owl Loop this evening.

No comments: