Monday, April 29, 2019

Search for South Platte Park Birds

April 27, 2019

Richard Stevens:

High temperature today was 67 degrees.  Winds were ridiculous at 14-15 mph with gusts to 30 mph.

After lunch, I chose to make the long time consuming drive to South Platte Park (Arapahoe).  Yesterday's Yellow-throated Vireo had been found.  In four hours, I was not able to relocate the bird.

I walked from the South Platte Park Visitor's Center down to C470 with a stop at Bufflehead Lake where the Yellow-throated Vireo was reported.

On the return trip, I hiked up the western side of the Ponds lining the Trail.  A text message sent GPS waypoints of a possible Yellow-throated Vireo sighting west of Eagle Watch Lake.  

In a 30-45 minute search at the waypoints, I was not able to find the bird.  The waypoints may have been off, because the Yellow-throated Vireo was relocated east of Bufflehead Lake after I left.

As I started up the west side of the Ponds, I mentioned to another birder that the blooming wild plum brushes were excellent places for a Northern Parula.  One had been reported 1.1 mile farther north yesterday.

Less than ten minutes after making the statement, a small grayish blue with a yellow throat and rufous breastband popped out of a group of plum bushes!  Coordinates are on the South Platte Park map on the CoBus website:
coloradobirdingsociety.net 

After returning to the South Platte Park Visitor's Center, I continued 0.6 miles north to the site of the Northern Parula report of yesterday.  I did not find another one.

My final stop of the day was at Chatfield Reservoir (Jefferson/Douglas).  I could not relocate the Townsend's Warbler reported yesterday at the old heronry.

No comments: