First Day of 2020 Birding

January 1, 2020

Transcript of Richard Stevens' email:

Rebecca and I headed southwest to start our New Year. 

The White-winged Scoter and Pacific Loon were found on Chatfield Reservoir (Jefferson/Douglas Counties).  Other first year birds included Common Mergansers, Hooded Mergansers, one Red-breasted Merganser, Common Goldeneyes, American Coots, Mallards and Bald Eagles.

We could see from above the Chatfield Reservoir dam that South Platte Park Reservoir (Arapahoe/Jefferson) to the north was mostly ice covered.  Only two White-cheeked Geese were on the Lake.

We hiked a ways up Waterton Canyon searching for sparrows and towhees.  It was a surprise to find neither.

The feeders at the Discovery Nature Pavilion added White-breasted Nuthatches, Dark-eyed Juncos, Downy Woodpeckers, Song Sparrows and a Wild Turkey to our year list.

Castlewood Canyon State Park (Douglas) was our most successful stop.  Highlight was a Northern Goshawk.  We finally found our Spotted Towhee, White-crowned Sparrows, four Red Crossbills, a Pine Grosbeak and Canyon Wren.

Highlight after dark, a Northern Saw-whet Owl was enticed to come and inspect our recordings!