Adams to Broomfield to Arapahoe Counties

October 31, 2019

Richard Stevens:

High temperature was 48 degrees.  Winds were 9-10 mph with gusts to 16 mph.

Did not find much when I drove through the Rocky Mountain Arsenal (Adams).  A Say's Phoebe was probably the highlight.  No uncommon waterfowl or gulls were found.

Got a text message about the Black Scoter at Plaster Reservoir and headed up that way.  It only took about 15 minutes to add a new county bird to my lists!

Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe) was more interesting.  It took an hour or so the scope through the thousands of gulls below the Lower Park Area.  One Lesser Black-backed Gull stood on the shore.  Misses, no Iceland Gulls or other uncommon gulls and no uncommon waterfowl.

Then I walked up from the northwestern parking area.  Thousands of gulls, geese and ducks were near the shore behind the riparian area south of the restrooms. 

An Iceland Gull and another Lesser Black-backed Gull stood among the horde on the shore.  Five Greater White-fronted Geese and two Snow Geese mingled with the many Canada Geese and Cackling Geese.

Two Common Loons were found, one below the northwest end of the dam and the other at the mouth of Lonetree Cove.

Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe) was a cornucopia of birds.  Highlights among the many common waterfowl included the Red-necked Grebe, two loons, two Bonaparte's Gulls, three Common Goldeneyes and a first year Herring Gull.  

The two Common Loons were not the Yellow-billed Loon reported on 10/28.  I captured witness photos of the loons and grebes; unfortunately, they were too far away for great photos.

Misses included still no Long-tailed Ducks and the Black Scoter was not relocated.

No Short-eared Owls appeared at the DIA Owl Loop as I parked at 88th avenue and 470 toll road.