Thursday, June 20, 2019

Back Birding Arapahoe County

June 19, 2019

Richard Stevens:

Temperatures reached into the middle 80s today.  Winds were 6-7 mph.  Gusts reached 23 mph when a front blew through.

I drove around Eastern Arapahoe County most of the day.  One of my target birds not found was Arapahoe County Dickcissel.

Cassin's Kingbirds were encountered at several locations including East Bijou Creek at CR 38.  This is just south of the town of Deer Creek.  Four Cassin's Kingbirds were relocated at Richmil Ranch Open Space.

Two Burrowing Owls were relocated along CR 129 at 0.7 miles south of Orchard Road (once a Dickcissel site).  Two additional Burrowing Owls were found along CR 30 (Quincy Road) at 0.2 miles east of CR 149.

Dickcissels were not found along Kiowa-Bennett Road, CR 129 and CR 161.  Red-headed Woodpeckers could not be relocated at County Line Road and Richmil Ranch Open Space.

Cassin's Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrow were missed at CR 30 west of Bradbury Road and the northern end of the Arapahoe County Open Space.

On the way to dinner, Rebecca Kosten and I drove through Cherry Creek State Park.  The Black-chinned Hummingbird is still flying around east of the ranger's office.  The Great-tailed Grackle is still singing at the Cottonwood Creek Wetlands.

Water level is quite high.  There is almost no shoreline at which to search for shorebirds.  The shore at West Shades Picnic Area was crowded with people/swimmers.  It was the first afternoon in a while that I was not birding between thunderstorms!  

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