Greater Scaup (Arapahoe County); Brant (Douglas County)

February 8, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Rebecca and I were looking to get out in the sun and decided to see if  the three Long-tailed Ducks were still at South Platte Park Reservoir.

Temperatures reached into the high 50s.  Winds started out at 14 mph; by 3:00 pm, flags were limp.

We stopped at South Platte Park Reservoir (Arapahoe County) where perhaps 10 percent was open water.  I counted 7+ Greater Scaup among many Lesser Scaup, Redheads, Common Mergansers, many Red-breasted Mergansers, and Common Goldeneyes.

Farther west the largest group of Herring Gulls I have ever observed in Colorado.  Many Ring-billed Gulls were also there.  The highlight was a smaller pink legged Gull among the Herring Gulls.  An adult Thayer's Gull posed for photos!

After leaving South Platte Park Reservoir (Arapahoe County), I drove over to Redstone Park (Douglas County).  To the birders at South Platte Park Reservoir who had spent three hours missing the Brant in Chatfield State Park, sorry I did not take down your cell phone number.  I figured the ball fields at Redstone Park were snow covered and no geese would be there.  That was the case; however, as we left the park I noticed 20+ White-cheeked Geese feeding on the median in Town Center Drive (across from the park entrance).  A small goose with them........the Brant!

A Warmer Day at Aurora Reservoir

February 7, 2014

Richard Stevens:

While out doing chores I stopped by Aurora Reservoir for the second day in a row.  Probably 98 percent of the reservoir is snow and ice covered.  Three fishermen around the small open area at the western end of the dam kept gulls and geese away.  About 3 dozen American Coots took advantage of the opening in the ice.

Temperatures almost reached 40 degrees today.  Winds were less than 6 mph.  It was great after yesterday's -1 degrees!

The Gull action was at the south south-western edge of the reservoir.  Many hundreds of gulls included 3 Glaucous Gulls and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. 

I am almost sure the Iceland Gull was there also (I was just a little too far away to be 100 percent sure.  An almost completely white Gull the size of a California Gull, pink legs, some gray in mantle, lacked cream/light brown color on primaries expected on 2nd cycle Thayer's Gulls.  A closer look would have helped).

The gulls were and probably will be tomorrow (Saturday) about a 2.5 mile hike from the swim beach (if one stays on the bike path; I personally never walk on snow covered ice, although a dozen people were out there today).  It would be about a 2.0 mile hike from the southern entrances of the park.  Saturday's usually bring even more fishing people than weekdays.

Cold Day at Aurora Reservoir and the DIA Owl Loop

February 6, 2014

Richard Stevens:

After spending yesterday indoors (8 degrees, 10 mph winds), some fresh air and birding were much needed.

I stopped by Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe County) twice.  Just before noon, the temperature was -1 degrees.  The only uncommon gulls found were two Lesser Black-backed Gulls at the west end of the dam. 

I returned after visiting with Bill Cryder who lives south of the reservoir.  At 3:00 pm, the temperature now was -7 degrees.  Only one of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls was still there.  My stay only lasted less than 30 minutes before giving up in the wind chill.

A drive around the DIA Owl Loop did not find any owls.  Horned Larks numbered about 410+; again, I missed any Lapland Longspurs that might have been in the area.

Raptor species were represented by Ferruginous, Rough-legged, Red-tailed Hawks and two American Kestrels.

Warmer weather is expected soon!

American Three-toed Woodpecker and Northern Pygmy-Owl Searches

February 4, 2014

Richard Stevens:

It snowed most of the day.  Winds were 6 mph, gusts to 10 mph.  Ryan Purefoy and James Lee had one more day to bird in Colorado (before heading back to Missouri).

We left Denver about an hour before sunrise and drove the snowy roads to Sedalia and highway 67 south.  Stops at several locations where waypoints (Northern Pygmy-Owl sites) had previously been recorded, did not find any owls in the falling snow.

We stopped at Rampart Range Road and Highway 67.  No owls appeared today, however, we did find one of the American Three-toed Woodpeckers that reside in the area (about 60 yards east of Rampart Range Road).

Returning to Denver, we detoured to Lair 'O Bear Park (Jefferson) another location to find Northern Pygmy-Owl.  Again, we had no success.  Two American Dippers worked the icy and cold Bear Creek.

We gave White Ranch Open Space (also Jefferson County) a shot, again coming up short of any Northern Pygmy-Owl sightings.

White-tailed Ptarmigan and Rusty Blackbird Searches

February 3, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Ryan Purefoy, James Lee, and I took advantage of a nice winter day and headed into the mountains.  We found three species of Rosy Finches in Summit County and six Barrow's Goldeneyes at the Blue River Water Treatment Plant (Summit County).

Then we drove up Loveland Pass (Clear Creek).  We enjoyed one of the faster attempts at finding White-tailed Ptarmigan.  Two Ptarmigan were seen along the ridge running north from the first (and large) pullover on the west side of highway 6, south side of the Pass.

My average success rate time is around 2 hours.  Many times, we have spent 4-6 hours searching.  I enjoyed this attempt much and was quite grateful.

After dropping the Missouri birders off at their hotel, I passed Barr Lake State Park (Adams County) on the way home and therefore stopped.  A walk along the canal below the Dam was quite successful (under partly sunny skies and temperatures in the high 30s).

A Rusty Blackbird walked the western shore, just south of the road across the canal (south of blind 6).

I continued south on the east side of the canal (which allowed for better viewing of the canal shores).  No additional Rusty Blackbirds were found to the end of the tree line (two had been reported around blind # 4).

Returning to the western side of the canal, I heard a Rusty Blackbird call in the cattails around blind # 5.  Another Rusty Blackbird was heard just north of blind 6 (closer to blind 7).  The shore here is wide and muddy, where one might expect a Rusty Blackbird to hunt for food.

Four Song Sparrows were also observed along this trek.  It is also a good idea to look closely at the thicker bushes along the canal.  Today a Long-eared Owl was well hidden in the thick bushes near blind # 5.

Super Bowl Sunday, No Birding!

February 2, 2014

Super Bowl Sunday  Great game by the Seattle Seahawk's defense!!!

A Trip to Southeastern Colorado, A Snowy Owl!

January 30 to February 1, 2014

Richard Stevens:

January 30

Bryan Ehlmann and I wanted to make a run for the Snowy Owl in Lincoln County, hoping to miss the snowstorms previously and those to come.  We left Denver at 2:30 am, planned to drive the Snowy Owl location before sunrise.

This was a great decision.  When we arrived, we observed the Snowy Owl flying across highway 94 (from south to north) just east of Lincoln County Road 11 (west of Horse Creek).  It disappeared as quickly as it appeared (did not hear of additional sightings this Thursday).

Snow was predicted behind us; we decided to continue south.  A stop at Rocky Ford (Otero) found many Eurasian Collared-Doves and one White-winged Dove.  No Inca Doves (our target) could be found.

A detour to La Junta and our trek continued south to Kim and Cottonwood Canyon (Baca).  We relocated Rufous-crowned Sparrows, a Greater Roadrunner, Canyon Towhees and Chihuahuan Ravens in Cottonwood Canyon.  The previous seen Winter Wrens and reported Swamp Sparrow were not found.

At dusk, we found a Western Screech-Owl near the camping area and a Great Horned Owl farther west.

January 31, 2014

After spending the night in Springfield, Bryan and I drove south to the old Lesser Prairie-Chicken Lek area (Baca County).  It was a long shot to find one; we did not.

An Eastern Screech-Owl was in a windbreak at a friend's ranch east of the old lek road.

Heading north, a stop below Two Buttes Reservoir dam found two interesting birds.  A Barn Owl hid in one of the crevasses along the northern rocky wall.  A male Ladder-backed Woodpecker flew around the taller cottonwoods.

We walked the Lamar Community College woods where a Red-bellied Woodpecker was found at the northern end and a pair of Northern Cardinals was seen at the southern end.  A Brown Thrasher was probably the most uncommon of the birds we found.

We ended our birding day at Mike Higbee Wildlife Area east of Lamar.  Two Harris's Sparrows were observed fluttering about Clay Creek.

While it was snowing back in Denver, Lamar saw no snow and temperatures in the middle 20s today.

February 1, 2014

We spent the night in Lamar delaying a drive back into the snowstorms that were hitting Denver.

A quick stop at Mike Higbee Wildlife Area (Prowers County) did not relocate the two Harris's Sparrows found yesterday.  A pair of Rusty Blackbirds walking near the highway 50 Bridge was a nice consolation!

We then headed back toward Denver by way of highway 94 to relocate the Snowy Owl.  Our luck was not as good today; the bird was not found.

Back in Denver, after dropping Bryan off, I picked up Rebecca Kosten and drove the DIA Owl Loop (extended version: Bromley Lane, east to Haysmount Road, south to 120th avenue, then the Loop [120th, Trussville south to 114th, east to Quency Street, south to 96th avenue]).

We counted over 1000 Horned Larks before giving up on an exact count.  Many stops did not find one Lapland Longspur among them.  Another birder about an hour ahead of us reported dozens, perhaps hundreds of Lapland Longspurs.  Our luck was not as fortunate.

Our raptor count was great (species represented: Ferruginous, Rough-legged, Red-tailed, American Kestrel, Prairie Falcon).  We kept our eyes open for Snowy Owls and Snow Buntings; neither appeared.