Beautiful Fall Day at Barr Lake & Chatfield Reservoir

October 12, 2019

Richard Stevens:

What a fantastic fall day.  High temperature was 66 degrees.  Winds were 5-6 mph with gusts 11 mph.

My birding day started at Barr Lake (Adams County).  The American Golden-Plover reported yesterday was relocated on the shore northwest of the Niedrach Boardwalk.

A text message indicated that the Chatfield Reservoir Dunlin and plovers were still there; I headed southwest to the Lake.  Before driving to the sand spit, I went to the southeastern entrance.  The Burrowing Owls reported earlier in the day were standing on one of the prairie dog mounds.

Then I walked from the marina sand spit to the Plum Creek Delta (Douglas).  The sand spit had only gulls, mostly Ring-billed and a couple of California Gulls.  Two American Pipits fluttered about the new rocky hillside.

Dozens of shorebirds walked the mudflats at Plum Creek Delta.  Highlights at the mudflats included the American Golden-Plover, three Black-bellied Plovers, three Pectoral Sandpipers, several Baird's Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs and Long-billed Dowitchers.  A Semipalmated Plover walked the shore at the extreme eastern side of Plum Creek Delta.

I decided to return to my car by walking Plum Creek back to the old parking area.  High grasses/cattails and wet muddy areas changed my route several times.  It was difficult to recognize a path with the new changes to the area.

Eventually I followed what I thought was a sandy dried up Plum Creek.  After 1/4 mile or so, it turned out I was on the wrong (eastern) side of Plum Creek.  It required a longer walk to find a place to jump across the Creek.

Along the way, a Tennessee Warbler was observed loosely associated with six Yellow-rumped Warblers and two Black-capped Chickadees.

At the old Plum Creek parking area, now just an overgrown clearing with restroom and parking spots removed, I found a Cassin's Vireo in one of the old tall Cottonwoods.  Another highlight with location not made public, a Long-eared Owl was "hiding" in one of the thick bushes along Plum Creek.

I continued the hike and found that the old footbridge across Plum Creek has also been removed.  Other birds ran across on the detour included a Marsh Wren, Lincoln's Sparrow, a dozen Chipping Sparrows, and one remaining House Wren.

On the drive out of the State Park, I detoured to the model airplane field.  Two Chestnut-collared Longspurs wandered around the southeast corner.

On the way home, several additional stops were made without seeing any uncommon birds.

Only American Wigeons and Mallards swam on McLellan Reservoir (Arapahoe/Jefferson).  Nothing uncommon was at Marston Reservoir (Denver).  In addition, Belmar Historic Park (Jefferson) offered no highlights.