Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Birding Outside the Eastern Side of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal

August 20, 2019

Richard Stevens:

It was 64 degrees at 6:00am when I left home and 91 degrees at 11:00am when I finished my hike along the east side of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal (Buckley Road and the First Creek Trail).  Hot winds of 7-8 mph blew over the rolling hills.

Highlights were a calling Upland Sandpiper west of Buckley Road (inside the Arsenal fence) and a Burrowing Owl on the fence.  Both were in Adams County and several hundred yards north of the old Eagle Watch bunker.

Several flocks of Vesper Sparrows flew back and forth across Buckley in both Adams & Denver Counties.  A Grasshopper Sparrow also fluttered about both counties; it was between the First Creek Trail and the Buckley parking area.

Raptors included two Swainson's Hawks, one Red-tailed Hawk and a pair of American Kestrels.

First Creek Trail was slow both in Adams County (toward the pond at the eastern Arsenal fence and in Denver County (Buckley Road to the horse corrals).

A least three Western Kingbirds were still around and a Great Horned Owl was along First Creek in Adams County.

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