September 24, 2017
Temperatures only reached the high 40s today. That was quite a change from the record setting high of 92 degrees on Friday! Winds were 8-9 mph with gusts to 11 mph.
Rebecca and I first stopped at the scuba beach at Aurora Reservoir. Like yesterday, no birds were along the shore (many scuba divers however).
Bill Cryder and I then walked in from the south side. The Lesser Black-backed Gull was again with many Ring-billed and California Gulls along the shore at mile 2.5. We did not see the Sabine's Gull and Bonaparte's Gulls found yesterday. It was raining during our hike; visibility on the lake was poor.
Rebecca and I drove to Cherry Creek Reservoir (about 8 miles as the crow flies from Aurora Reservoir). She waited in the car while I walked from the Shop Creek parking area to Pelican Point in the pouring rain. Most roads were still closed due to the DOW Expo; we could not drive closer to Pelican Point.
The only shorebirds on the Point were Killdeer. I did not find the Semipalmated Plover when scoping the southeast corner to the bird platform. The highlight was five Common Terns! However, one of the terns had dark primaries and carpal bar of a Common Tern; however, its legs were very short.
It appeared much shorter than the other terns (Common) and its carpal bar was less distinct. Its bill looked slightly smaller. I would have called it an Arctic Tern except for the dark outer primaries. I would expect pale gray to whitish primaries on an Arctic Tern.
We then walked through the woods from Shop Creek to Lake View Road. The newly improved trail kept us from hiking through mud and tall grasses. A Golden-crowned Kinglet was a nice find. I have only recorded one other in Cherry Creek State Park in twenty two years.
Our birding day ended with a brief hike along the Niedrach Trail at Barr Lake (Adams). We did find the American Golden-Plover, missed on all the birds recorded yesterday by Ben Lagasse.
Temperatures only reached the high 40s today. That was quite a change from the record setting high of 92 degrees on Friday! Winds were 8-9 mph with gusts to 11 mph.
Rebecca and I first stopped at the scuba beach at Aurora Reservoir. Like yesterday, no birds were along the shore (many scuba divers however).
Bill Cryder and I then walked in from the south side. The Lesser Black-backed Gull was again with many Ring-billed and California Gulls along the shore at mile 2.5. We did not see the Sabine's Gull and Bonaparte's Gulls found yesterday. It was raining during our hike; visibility on the lake was poor.
Rebecca and I drove to Cherry Creek Reservoir (about 8 miles as the crow flies from Aurora Reservoir). She waited in the car while I walked from the Shop Creek parking area to Pelican Point in the pouring rain. Most roads were still closed due to the DOW Expo; we could not drive closer to Pelican Point.
The only shorebirds on the Point were Killdeer. I did not find the Semipalmated Plover when scoping the southeast corner to the bird platform. The highlight was five Common Terns! However, one of the terns had dark primaries and carpal bar of a Common Tern; however, its legs were very short.
It appeared much shorter than the other terns (Common) and its carpal bar was less distinct. Its bill looked slightly smaller. I would have called it an Arctic Tern except for the dark outer primaries. I would expect pale gray to whitish primaries on an Arctic Tern.
We then walked through the woods from Shop Creek to Lake View Road. The newly improved trail kept us from hiking through mud and tall grasses. A Golden-crowned Kinglet was a nice find. I have only recorded one other in Cherry Creek State Park in twenty two years.
Our birding day ended with a brief hike along the Niedrach Trail at Barr Lake (Adams). We did find the American Golden-Plover, missed on all the birds recorded yesterday by Ben Lagasse.
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