Arapahoe County Birding

October 15, 2018

Richard Stevens:

Temperature high of 46 in Aurora.  Winds 5-6 mph with gusts to 10 mph.

I birded around Arapahoe County today.  Denver's traffic discourages longer drives to Chatfield Reservoir or Harriman Lake Park.

Aurora Reservoir was the birdiest.  I eventually observed one Greater White-fronted Goose and Bonaparte's Gull on my first stop.

I then walked the east and south sides of Quincy Reservoir.  An American Golden-Plover was on the northeastern mudflats.  If a Little Gull was around, it was missed.  A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher fluttered about the southeastern corner.

A return to Aurora Reservoir was quite entertaining.  While trying to decide the age of two Iceland Gulls (Thayer's) the Mew Gull walked in front of them.

The Western Gull was in the middle of the northern fourth of the lake.  

A Pacific Loon was in the southern fourth of the lake while a Common Loon was in the northern half.  A few Western Grebes, Horned Grebe, Eared Grebe, dozens of American Wigeons and hundreds of Ruddy Ducks swam around.

It appeared that no scoters or Long-tailed Ducks have arrived.  

I ended my birding day at Cherry Creek Reservoir.  Three Lesser Yellowlegs and a Stilt Sandpiper were on the mudflats off the Prairie Loop.  Two Greater Yellowlegs walked the shoreline at Pelican Point.

The only sparrows found were two American Tree and a pair of Song Sparrows.  No uncommon gulls were picked out.  Dozens of American White Pelicans stood on the Point.