Denver Foothills

January 3, 2019

Richard Stevens:

High temperature was 55 degrees today.  Winds were mild at 4-5 mph with gusts only 6 mph.

First stop today was Morrison.  After a short wail, the Golden-crowned Sparrow showed up under the feeders at the east end of Summer Street.  Rumors were that the homeowners were upset with birders looking at their feeders.  Some birders said that the homeowners did not mind birders visiting?

Next, we searched for an hour for the Winter Wren at Morrison Park (Jefferson).  It was not found.  Rumor has it that earlier birders had played recordings for a long time to find the wren.

The Tundra Swan reported yesterday on the South Platte River, south of Mineral Avenue was not relocated.

Six Trumpeter Swans were on South Platte Park Reservoir (Arapahoe section).  I do not know who first found them.  We received a text message about the Cynthia Madsen sighting.  Note: several may be Tundra Swans?

The Black Scoter is still on South Platte Park Reservoir.

The Harris's Sparrow made a brief appearance at South Platte Park (Arapahoe).  Again, it was behind the Carson Nature Center.

After dropping off my passenger, I drove the DIA Owl Loop.  No Short-eared Owls appeared this evening.  Raptor count was good with two Ferruginous Hawks, two Red-tailed Hawks, a Rough-legged Hawk, three Northern Harriers and an American Kestrel.