Return to Cherry Creek Reservoir

October 29, 2007

I received a call from Bill Cryder about a strange gull at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County). I detoured my birding trip to Julesburg and headed over.

We watched a small gull in the eastern center of the lake of course, for about an hour. The bird fitted the description of a Bonaparte's Gull or Ross's Gull. The primaries looked fairly light and accounting for any shadows from the afternoon sun, they could have been pale gray like a Ross's Gull. From the distance we were observing, we could not see any contrast between the wings and back. However, after 55 minutes the bird finally took off and we observed a Bonaparte's Gull flying away toward the southwest marina.

Later, we drove over to the Lake Loop and found the Red-throated Loon about 100 yards off the northwest corner. Three Common Loons were in close proximity. Also seen were many Western Grebes (no Clark's Grebes), many Horned Grebe, Eared Grebes, a couple Pied-billed Grebes, dozens of American Coots, a group of Ruddy Ducks, 2 Common Mergansers, many Ring-billed Gulls and California Gulls.

From the hill overlooking the southwest marina, we could see an adult or 4th year Lesser Black-backed Gull on the sandbar to the north and an adult Great Black-backed Gull standing on the poles outlining the marina area.

We did not find any scoters.

Winds were calm; temperatures in the high 50s. Just to stand under the superb fall sunset and listen to the loons, grebes, coots, and arriving Canada Geese makes the trek worthwhile! What a bonus the loons add to the trip!

Birding Adams County

October 28, 2007

I spent 6 hours walking around Rocky Mountain Arsenal Sunday. There was nothing rare, but I still enjoyed a few highlights.

The Surf Scoter on Havana Ponds was a surprise though I did go there looking for scoters at Lake Ladora and Havana Ponds. Unfortunately, it is not possible to see Lower Derby Lake which should have the best birds on it (more isolated, maybe deeper).

I watched a Northern Shrike hunt for about an hour at the Rod and Gun Club Pond area. He caught a mouse and ate lunch during my stay.

The local Peregrine Falcon flew over Lake Ladora about 3:00pm. He has made an appearance now on my last four trips over to the Arsenal (usually in the morning).

A yellowish bird flew out of the bushes along the western side of Lake Ladora. I thought it might be a late Wilson's Warbler and took 20 minutes to find out it was a Common Yellowthroat. A few winter in Colorado and I hope to return in a couple of weeks and relocate it. The location is a small group of bushes (opposite leaves, reddish, look willowish) next to the cattails where the shoreline runs a straight line north to south. The high weeds to the west are usually filled with sparrows.

In the same area was a flock of sparrows which included 9 Song Sparrows and 37 American Tree Sparrows. On the northwest side of Ladora, there was a flock of 29 White-crowned Sparrows (which were first seen a couple of weeks ago). The White-crowned Sparrow was not observed with them on this trip.

Both Bryan and I have found a Long-eared Owl in the same area (not the sparrow areas) on our last two trips. Perhaps it will stay the winter.

After hiking the Arsenal I headed over to Barr Lake to see if the "missing Ross's Gull ended up there. No luck on any uncommon gulls, however I did see one Pacific Loon and 2 Common Loons. A fourth loon was too far away to identify (I was at the boat ramp). If the Cherry Creek Reservoir Red-throated Loon is no longer there, Barr Lake may be the place to check?

I ended my birding day watching several dozen White-crowned Sparrows below the feeders behind the Visitors Center. About 30 minutes before sunset, I watched a sparrow that was quite interesting. It was larger than the "rest" of the White-crowned Sparrows and appeared to be darker. While I had good looks for about 25 seconds, it kept its back to me the whole time.

Its back appeared blackish without any brown or rusty color. A 5-8 second look at the top of its head appeared to be blackish with a yellowish center. The bird was in the shadows with the sun 90 degrees to the left. The bird appeared to be a Golden-crowned Sparrow. I list it as "possible" to be cautious (perhaps the sun somehow shone of the center and made it appear yellow and the rest of the dark head was due to being in shadows?).

I continued to watch hoping to see if the cheeks were grayish (Golden-crowned) or had brown (first year White-crowned). Unfortunately, two hikers walked around the side of the building and scared all the sparrows away. I stay an extra 30 minutes waiting for the birds to return. When I lost enough light that I could not see, I departed.

The bird will have to be left for another day; however I am leaving town for the week and can not get back there until next weekend.

Local Denver Reservoirs

October 27, 2007

I returned to Denver late yesterday afternoon and found little on Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County). Met up with Gus Chambers and headed out about 3:00am to do some owling. We struck out at both Pine Valley Ranch Park and Reynolds Park. Winds were calm; temperatures in the high 40s. Unfortunately, we did not have time to hike around Pine Valley Ranch Park (only searched around the lower parking area).

After sunrise, we quickly hiked up to the junction of Oxen Draw, Eagle's View, and Raven's Roost. No Blue Grouse, but we did find a female American Three-toed Woodpecker about 15 yards north of the intersection.

Afterwards, we rushed Gus to DIA to make his flight home.

After getting a text message about scoters in the area, I decided to check the local reservoirs.

First stop, Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). There were 7 Surf Scoters (Allison Hilf had reported 6) just offshore near the gull-winged picnic tables. Two Common Loons swam off the handicapped fishing dock. Allison also reported a Pacific Loon which I did not take time to search for (and later Glenn Walbek found a Red-throated Loon, which I could not relocate later in the day).

At my next stop Chatfield Reservoir (Jefferson/Douglas), I managed to find another Pacific Loon and another Common Loon. I did find my main target, a Thayer's Gull at the sand spit at the marina area. I did not find the reported Lesser Black-backed Gull or Ross's Geese.

My final stop (before returning to Cherry Creek Reservoir) was Standley Lake. It took awhile, but I was able to relocate (all reported by Doug Faulkner early in the day) 2 Surf Scoters, 3+ Black Scoters, 2 Common Loons, and my third Pacific Loon of the day!

Back at Cherry Creek Reservoir, I did not arrive until it was almost too dark to see. Missed the Red-throated Loon and planned to return on Sunday. However, first stopped at Rocky Mountain Arsenal and then decided to go to Barr Lake to look for the Ross's Gull.

What another beautiful fall day it was in Colorado!

Birding South Park

October 21 to 26, 2007

October 21st

Bill Cryder, Jerry Petrosky, Terry Michaels and I struck birded around Arapahoe County today.

We enjoyed good success. A Surf Scoter was swimming around the east side of Aurora Reservoir. Our loon count was up to 5; most of them swimming in the southeast corner of the reservoir. A flock of 9 American Tree Sparrow

October 22nd

Bryan Ehlmann and I headed up to Park County to see if any scoters were migrating through South Park. Our route was roundabout as we went through Loveland Pass, then Leadville, and then down to Park County.

We were at Loveland Pass at sunrise and counted 14 White-tailed Ptarmigan below the ridge on the east side of the road!

We had lunch with a friend and his wife in Summit County and took up their invitation to stay the night and play bridge. The weather was poor so we took them up on it.

October 23rd

Besides, we woke up to Evening Grosbeaks and Pine Grosbeaks coming to their feeders! A check of Blue River Water Treatment Plant (Summit) did not find any Barrow's Goldeneyes.

We made a detour to the A.M. Bailey Bird Sanctuary to see if any American Three-toed Woodpeckers could be found. None were found, but we birded mostly from our car.

Bryan and I worked our way west and south to Leadville (Lake). Turquoise Lake was quiet, birdwise. We drove up to Independence Pass (base, not the top) and searched for owls.

Finally we heard an owl. A Northern Pygmy-Owl was calling from the northwest corner of Twin Lakes. We stopped at the traditional Rosy Finch house near Granite, none have been seen yet this fall.

October 24th

We stayed the night in Buena Vista and headed out at 2:00am in search of owls. Two Northern Saw-whet Owls were found in their traditional Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands east of town. A Northern Pygmy-Owl was found west of town as we drove up to the top of Cottonwood Pass (Chaffee).

While looking for Lewis's Woodpeckers around town, a lady came out and described an owl she had been seeing. She took us over to the tree and there was a Western Screech-Owl looking out!

Finally we reached Park County east of Buena Vista. We spent most the afternoon counting the many birds on Antero Reservoir. The highlights were 2 Greater Scaup, a Pacific Loon, 7 Surf Scoters, 4 Black Scoters, and one White-winged Scoter. In addition 3 Common Loons and a Pacific Loon were also found.

What a treasure! It's not often one can find the triple crown of scoters at on one lake!

With only an hour of light remaining and winds picking up to 35+ mph, we decided to return to our motel in Buena Vista.

October 25th
For once we did not get up at 2:00 or 4:00 am. We passed Buena Vista Overlook on the drive east to Park County reservoirs. Five Pinyon Jays flew around below the hill to the west.

We hit Antero Reservoir first to see if yesterday's birds were still there. Numbers were slightly down which might have indicated that the birds had moved to the nearby reservoirs.

A careful scoping of the lake convinced us that the White-winged Scoter was definitely gone. Both of the other scoter numbers were down to 2 Black Scoters and 2 Surf Scoters. Loons included 2 Common Loons and 1 Pacific Loon. An addition at Antero Reservoir was 2 Trumpeter Swans!

We headed to Spinney Mountain Reservoir to cautiously count scoters there. The scoter count at Spinney was 5 Surf Scoters and 1 Black Scoter. To err on the conservative side, we concluded that the Surf Scoters were from Antero Reservoir and no addition Black Scoters had flown into Park County during the night. The White-winged Scoter was not relocated during our stay.

Additions to our trip list were 4 Common Loons swimming around on Spinney Reservoir. There were another 4 Common Loons on Eleven Mile Reservoir (on which there were no scoters).

On the way back to Buena Vista for the night, we checked on the 2 Trumpeter Swans. There had been joined by 5 Tundra Swans!

We also made a detour to the top of Weston Pass. There had been a report of a Boreal Owl heard at the top. We did not find that, but did hear a Northern Pygmy-Owl at a stop about 0.4 miles into the riparian area first encountered west of Highway 285.

October 26th
While we were not as through with our scoter count today. We did get:
Antero Reservoir: 4 Surf Scoter, 2 Black Scoter, no White-winged Scoter
Spinney Reservoir: 3 Surf Scoter, 1 Black Scoter, no White-winged Scoter
Eleven Mile Reservoir: 4 Common Loons, no scoters

Swan count today was 5 Trumpeter Swan and 5 Tundra Swans. Clearly they were migrating through and there was no way for us to determine if we were counting the same birds.

Hunt for Arapahoe County Trumpeter Swan

October 20, 2007

Definitely needed to do chores today (undesirable, frustrating tasks, purchased a new car and got new eye glasses). However, there is always time to get in a little birding, so I searched for the Arapahoe County Trumpeter Swan (reported earlier by Bill Cryder) and Cherry Creek Reservoir Pacific Loon (reported by Don Beltz). Did not find either at Cherry Creek Reservoir; birding was slow. The pursuit was not aided by winds which were again 20+ mph.

The gull count was at least double since my last visit. The many American White Pelicans and Double-crested Cormorant have not yet left for their winter grounds. No loons and no uncommon gulls or any uncommon birds were found. Added Sunday: I forgot to mention that we did see one or two Bonaparte's Gulls flying around off the swim beach area.

One Shrike flew across the main road below the Ranger's Office. It appeared to be tracking a sparrow of some type. Neither stopped long enough for an id and I did not take the time to chase them into the field. At the bird platform (Cottonwood Creek Loop) I couldn't get a Swamp Sparrow to respond to a recording and left it for another day.

Both Quincy Reservoir and Aurora Reservoir did not have a large white bird on them. No swans, I headed for home at dusk. No Short-eared Owls came out along the DIA Owl Loop.

Quick Trip to Barr Lake

October 19, 2007

While doing chores I ran by Barr Lake (Adams County) and birded a couple of hours. Winds were 20+ mph; temperatures in the 70s. I walked from the Visitor's Center to the boat ramp (mile markers 9.0 to 7.5) and did not see one bird (not even a Starling) until reaching the boat ramp.

Finally a Northern Flicker flew off the ground and away. A small flock of birds along the canal at the access bridge to the boat ramp included 9 Dark-eyed Juncos, 3 American Goldfinches, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, and a Song Sparrow. Nothing uncommon, I turned around and went back to the Visitor's Center.

I watched the feeders behind the center for about an hour (so much for chores :-). The bird count included many House Sparrows, about 8 White-crowned Sparrows, 5 Dark-eyed Juncos, 2 Red-winged Blackbirds, and a White-throated Sparrow. When not at the feeders, the White-crowned and White-throated Sparrows flew to the short bushes about 25 yards to the west of the Nature Center.

I drove the DIA Owl Loop one last time this season looking for Burrowing Owls. They have been gone for about 3 weeks now. In a few weeks, it will be time to look for Lapland Longspurs and perhaps Snow Buntings along the loop. A Short-eared Owl is still always a possibility.

Search for Dusky Grouse, Mt Falcon Park

October 18, 2007

Several birders asked about Dusky Grouse locations, so Jim Bottoms and I went to Mt Falcon Park (Jefferson County) this morning. One of those lucky days, we only had to search about 30 minutes before finding one. The Grouse was on the hill below and east of the old castle. It could be observed from the main trail going east from the castle. 40 yards east of the castle and 20 feet north of the trail. Found all three nuthatches and 4 Red Crossbills.

The hill below and west of the old castle has also been good for them this year. If missed at either location I usually walk east along the main trail and look below the first bench encountered (about 400 yards or so east).

A quick stop at Genesee Mountain Park and we missed Williamson's Sapsuckers again. No time for much else.