Birding Around Denver

February 25, 2019

Richard Stevens:

High temperature was 42 degrees this pleasant winter day in Colorado.  Winds were 7-8 mph with gusts to 14 mph.

Rebecca and I had some business downtown Denver; however, several detours were made before and after.

On the way downtown, we stopped at Rocky Mountain Arsenal (Adams County).  The previously reported Lesser Black-backed Gull was not at either Lake Ladora or Lower Derby Lake.  Perhaps it moved to Havana Ponds; we did not have the time for the 3 mile round trip to check it out.

A Lesser Black-backed Gull was on the ice at McKay Lakes, near McKay Road and 100th avenue (Adams).

After lunch, we continued south to South Platte Park (Arapahoe).  There was less traffic than trying to drive back home.

The Harris's Sparrow was perched on a bush at the southwest corner of the Carson Nature Center!

Farther south, we scoped South Platte Park Reservoir (Arapahoe).  I had to hike halfway to the dam from the southwest parking area before seeing the Black Scoter.  The female/immature bird was swimming along the northwest corner of the Lake (could not be seen from the parking area).

We checked both nearby Blackrock Lake and Eaglewatch Lake and only found Lesser Scaups no Greater Scaups.

A hike about 1/2 mile up Waterton Canyon (south of South Platte Park Reservoir) did not find any uncommon birds.

After sunset, we walked Deer Creek from Hildebrand Park to the entrance to Deer Creek Canyon.  A Northern Pygmy-Owl responded to our recordings on our way back to the car.  The Owl was closer to Deer Creek Canyon entrance than Hildebrand.