Saturday, February 24, 2018

Another Search for Common Redpolls, Arapahoe, Denver & Adams County

February 23, 2018

Richard Stevens:

Another typical winter day.  Skies were sunny today with temperatures reaching 34 degrees.  Winds were 5-6 mph with gusts to 17 mph.

I drove eastern Arapahoe County roads again today.  A brief drive through Aurora Reservoir Park found the lake almost completely snow covered.  Fog reduced visibility to less than 30 yards.  The few birds around were too far away to identify.

The eighteen Common Redpolls reported two days ago along CR 42 were not found.  Northern Harriers numbered 7, Red-tailed Hawks 7, Rough-legged Hawks 2 and 2 American Kestrels.

While driving through the Galamb's mobile home park 1.8 miles east of Watkins Road and Colfax Blvd I found one Common Redpoll visiting feeders with many House Finches, House Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos.  A pair of Eurasian Collared-Doves picked up seed that fell on the ground underneath.

I continued up Hudson Road to the east side of DIA Airport searching for the two Common Redpolls reported north of 72nd Avenue.  About a mile north of that intersection a Common Redpoll was observed with a flock of six American Goldfinches and eight American Tree Sparrows.

The lack of longspurs and especially Horned Larks was surprising.  I zigzagged the gravel roads for several hours without spotting one.

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