Aurora Reservoir

February 7, 2016

I have not been feeling well recently.  Getting outside for an hour or two helped calm down my ailing body.  Unfortunately, I had no energy at night to update this blog.  Hoping to catch up tonight, I will skip weather reports for the past couple of weeks.

Jerry Petrosky and I hiked to the mile 2.0 cove at Aurora Reservoir (from the south gate).  Round trip is was about 2.5 miles.  That was just about all the energy I had.

Most of the gulls were along the ice edge at mile 2.0.  About six hundred gulls were mostly Ring-billed.  We counted four Herring Gulls, one California Gull and one Thayer's Gull.

Missed the Carolina Wren Today

February 6, 2016

While tending to some business on the west side of town, I passed 2695 Newland Street where a Carolina Wren has spent much of the winter.

I sat in a chair and watched the feeders behind the house for about 1.5 hours (1:30 to 3:00 pm).  The Carolina Wren did not show. 

Around 3:00 pm, a Sharp-shinned Hawk flew into a tree not far from the feeders; I left.

A quick detour to nearby Crown Hill Park found only 80+ Ring-billed Gulls on the ice (no Glaucous Gull)

An Unsuccessful Drive Around the DIA Owl Loop

February 5, 2016

I drove the DIA Owl Loop about 30 minutes before sunset.  No Short-eared Owls appeared tonight.  A couple of adult Bald Eagles stood on telephone poles along 120th avenue.

Five Northern Harriers hovered over fields south of 120th avenue.

Looking For Geese

February 4, 2016

A short trip out for groceries, I passed several small lakes.  Thousands of White-cheeked Geese (mostly Canada, if not all) were on Emerald-Strand Park's lake (Denver County). 

Two of the four Greater White-fronted Geese reported yesterday were with the White-cheeked Geese.  The noise was loud and awesome as hundreds additional geese flew in to join the 3000+.

A detour to Lakecrest (Denver County) found another two Greater White-fronted Geese (perhaps part of the four found yesterday)

No Brants or White Geese.

February 3, 2016

More Snow

February 2, 2016

Snow

DIA Owl Loop

February 1, 2016

Another drive along the DIA Owl Loop found a Short-eared Owl tonight.  It was flying over the field west of Gun Club Road, south of 112th avenue at 5:18 pm.

Search for Long-eared Owls

January 30, 2016

I visited several locations in search of Long-eared Owls today.

Three Long-eared Owls continued in the windbreak along the northern ponds at Banner Lakes Wildlife Area (Weld).

Another three Long-eared Owls were in the windbreak near the Barr Lake entrance (Adams).

My birding day ended at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal (Adams).  Two Long-eared Owls and two Barn Owls were deep in the New Mexico Locust trees along the Legacy Trail.

Trip to Jackson County and Owling Around Denver!

January 26-29, 2016

Rebecca Kosten and I made a three day trip to Jackson County.  While the goal was to relax and re-cooperate, of course we squeezed in a little birding.

January 26

On the trip to Gould, we stopped at several locations and listened for owls.  A Boreal Owl was calling west of the restroom pullover at Cameron Pass.

January 27

Rosy Finches are visiting the Colorado State Forest Visitor's Center feeders.  Numbers vary from day to day.  Black Rosy Finches are the most difficult to find.

During a drive into Walden in the late morning, we stopped at Ranger's Lake.  A male American Three-toed Woodpecker was heard drumming as we stood on the side of Highway 14.

Returning later, we found the male American Three-toed Woodpecker whose territory appears to be north of Highway 14, across from the Visitor's Center.

Late in the afternoon, we walked down to the Crags Campgrounds.  We timed the trip to return shortly after complete darkness (or as dark as it gets).  A Boreal Owl was heard calling from the south side of the Campgrounds.

January 28

Rosy Finches at the Colorado State Forest Visitor's Center numbered 112 this morning.  All three species were represented (with the visit of one Black Rosy Finch).

January 29

Before returning to Denver this morning, we stopped again at the Colorado State Forest Visitor's Center.  About 200 Rosy Finches included one Black Rosy Finch.

The male American Three-toed Woodpecker was busy drumming north across highway 14!

After dropping Rebecca at home, I had arranged to meet up with Jacob Washburn at Anderson Park (Jefferson). 

I made a quick detour to 2695 Newland Street (Jefferson).  I talked to Patty and shortly afterwards saw the Carolina Wren visit the feeders behind her home.

Jacob and I then walked the Clear Creek Trail behind (south of) Anderson Park (Jefferson).  Eventually two Eastern Screech-Owls responded to our recordings.

We continued hiking west across Kipling down to Prospect Park.  Another Eastern Screech-Owl was found at Wheat Ridge Greenbelt.

We were not done and drove to Highline Canal south of Colorado Blvd.  Our fifth Eastern Screech-Owl of the night responded quickly to our recordings.

That is when our good fortune ran out for the night.  The Eastern Screech-Owl at Dry Creek Trail (Jefferson) did not call tonight.

We were not able to get a respond from the pair of Eastern Screech-Owls that live at Dekoevand Park.

Still one had to be satisfied with five Eastern Screech-Owls scattered over three locations!