Birding Around Denver

October 18, 2018

Richard Stevens:

What a superb fall Colorado day with temperatures reaching 68 degrees, winds were 12-13 mph with gusts to 21 mph.

I enjoyed the fantastic morning by hiking from W. Bowles Avenue to South Platte Park (Arapahoe).  I did not except that yesterday's Green Heron would still be around; however, the walk was enjoyable.  

No birds were seen until I reached the falls near the Landing area.  Two juvenile Black-crowned Night-Herons and an adult Great Blue Heron stood on rocks waiting for fish to swim by.

My next stop was Chatfield Reservoir (Jefferson/Douglas) in search of the Red-necked Grebe and Sabine's Gull recently reported.  Neither was found; however, a Common Loon swam off the old swim beach area.

I stopped by South Platte Park Reservoir (Jefferson) and scoped the storage units for the Tropical Kingbird.  A Kingbird was briefly seen by another birder and me.  I could not confirm it was the Tropical Kingbird.

The Red-throated Loon was at the extreme southeastern end of Marston Reservoir (Denver County).  Many Western Grebes, a raft of Ruddy Ducks and a few Pied-billed Grebes were also there.

My birding day ended at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe).  The American Golden-Plover was missed again by me.  The Bonaparte's Gull and Mew Gull stood on the sandbar north of Pelican Bay/Cherry Creek dam trailhead.

I took photos of a Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and hope to show the comparison later.

Six Long-billed Dowitchers walked around the mudflats at the Prairie Loop (old bird platform area).  A lone Stilt Sandpiper was also here.

While making sure there were no Short-billed Dowitchers in the mix, a Swamp Sparrow walked along the cattails (west to east).

I ran out of daylight before getting to Pelican Point.  The American Golden-Plover was reported off Pelican Point yesterday.