Monday, September 25, 2017

Birding East of Denver Today

September 25, 2017

Temperatures only reached the high 40s today.  Winds were 11 mph with gusts to 19 mph.

Before heading to eastern Arapahoe County, I stopped at Barr Lake (Adams County).  The American Golden-Plover, one Black-bellied Plover and two Pectoral Sandpipers were again below the Niedrach Boardwalk.

A walk to the banding station at mile 8.7 found a Nashville Warbler in the willows at mile 8.8!  One Western Kingbird flew around the boat ramp area.  One Barn Owl remains in an owl box.

At Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe), twelve Common Terns were on Pelican Point.  Five Killdeer shared the shore with nine Snowy Egrets.  Ring-billed and California Gulls were the only ones representing their family.

I did not find a Sabine's Gull.  No loons have arrived yet.  A Golden-crowned Kinglet was near the Shop Creek parking area where I found the Cassin's Vireo yesterday.

At Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe), the scuba beach was devoid of birds.  Most of the gulls were back at the shore at mile 2.5.  One Lesser Black-backed Gull was the only uncommon Gull that was found.  No loons or uncommon ducks have arrived here yet.

Previous stops had "used up" my daylight.  I wanted to be at Jewell and Picadilly before sunset to do some owling.

I drove the Yale-Jewell Loop (Arapahoe) and scoped the riparian area along Coal Creek.  Found my target bird, an adult Red-headed Woodpecker worked the snag about 40 yards south of the infamous Eagle's nest (located about a mile south of Jewell and Smith (sometimes called Yale).

Many Vesper Sparrows were observed along Yale Road.  A Grasshopper Sparrow was 20 yards west of CR 97.

It started to rain heavily 30 minutes before sunset and I abandoned my owling plans.

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