Highline Canal and Quincy Avenue

December 19, 2019

Richard Stevens:

Much colder today with a high of 44 degrees.  Winds were 5-6 mph with gusts to 14 mph.

A birding was concentrated along the Highline Canal and Quincy Avenue (Arapahoe) today.  My first stop was John Meade Park (Quincy & Meade) in search of the Northern Goshawk reported by Santiago Tabares on 12/17.

Today the Northern Goshawk was in trees behind the private yard north of Quincy and the Park.  I had to use my scope for good views.  Eventually the Hawk flew into the evergreens just east of the home and north of Quincy.

A walk around the park found no additional uncommon birds.  The Village Trail sign along the south side of the Park stated its intersection with the Highline Canal 0.5 miles to the east.

My plans to return to Aurora Reservoir today were scraped and I hiked the Village Trail to the Highline Canal and then the Highline Canal to Quincy (a half moon configuration).

The most birdy spot was a group of Hackberry bushes that still had berries (near the brown house along Highline Canal).  Eleven Cedar Waxwings, unfortunately no Bohemian Waxwings, two Black-capped Chickadees and a dozen House Finches gulped down the berries.  No berries should be left in another day or two.

Highlights of my trek included two Eastern Screech-Owls.  Both were along the Highline Canal; however, they could only be observed from private property. 

I stopped at a friend's home to see what was around.  She has seen the resident male Northern Cardinal two times in the past ten weeks.  A few houses farther south her neighbor sees it once or twice a month.  

I was able to walk the eastern side of the Highline Canal and observed an Eastern Screech-Owl facing the southern sun.

The second Eastern Screech-Owl sighting happened because I would ask dog walkers who are familiar with the area if they knew of any Eastern Screech-Owls.  One woman said she had one in her yard and was happy to show me.  I made a new friend and got my second Eastern Screech-Owl of the day!

In 2018, Eastern Screech-Owls nested along the western side of the Wildlife Area pond just south of Quincy and around the parking area at Dahlia and the Highline Canal.

The Northern Cardinal appears to wander from Quincy to a half mile south.  I saw and reported it last year, however have not seen it yet this year.

My birding day ended at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe).  I walked the drainages entering Augie's Pond.  No Rusty Blackbirds, one Brewer's Blackbird was the only bird seen.

The Lake was about 50 percent ice covered.  Many of the Common Mergansers were standing on the ice edge.  Nothing uncommon was observed.  No American White Pelicans and only two Double-crested Cormorants were found.