Back to Adams County

February 16, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Gary Weston and I visited Prewitt Reservoir (Logan/Washington) before sunrise. Eastern Screech-Owls answered our recordings. One was below the dam and east of the outlet canal. Another was at the western end of the property. We did not take the time to scope the reservoir itself.

After dropping Gary off, I drove home by way of 88th Avenue and the S. Platte River. It turned out to be a good choice. A 3rd cycle Glaucous Gull and adult Herring Gull stood on the ice at the southeast corner of Tani Reservoir.

Continuing north I stopped at the pullover along Dahlia (just south of the yellow brick house with red roof). A Long-tailed Duck was among many ducks which also included 2 Ruddy Ducks, Redheads, 2 Canvasbacks, and some American Coots. The Long-tailed Duck swam east and then south around the finger of the lake.

Across the street at East Gravel Lake, a male Barrow's Goldeneye was among 24+ Common Goldeneyes.

A quick hike down to the green and white tower along the South Platte River (from 88th avenue) added a pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes to my day list.

It was such a beautiful winter day (I believe temps reached into the 60s) that I decided to hike below the dam at Barr Lake (mile marker 6.0 to 7.0). Perhaps a Virginia Rail could be found?

Birds were few but I did see a Marsh Wren in the cattails north of Outlet Canal 11. Two Song Sparrows were south of Outlet Canal 3. Four American Goldfinches, a female Northern Harrier, and some Red-winged Blackbirds (heard only) were just about all I found.

My birding day ended with a drive around the DIA Owl Loop. No Short-eared Owls were found. I did pass the burnt out Continental airplane that crashed a few weeks ago. What a mess, lucky no one was hurt!

Logan County Birding

February 15, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Gary Weston and I visited many of the WIA in Logan County today. My continuing project to obtain GPS waypoints and photographs of these possible birding locations. WIAs are "Walk-in Areas" which require a $20 pass. The areas are only opened September 1st to the end of February. See additional details in a pamphlet put out by the DOW (can be acquired at Wal-Mart, sporting goods stores or Department of Wildlife Offices).

In the afternoon we visited North Sterling Lake State Park. Two Long-eared Owls were observed in one windbreak. Not much else was moving about.

We ended our birding day at Overland Park and the Visitor's Center across the street. A White-throated Sparrow was among White-crowned Sparrows in the bushes along the S. Platte River at Overland Park. A Harris's Sparrow was found behind the Visitor's Center.

Return to Weld County

February 14, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Gary Weston and I returned to Wellington Wildlife Area (Larimer County). The weather was not as good as it was on Thursday. We managed again find 11+ Long-eared Owls at all three Units of the Wildlife Area. The most was 5 at the Wellington Unit. Two Short-eared Owls were again observed at the Wellington Unit.

Afterwards we drove back to the private ranch where the Common Redpoll is still visiting feeders. The Harris's Sparrow did not appear during our hour stay.

The Northern Saw-whet Owl was still at a windbreak in Weld County.

We visited many of the WIA units in Weld County as I continue to take GPS waypoints and photographs of the possible birding locations.

Cherry Creek Reservoir

February 13, 2009

Really spent the day resting and remembering what a great day yesterday was!

Rebecca Kosten and I did drive through Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County) while doing chores.

Few birds were around. Only a dozen Ring-billed Gulls stood on the little bit of ice still found in the northeast corner of the lake.

A lone 1st year Bald Eagle stared at the woods below the Dam's Tower. A Sharp-shinned Hawk flew across the road at the Cottonwood Creek Loop. A Cooper's Hawk was perched at the Lake Loop.

Hawk count was 1 Harlan's Red-tail, 2 dark-morph Red-tailed, and 7 western Red-tailed Hawks.

A flock of 31 American Tree Sparrows and 19 American Robins ate along the side of the Lake Loop road.

Daylight Owling in Weld and Larimer Counties

February 12, 2009

Richard Stevens:

I met up with Stan Roth at the McDonald's along Hwy 14 & I25 in Fort Collins and we headed east. Winds were 10-15 mph; temperatures never rose above the low 40s.

Our target birds were owls today. We found a Northern Saw-whet Owl and 2 Long-eared Owls in Weld County then turned back west.

Our luck in Larimer County was just as good.

We found 11-13 Long-eared Owls, 2-4 Short-eared Owls, and 5 Great Horned Owls while visiting the three sections of the Wellington Wildlife Area.

Long-eared Owl numbers were 2 additional at the Schware Unit if you count dead owls. We suspected that Great Horned Owls were feeding on the Long-eared Owls as we only found feathers. We also observed one Eurasian collared-Dove at this unit.

A rancher saw us walking along the side of the road and stopped to see what was up. He mentioned a strange looking finch and so we following him back to his home. The "strange finch" was a Common Redpoll that he first noticed on 2/7!

I asked about sparrows other than American Tree Sparrows or House Sparrows (I know not a sparrow) and he did not appear to have seen any uncommon ones. However he knew that his neighbor had a "strange sparrow" coming to his feeders. A juvenile Harris's Sparrow was coming to his neighbor's feeders when we pulled up to the ranch!

Stan had to head back to Boulder but I had several hours before heading to the Fort Collins Audubon Society's meeting, so I ended my birding day back at Wellington WLA. Again I ran into a rancher and asked about Barn Owls. He knew where one was and kindly took me over to see it. Not bad, a five owl day (though not in the same county, my friends say I am never satisfied).

After a great lecture on Owls of Boulder County by Steve Jones, I was going to head up to Cameron Pass and Jackson County to search for Boreal Owls. When I came out of the building, it was snowing like crazy. Better judgment sent me back to Denver; Jackson County will have to wait until next week.

Western Slope Birding

February 9 to 11, 2009

To be filled in later!

Fawnbrook Inn, Allenspark

February 8, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Dennis Rome and I found ourselves before sunrise at Fawnbrook Inn, Allenspark. in Boulder County. Shortly before 7:00am a flock of Rosy Finches flew overhead. They landed in the trees surrounding the Inn however never did come down to the feeders. The flock of 70+ birds contained all three species (though only 1 or 2 Black Rosy Finches).

While waiting for the Rosy Finches to appear, we heard a Northern Pygmy-Owl calling from somewhere behind us. A quick sweep with our binoculars found a Northern Pygmy-Owl about 60 feet southeast of the Inn.

The previously reported Band-tailed Pigeon never showed up during our stay. In Ward, half a dozen Evening Grosbeaks and 2 Pine Grosbeaks were found. We then continued south over to Gross Reservoir in search of Crossbills; without success.

Afterwards, we dropped down out of the mountains and scoped for gulls at Valmont Reservoir. No uncommon gulls or the previously reported White-winged Scoters could be found. No usual gulls were spotted at Prince Lake #2, Baseline or Boulder Reservoirs.

A quick stop was made at Lower Church Lake (Jefferson) where we observed the 5 Trumpeter Swans, and then continued to Aurora Reservoir to wait for the gulls to return from the DADS landfill (Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site).

Our stay lasted until almost too dark to see. No dark mantled gulls returned. No gulls flew to the swim beach; instead they landed on the ice below the eastern end of the dam.