Sunday, February 24, 2019

Aurora Reservoir and First Creek Trail

February 24, 2019

Richard Stevens:

High temperature today was 35 degrees.  Winds were 14-15 mph with gusts to 19 mph.  The ground was covered with the 6 inches of snow we received February 22-23.

Rebecca and I passed through Cherry Creek State Park (Arapahoe) on our way home from dinner in Aurora.  A Great Horned Owl was perched in the cottonwood along Lakeview Drive, just west of Cherry Creek.

Earlier in the day, I walked around Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe) for about three hours.  A Lesser Black-backed Gull was on the ice 500 yards east of the lower parking lot pavilion.

The Long-tailed Duck was seen when I hiked from the western parking area to the southwest end of the dam.  It took five scans of the lake to relocate the Duck!  Most of the time it was under water, emerging only 4-5 seconds before diving for food.

A walk to the scuba beach from the northeastern parking area only added three Snow Geese to my day list.

Later I walked the First Creek Trail (Denver).  From above the 56th avenue bridge, I could see three Rusty Blackbirds walking along the eastern fork of First Creek.

No Short-eared Owls appeared this evening as I drove the DIA Owl Loop (Adams/Denver).

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