Return to Reynolds Park

July 30, 2018

Richard Stevens:

Another superb summer day in Colorado.  Temperatures reached only 77 degrees in Evergreen.  Winds were 3-4 mph.

Dennis & Jean Phillips and I arrived at Reynolds Park (Jefferson) about an hour and a half before sunrise.

Again, a Common Poorwill called northwest of the larger parking area.

We walked Foxton Road and then back along the Songbird trail without hearing any Northern Pygmy-Owls.  We were about 200 yards up the Oxen Draw Trail when a Northern Pygmy-Owl responded to our recording.  The owl was quite a ways east of the trail.

A male American Three-toed Woodpecker was again heard just north (downhill) of the intersection of Oxen Draw, Eagle's View & Raven's Roost trail.

Continuing south up Eagle's View trail Jean spotted a Dusky Grouse in the woods just west of the trail.  No additional Dusky Grouse were found today.

We continued to the top and circled back to the Raven's Roost Trail and then down to the Elkhorn Trail.  A pair of Williamson's Sapsuckers was encountered about 400 yards south of the old service road (not well defined with overgrowth now).

Other birds observed included Pygmy Nuthatches, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Pine Siskins, Mountain Chickadees, two Red Crossbills (near clearing at the top), Townsend's Solitaire, House Wrens and a Virginia's Warbler (willows along Foxton).

I drove the DIA Owl Loop on the way home.  Burrowing Owls continue along Gun Club Road south of 112th avenue and Trussville Road & 114th avenue.

Raptors seen included three Red-tailed Hawks, two Ferruginous Hawks, a Prairie Falcon, one Swainson's Hawk and an American Kestrel.