Saturday, June 15, 2019

Drive Around Douglas and Arapahoe Counties

June 14, 2019

Richard Stevens:

It was a hot 85 degrees along the Douglas -Arapahoe Loop this afternoon.  Winds were 12-13 mph; gusts were measured at 28 mph during the thunderstorm.

Rebecca and I got some enjoyable birding in before the thunderstorms and hail.

We started at Castlewood Canyon State Park (Douglas); however we could not find an Ovenbird.  A male Bobolink was in the usual field south of the Winkler Ranch entrance.

I got photos of the Eastern Phoebe along Cherry Creek, just south of the highway 86 bridge (Douglas).

From there we turned east into Elbert County.  Thanks to Jacob Washburn and Jamie Thompson we knew to look for the male Bobolink in the Elbert Road Dickcissel field 4.1 miles south of Kiowa.  At least one Dickcissel also flew up from the mowed field several times.  We heard Grasshopper Sparrows to the west of the road.

Turning north we could not find the previously reported Chestnut-sided Warbler along Arapahoe County Road 42.

Cassin's Kingbirds were found at CR 38 and East Bijou Creek and at Richmil Ranch Open Space (Arapahoe).  That is when the downpour started.  We had not desire to drive the dirt roads when they turned to mud, instead we headed for home.

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