Jefferson to Clear Creek to Arapahoe Counties

December 1, 2017

Richard Stevens:

Today was colder than yesterday with high temperature of 62 degrees.  Winds were 5-6 mph with gusts to 9 mph.

New York birder Ken Bowen and I set out sights on finding a White-tailed Ptarmigan today.  An hour before sunrise we parked at Reynolds Park (Jefferson County).  A walk along Foxton Road found a Northern Pygmy-Owl presumably along the Songbird trail.

Six White-tailed Ptarmigan were found around the upper parking area at Guanella Pass (Clear Creek).  Later we relocated an American Three-toed Woodpecker at the Guanella Pass Campgrounds.

Note: second hand information had Guanella Pass Road closed from Georgetown side.  We came from Grant; no telling how much longer the road will be open.  Predicted snowstorms will eventually require over a two mile hike from either access to reach the top.

Later I drove home by way of Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe).  I scoped the lake from the bench at mile 2.5 (about a mile hike from the southern gate).

Up to three thousand gulls were on the shore below the bench.  Two Herring Gulls were among Ring-billed Gulls.  I almost missed an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull that was hidden in the mass.

Eight hundred additional gulls stood on the west shore at Senac Cove.  A Mew Gull was among the many Ring-billed Gulls.  On surprise was the lack of California Gulls.

Few waterfowl were on the lake.  Two Western Grebes swam up Lone Tree Cove.  I almost missed a Black Scoter in the middle of the lake.  It only came to the surface for a count of two or three, then dove again.

Ended my birding day at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe) watching thirty eight American Tree Sparrows feeding at Pelican Point.  The Swamp Sparrow did not make an appearance.  The only gulls (60) on the Point were Ring-billed Gulls.
Today was colder than yesterday with high temperature of 62 degrees.  Winds were 5-6 mph with gusts to 9 mph.

New York birder Ken Bowen and I set out sights on finding a White-tailed Ptarmigan today.  An hour before sunrise we parked at Reynolds Park (Jefferson County).  A walk along Foxton Road found a Northern Pygmy-Owl presumably along the Songbird trail.

Six White-tailed Ptarmigan were found around the upper parking area at Guanella Pass (Clear Creek).  Later we relocated an American Three-toed Woodpecker at the Guanella Pass Campgrounds.

Note: second hand information had Guanella Pass Road closed from Georgetown side.  We came from Grant; no telling how much longer the road will be open.  Predicted snowstorms will eventually require over a two mile hike from either access to reach the top.

Later I drove home by way of Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe).  I scoped the lake from the bench at mile 2.5 (about a mile hike from the southern gate).

Up to three thousand gulls were on the shore below the bench.  Two Herring Gulls were among Ring-billed Gulls.  I almost missed an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull that was hidden in the mass.

Eight hundred additional gulls stood on the west shore at Senac Cove.  A Mew Gull was among the many Ring-billed Gulls.  On surprise was the lack of California Gulls.

Few waterfowl were on the lake.  Two Western Grebes swam up Lone Tree Cove.  I almost missed a Black Scoter in the middle of the lake.  It only came to the surface for a count of two or three, then dove again.

Ended my birding day at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe) watching thirty eight American Tree Sparrows feeding at Pelican Point.  The Swamp Sparrow did not make an appearance.  The only gulls (60) on the Point were Ring-billed Gulls.