Misses In Elbert & Douglas Counties

September 5, 2019

Richard Stevens:

It was a hot one today; highs reached 98 degrees.  Winds were 5-6 mph.

I returned to Kiowa (Elbert) to search for Dickcissels.  While there appears to be much adequate habitat, Dickcissels have been uncommon in Elbert County this year.  None was found today at the previously reported fields.

A report of a Little Blue Heron changed my route back to Denver to the Walker Gravel Pond (Douglas).

Three egrets were on the far side (northern) side of the pond.  I scoped them for almost an hour until they walked the shore and showed their yellow feet.  All three were Snowy Egrets; probably the same three observed on Monday, September 2.

The Common Loon, which has been reported since June 22, was still around.  His flight feathers are looking much better than they appeared several weeks ago.

Then I drove over to nearby McClain Gravel Pond and walked up and down Castlewood Canyon Road.  In order to see the pond from the road it required peeking over the hillside between the road and pond.

Only one egret was observed.  It took a good twenty minutes before the Snowy Egret flew and revealed its yellow feet.

Afterwards I visited a friend who lives west of Castlewood Canyon State Park.  We set up my two "owl listening stations" and sat watching the sunset and listening to sounds of the night.

No Northern Saw-whet Owls were heard of seen this night.

Searching for a Few Target Birds for an Iowa Birder

September 3-4, 2019

Richard Stevens:

Iowa birder, Jan Nolan and I searched for several of his target birds.

September 3

High temperature in Idaho Springs was a pleasant 55 degrees and much cooler at Mt. Evans!  Winds were 15-16 mph.

We arrived at Mt. Evans just after sunrise and continued to Summit Lake (Clear Creek).

Two Brown-capped Rosy Finches landed several times on the rocky hillside at the northwest corner of Summit Lake.  It is one of the most reliable spots to find them in summer.

It took almost two hours of walking the field east of the Summit Lake parking lot before finding White-tailed Ptarmigan.  Two birds hunkered down behind a large granite rock.  Their summer plumage matches the rock quite well.

We hiked the Echo Lake Campgrounds twice before hearing the distinctive drumming of an American Three-toed Woodpecker.  A male drummed at the southeast corner!

A female Barrow's Goldeneye and several young swam on Echo Lake.  A Green-tailed Towhee and Lincoln's Sparrow were in the northwest willows.

NOTE: Mt Evans is now closed just north of Summit Lake.  Access to the Lake should be open until the first weekend in October.

A search below tree line did not find any Dusky Grouse.  No owls responded to our recordings played around the Campgrounds and Echo Lake.

September 4

Highs reached into the low 90s.  Winds were 7-8 mph.

Today Jan Nolan and I went to Banner Lakes Wildlife Area (Weld) looking for a Long-eared Owl.  Regrettably, none was found.  We did find a Townsend's Warbler and Clay-colored Sparrow.

Still looking for our target bird, we headed to Jackson Reservoir (Morgan).  Another Townsend's Warbler and a Long-eared Owl were encountered here!

Birding In Douglas County

September 2, 2019

Richard Stevens:

A new record high for September was set today as highs reached 100 degrees!  Winds were 6-7 mph with gusts to 16 mph.

Rebecca Kosten and I had some business in Parker.  Afterwards we continued to the Walker Gravel Pond (Douglas).

The Common Loon continued swimming around mostly in the middle of the pond.  Three Snowy Egrets walked the shore.  Twelve Double-crested Cormorants (no Neotropic Cormorant) stood on a small island at the southeast corner.

No hummingbirds were found at the only feeder at the Castlewood Canyon State Park Visitor's Center.  Later circling around to the west side, nothing uncommon was found.  Bobolinks appear to have departed the Winkler Ranch south of the State Park.

Highlight, but a small one, a female and one young Wild Turkey walked along Castlewood Canyon Road between the Ranch and southern entrance to the State Park.

Search for a Little Blue Heron

September 1, 2019

Richard Stevens:

It was a hot 98 degrees on this memorial day.  Winds 5-6 mph with gusts to 11 mph.

Rebecca and I headed to Lowell Ponds Wildlife Area (Adams) after a report of a Little Blue Heron.  We circled the Wildlife Area and all the ponds however found not one heron.

We ran into an Arizona birder looking for Clay-colored Sparrows.  I suggested Clear Creek Valley Park on the north side of I76 (it was once considered part of Lowell Ponds Wildlife Area).

Rebecca and I headed over that way and circled the park on the new hiking path (much nicer than the many times I had to bushwhack along the south fence line).

We counted thirty one Snowy Egrets, no Little Blue Heron.  As a side note, we found three Clay-colored Sparrows at the southeast corner of the most western pond!

Return to Denver

August 31, 2019

Richard Stevens:

It was 91 degrees when I reached Broomfield.  Winds were 4-5 mph.

On the drive south on Interstate 25, I detoured over to Plaster Reservoir (Broomfield).  The previously reported American Bittern was almost hidden in the cattails.

I stopped at Barr Lake (Adams) to stretch my legs after the long drive.  In the afternoon heat, few birds moved about.  Highlight was a Philadelphia Vireo at the north end of the peninsula at the banding station.  I was able to watch the vireo for a good six minutes!

No shorebirds were along the shore off the Niedrach Trail today; so I circled over the north side.  The peninsula had not quite turned into an island yet because of high water.  The north side of the peninsula is often the best spot for shorebirds.

Scoping the peninsula from the north side of Barr Lake did not reveal any uncommon shorebirds.  A large number of shorebirds were walking the shore near mile 4.5.  Included in this group were the Black-bellied Plover in alternate plumage still, two Least Sandpipers, Western Sandpipers, Baird's Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs and one Greater Yellowlegs.

The sun set before I could explore below the dam.

Escaping the Heat, Birding In the Mountains

August 28-31, 2019

Richard Stevens:

Temperatures ranged between 77-79 degrees during our trip.  This was warm for the mountains; however much nicer than back in Denver.  Surprisingly, winds ranged between 6-8 mph; quite calm for the mountains.

August 28

Terry Michaels and I headed up to Jackson County in pursuit of the Red Phalarope reported at Cowdrey Lake.  

We stopped at Bobcat Ridge Natural Area (Larimer) found nothing uncommon.  

After dark, we counted four Flammulated Owls along CR 44!

August 29

Jacob Washburn had met us in Gould.  He had seen the phalaropes yesterday.  Unfortunately, when we drove to Cowdrey Lake in the afternoon, the phalaropes were gone.

On the drive to Cowdrey Lake we drove Jackson County Roads 26 & 26b searching for Greater Sage-Grouse; none was found.

The male American Three-toed Woodpecker was heard and seen north of the Colorado State Forest Visitor's Center and Hwy 14.  Behind the Visitor's Center: Wilson's Warblers, Fox Sparrows, and a Canada Jay.

No Boreal Owls could be located at Cameron Pass or the Crags Campgrounds.  Winds were quite fast this night.

August 30

Jacob Washburn, Terry Michaels and I headed to Buffalo Pass (Routt) today.  We enjoyed a superb day and night of birding.

Our bird count included five American Three-toed Woodpeckers, one Dusky Grouse, a pair of Williamson's Sapsuckers and two Flammulated Owls.

Misses: our main target bird(s) was White-winged Crossbill; none was found.

August 31

The three of us drove up Laramie River Road two hours or so before sunrise.  Again, no Boreal Owls called at Cameron Pass (Jackson).

Target bird(s): traditionally uncommon large hummingbirds are found at the Campgrounds in late August.  Regrettably, none was found today.  No White-winged Crossbills to report either.

We did hear a Boreal Owl north of Chambers Lake (Larimer).  A pair of American Three-toed Woodpeckers and a Townsend's Warbler was observed at Browns Park Campgrounds.

On the return trip, an American Three-toed Woodpecker was relocated along the east side of Chambers Lake.

Terry returned to Denver with Jacob (by way of Cowdrey Lake and Silverthorne while I headed east through Fort Collins.

Slow Birding in Eastern Arapahoe County

August 27, 2019

Richard Stevens:

It was an unusual cool day with a high of only 78 degrees (quite pleasant).  Winds were 7-8 mph with gusts to 16 mph.

Drove around Arapahoe County today, I found a Cassin's Kingbird along CR 42, east of CR 161.  No Loggerhead Shrikes were along CR 161, south of CR 42. 

Birding was quite slow.