Return to Cherry Creek Reservoir

October 13, 2008

Richard Stevens:

While doing chores I took advantage of the beautiful fall day in Colorado and walked around Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County) in the mid afternoon.

I was looking for any flocks of warblers or small birds; never ran into any. The small groups of gulls (southwest sandbar, eastern sand spit, swim beach) were scoped for the Mew Gull; without success.

At least two Sabine's Gulls (possibly 3) were swimming off the Lake Loop. Several dozen California Gulls and a Herring Gull were mixed in with the dozens of Ring-billed Gulls at the swim beach.

The loose raft of Western Grebes was scoped briefly for a Red-necked Grebe; again without success.

The lack of songbirds at the Lake Loop, Cottonwood Creek Loop, 12 mile picnic area, and northern Smoky Hill group picnic area was a little surprising. Not one Black-capped Chickadee was found during my 4 hour visit.

A small flock of 6-8 Chipping Sparrows fluttered about the Smoky Hill Picnic Area. Two Brewer's Sparrows skulked around the campground amphitheater.

The sun shining through the golden leaves made for quite a spectacle; some birds to identify would have been nice.

Return to Colorado's Eastern Plains

To be filled in later!

When I started this blog several other birders offered to report some of our trips. Seeing all the blanks, I will gently suggest that they hold up their end of the bargain in the next few days.

Cherry Creek Reservoir

October 8, 2008

Richard Stevens:

Tom Jenkins and I enjoyed great success on Pennock Pass (Larimer County). We found Flammulated Owls at 3 locations. Heard only at one location, seen for just a few seconds at a second stop. At the third location a Flammulated Owl allowed us a 45 second look.

We stopped briefly at Union Reservoir but could not pick out the Sabine's Gull.

Our birding day ended at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). Two Sabine's Gulls were flying around several hundred yards off the North point of the Lake Loop.

After walking to the north end of road below the dam and taking an hour, the Red-necked Grebe was found loosely associated with a raft of 60 Western Grebes. The Red-necked Grebe was feeding quite earnestly. It only came to the surface for a count of 5 to 10 and then submerged again. We passed over the location several times before finding it.

The Long-tailed Jaeger and Mew Gull were looked for but not found.

Another Day in North Park

October 7, 2008

Richard Stevens:

Today Tom Jenkins and I meandered around Jackson County.

We searched for Greater Sage-Grouse in the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, without success. An early or resident Rough-legged Hawk was observed along Highway 125 (near the entrance to the auto self-guiding tour).

A few lingering Sage Thrashers and Brewer's Sparrows were found along CR 25. The road down to Teller City was impassable due to bad weather (nix on a search for Northern Pygmy-Owls and Three-toed Woodpeckers).

The Sabine's Gull was no longer at Walden Reservoir. Few birds moved around Lake Johns Wildlife Area or Delaney Buttes. In the late afternoon Greater Sage-Grouse were found wandering around north of the two reservoirs (one each at two locations).

Birding North Park

October 6, 2008

Richard Stevens:

Tom Jenkins and I started our birding day at Pine Valley Ranch Park and Pike National Forest (Jefferson County).

It took several hours but we finally managed to find an American Three-toed Woodpecker. An adult female wandered south (uphill) of the Strawberry Jack Trail at approximately 200 yards west of the Parkview Trail. No Northern Pygmy-Owls answered my pitiful imitation of their call.

We decided to drive up and look for the Ovenbird reported by Hartley on 10/4 at Snow Mountain Ranch (Grand). While the Ovenbird was not found, a Harris's Sparrow wandered around the Legget building. On the trip up, half a dozen Rosy Finches were observed flying around the cliffs North of Kremmling.

A detour over to the Colorado State Forest Visitor's Center did not find any additional Rosy Finches.

Just before midnight, we found a Boreal Owl up Ruby Jewel Road in the Colorado State Forest.

Rocky Mountain National Park

October 5, 2008

Richard Stevens:

Tom Jenkins and I hoped to bird in Rocky Mountain National Park. Unfortunately, Trail Ridge Road was closed due to recent snowstorms (no White-tailed Ptarmigan search).

In the late afternoon, we hiked up Cow Creek Trail (Rocky Mountain National Park, but not the main section). We did not find any Flammulated Owls but did hear a Northern Pygmy-Owl about 0.7 miles west of the Trailhead.

Eastern Plains

to be filled in later!