August 26, 2017
Richard Stevens:
Temperatures today reached the low 90s; winds were 7-8 mph with a short period of gusts to 17 mph in the afternoon.
I walked 14 miles today. Birder miles are more strenuous than a hike because of the stopping and going and standing around scoping the habitats. Rebecca dropped me off at several places and picked me up at the other terminus. That cut the distance almost in half.
While my target bird was more or less the Crested Caracara, I was searching for migration birds. A closer look at the bird than yesterdays would have been welcomed. I did not find it.
Barr Lake (Adams) from mile 5 to 9 (or 0) was slow bird wise. I encountered a Northern Waterthrush not the one at the banding station (not banded). I did see the American Redstart near the banding station (banded).
Other birds included many Western Kingbirds, two Eastern Kingbirds, three Western Wood-pewees, one Least Flycatcher, five House Wrens, nine Yellow Warblers, eleven Wilson's Warblers, one Hermit Thrush, no uncommon sparrows, Red-tailed Hawks, Swainson's Hawks, Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons and a Virginia Rail.
The hike from the Prairie Trail to the Rod and Gun Club ponds at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal (Adams) added several additional Western Kingbirds, two Eastern Kingbirds, two Western Wood-pewees, four Yellow Warblers, one Orange-crowned Warbler, Lark Sparrows, Vesper Sparrows and one Savannah Sparrow.
Bluff Lake Nature Area was quite slow. One Western Wood-pewee, two Yellow Warblers and a Clay-colored Sparrow were the non-resident birds.
The First Creek Trail from 56th to Buckley (Denver) then Buckley to the western end (Adams) was the most interesting.
Adams County Sparrows included two Cassin's, two Brewer's, one Clay-colored, fourteen Lark, two Song, two Savannah, one Grasshopper, one Swamp and one mystery sparrow. The Swamp Sparrow was in the cattails around the pond near the western fence at First Creek.
The mystery sparrow I captured several dozen photos as of yet not examined. It appeared to be an "ammodramus".
Other Adams County birds included an adult Bald Eagle (at Pond), two Red-tailed Hawks, two Western Wood-pewees, dozens of Western Kingbirds, two Eastern Kingbirds, one "empidonax flycatcher", two House Wrens, two Yellow Warblers, one Orange-crowned Warbler, four male Lesser Goldfinches, and one male Belted Kingfisher.
Earlier in Denver County, Great Horned Owl, one Savannah Sparrow, one Grasshopper Sparrow, one female Blue Grosbeak, two well hidden Red-tailed Hawks, and many Red-winged Blackbirds.
Misses: Barn Owls, Crested Caracara, additional hawks.
An hour before sunset, Rebecca and I walked a mile on the temporarily closed West Cargo Road to the prairie dog town. Two Burrowing Owls remain. No Short-eared Owls appeared at sunset.
Conclusion: I did not run into a wave of migrating birds.
Highlight of my day was an Eastern Screech-Owl. It is in the First Creek area. Because of its easy access, its location will not be disclosed. It has nested in the past and over wintered.
Richard Stevens:
Temperatures today reached the low 90s; winds were 7-8 mph with a short period of gusts to 17 mph in the afternoon.
I walked 14 miles today. Birder miles are more strenuous than a hike because of the stopping and going and standing around scoping the habitats. Rebecca dropped me off at several places and picked me up at the other terminus. That cut the distance almost in half.
While my target bird was more or less the Crested Caracara, I was searching for migration birds. A closer look at the bird than yesterdays would have been welcomed. I did not find it.
Barr Lake (Adams) from mile 5 to 9 (or 0) was slow bird wise. I encountered a Northern Waterthrush not the one at the banding station (not banded). I did see the American Redstart near the banding station (banded).
Other birds included many Western Kingbirds, two Eastern Kingbirds, three Western Wood-pewees, one Least Flycatcher, five House Wrens, nine Yellow Warblers, eleven Wilson's Warblers, one Hermit Thrush, no uncommon sparrows, Red-tailed Hawks, Swainson's Hawks, Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons and a Virginia Rail.
The hike from the Prairie Trail to the Rod and Gun Club ponds at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal (Adams) added several additional Western Kingbirds, two Eastern Kingbirds, two Western Wood-pewees, four Yellow Warblers, one Orange-crowned Warbler, Lark Sparrows, Vesper Sparrows and one Savannah Sparrow.
Bluff Lake Nature Area was quite slow. One Western Wood-pewee, two Yellow Warblers and a Clay-colored Sparrow were the non-resident birds.
The First Creek Trail from 56th to Buckley (Denver) then Buckley to the western end (Adams) was the most interesting.
Adams County Sparrows included two Cassin's, two Brewer's, one Clay-colored, fourteen Lark, two Song, two Savannah, one Grasshopper, one Swamp and one mystery sparrow. The Swamp Sparrow was in the cattails around the pond near the western fence at First Creek.
The mystery sparrow I captured several dozen photos as of yet not examined. It appeared to be an "ammodramus".
Other Adams County birds included an adult Bald Eagle (at Pond), two Red-tailed Hawks, two Western Wood-pewees, dozens of Western Kingbirds, two Eastern Kingbirds, one "empidonax flycatcher", two House Wrens, two Yellow Warblers, one Orange-crowned Warbler, four male Lesser Goldfinches, and one male Belted Kingfisher.
Earlier in Denver County, Great Horned Owl, one Savannah Sparrow, one Grasshopper Sparrow, one female Blue Grosbeak, two well hidden Red-tailed Hawks, and many Red-winged Blackbirds.
Misses: Barn Owls, Crested Caracara, additional hawks.
An hour before sunset, Rebecca and I walked a mile on the temporarily closed West Cargo Road to the prairie dog town. Two Burrowing Owls remain. No Short-eared Owls appeared at sunset.
Conclusion: I did not run into a wave of migrating birds.
Highlight of my day was an Eastern Screech-Owl. It is in the First Creek area. Because of its easy access, its location will not be disclosed. It has nested in the past and over wintered.
ONE OTHER NOTE: we drove to
Aurora Reservoir to search for the reported Long-tailed Jaeger, found that the
reservoir was closed for the day?
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