Monday, September 4, 2017

Afternoon At Chatfield Reservoir

September 3, 2017

Richard Stevens:

I was near Chatfield Reservoir (Jefferson/Douglas) and spent several hours in the afternoon checking of recent bird sightings.  Temperatures reached a warm 95 degrees; winds were 8-9 mph with gusts to 16 mph.

Labor Day weekend, wow, the park was packed with people.  More than I have ever experienced here before.

The Black Phoebe reported at the swim beach area was relocated farther north.  I saw the bird along the pond/creek east of the main road bridge, north of the swim beach.

Next, I stopped at the south marina sand spit.  The reported Sabine's Gull was not there; however, the sub-adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was.

I scoped the sand spit at Plum Creek delta and found the juvenile Sabine's Gull among 50 or so Ring-billed Gulls.  One Pectoral Sandpiper walked among three Killdeer.  On the way back to the parking area, a Cassin's Vireo popped out of the willows!

My final stop was the Platte River east of the Audubon Center.  An American Redstart fluttered about the cottonwoods.  Missed: a reported Least Flycatcher.

A drive through Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe) on my way home found six Cedar Waxwings near the eastern entrance.  Missed: the Long-eared Owls that summered here.

One Burrowing Owl was at West Cargo Road and Third Creek (Adams), DIA Owl Loop.

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