Adams County Birding

November 12, 2019

Richard Stevens:

High today was a warm 64 degrees.  Winds stayed 4-5 mph.

What a stunning fall day in Colorado.  I was considering the day a throw-away- day, no planned searches for uncommon birds, just relish leisure hiking.

I did stop at Ken Mitchell Park and Open Space.  It had been three days and a snowstorm since a Northern Mockingbird was reported.  I walked from the southeastern parking area at Mockingbird Lane along the South Platte River Trail to Highway 7.

Highlight was a Northern Shrike at the northern corner of the Park.  It stayed near the yard of the green house on the corner and the bushes across the trail.

Next at Barr Lake (Adams), I decided to focus on the canal below the dam.  I walked the dam from mile 6 to 7 and then dropped down to the canal.  While scoping the Lake from the southern end of the dam, I saw a Pacific Loon and Common Loon swimming west of the boat ramp.

The canal below the dam was quite interesting although no uncommon birds were encountered.  A flock of birds near blind #4 included six Black-capped Chickadees and four Song Sparrows.  

While watching a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (late?) in the same area, a Golden-crowned Kinglet popped out of the Russian Olive trees.  I had not seen a Golden-crowned Kinglet at Barr Lake since a flock of 11 fluttered around the banding station on 10/23/2001.

A Virginia Rail walked out of the cattails along the stream near blind #5.  A Wilson's Snipe flew up near outlet canal #4a (nowhere near blind #4).

One Long-eared Owl was found buried deep in thickets.  It was not along the main canal but thickets to the east.

Success tonight, after a dozen misses. a Short-eared Owl was observed flying along Third Creek, south of 104th avenue.  I was parked along West Cargo Road about 0.2 miles south of its intersection with Third Creek.