May 12, 2018
Richard Stevens:
Temperatures reached 78 degrees in the afternoon. Winds were high again at 10-11 mph with gusts to 24 mph.
I drove to Willow Spring Open Space (Jefferson) to search for the Northern Mockingbird & Northern Waterthrush reported earlier in the morning by Jared Del Rosso.
Saturday is not the best day to search for birds here. The Park gets many visitors and especially dog walkers.
I did not find the Northern Mockingbird during a walk around this rather large open space. A Northern Mockingbird has been reported here for the past four years. I found one last year and had searched the last four. They seem difficult to find in the willows and cattails. Today's bird was probably still there.
The Northern Waterthrush was relocated along Willow Creek, below the dam (north side). It walked along the shore where the creek curves from north to west. It took 25 minutes to relocate it after the Northern Waterthrush walked under some dead willows hanging over the Creek.
A Grosbeak called from the opposite side of the creek. It appeared to come from the wild plum bushes. Unfortunately, I never saw it. Audio was captured, perhaps I can identify the bird some spectrograms.
A Cassin's Vireo was fluttering about the Cottonwood Tree below the tagged Shed west of the Northern Waterthrush location.
In the afternoon, Rebecca and I drove to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal (Adams). I walked to the Rod & Gun Club bird blind. A Gray-cheeked Thrush stood on the pile of dead limbs near the Blind. Later it flew to the Cottonwoods south of the Blind.
Cattails are high and only a little portion of the pond can be seen. No shore for shorebirds was visible.
We found few birds along the Wildlife drive. No Burrowing Owl was out; winds were 24+ mph.
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