Aurora Reservoir

January 7, 2020

Richard Stevens:

It was a beautiful day with a high of 57 degrees.  Winds were 12-13 mph with gusts to 16 mph.

I returned to Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe) this afternoon and walked down from the southern gate.

Birds relocated included the Pacific Loon (Lonetree Cove), Common Loon (mile 5.0) and Yellow-billed Loon (mile 4.5).  One of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls stood with many gulls on the shore at mile 2.5.

Thousands of White-cheeked Geese, three white Snow Geese and two blue Snow Geese swam around the Lake.

Non-geese included Western Grebes, Pied-billed Grebes, Common Goldeneyes, Northern Shovelers, American Coots, Gadwall, and Ruddy Ducks.

Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area & Jumbo Reservoir

January 6, 2020

Richard Stevens:

High temperature today was 56 degrees on the northeastern plains.  Winds stayed 8-9 mph throughout the day.

Terry Michaels, Jacob Washburn, Dave King and I birded in northeastern Colorado after yesterday's Sterling Christmas Count.

Before sunrise, we hiked the field north of Logan CR 46 & CR 89.  One Greater Prairie-Chicken was observed below the northern hill when we set up out scopes.

We returned to the Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area and covered it by hopscotching.  Jacob and Dave were dropped of at the western end (west of Hwy 55); while Terry and I started at section 1 East.  When Jacob and Dave caught up to our car, they drove to Tamarack Pond and continued to the eastern end of the Wildlife Area.  When Terry and I got to the car, we drove to the southern section across I76 and hiked west.

Terry and I found another Greater Prairie-Chicken wandering section southern west.  The bird was about 3/4 mile west of hwy 55.

Other birds encountered included:

Two Red-bellied Woodpeckers were just west of hwy 55 (section West) and another pair around Tamarack Pond.

A Field Sparrow was in section 7 East windbreak.  Eastern Screech-Owls were found at 6 East and 7 East.

Three Lapland Longspurs were found south of Tamarack Pond and another two or three at South of I76 and west of hwy 55.

Toward the end of the day, we all went over to Jumbo Reservoir (Logan/Sedgwick).  The two Trumpeter Swans were still on the Lake.  Hundreds of geese made picking out other species rather difficult.

We managed to find a lone Greater White-fronted Goose, an Iceland Gull (Thayer's) and Lesser Black-backed Gull.

An Eastern Screech-Owl called in response to our recordings at the northern end of Jumbo Reservoir.  No Short-eared Owls appeared as we ended our birding day watching the fields south of Jumbo Reservoir.

Misses: no Long-eared Owls were found in the Red Lion Wildlife Area windbreak this trip.

The Sixteenth CoBus Sterling Christmas Count

January 5, 2020

The sixteenth Sterling Christmas Count was held on January 5, 2020

Full details will appear in a future issue of "Colorado Field Notes"
coloradobirdingsociety.net/coloradofieldnotes.htm

Eight birders and seven feeder watchers participated.

Highlights included:

Short-eared Owl (north side of North Sterling Reservoir)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (North Sterling Reservoir)
Eastern Screech-Owl (Pioneer Park)
Common Redpoll (2, Pioneer Park)
Eastern Bluebird (2, Overland Park)
Field Sparrow (Overland Park)
Northern Cardinal (Sterling)
Fox Sparrow (Sterling)
White-throated Sparrow (2, separate locations)

Misses: they exhausted searches in surrounding fields for the Snowy Owl (12/23/2019)

Looking for a 2020 Short-eared Owl at DIA Owl Loop

January 4, 2020

Richard and I waited until dark along the DIA Owl Loop, Adams/Denver Ctys this evening.  No Short-eared Owls flew by.  We did see raptors including a Ferruginous Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk and Bald Eagle.

The Seventeenth CoBus Pawnee National Grasslands Christmas Count

January 3, 2020

The seventeenth Pawnee National Grasslands Christmas Count was held on January 3, 2019.

Full details will appear in a future issue of "Colorado Field Notes"
coloradobirdingsociety.net/coloradofieldnotes.htm

Six birders and six feeder watchers participated.

Highlights:
Northern Saw-whet Owl (private ranch)
Long-eared Owl (private ranch)
Short-eared Owl (private ranch)

Others:
Raptors: Prairie Falcon, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Golden Eagle, many Horned Larks, Northern Shrike, Lapland Longspurs

Misses: no Eastern Screech-Owl this year

Second Day of 2020 Birding

January 2, 2020

Transcript of Richard Stevens' email:

I enjoyed a busy day adding to my 2020 bird list.

First stop was Lake Arbor (Jefferson) where the Brant was hunkered down among many White-cheeked Geese.  I did not see the Greater White-fronted Goose.

In Morrison, I sat for about an hour before the Golden-crowned Sparrow appeared below the feeders along Summer Street (Jefferson).  Other birds included Western Scrub-Jays, Mountain Chickadees and Dark-eyed Juncos.

The Pacific Wren was at Bear Creek Lake Park.  Fortunately, several other birders had the wren stalked out when I arrived.

From there I passed the Carolina Wren spot in Centennial (Arapahoe).  It did not appear during the hour stay.

My final stop of the day was Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe).  I almost did not get out of the park in time as the southern gate closed at 5:00 pm.  I arrived back at 4:55 pm.

Done at the Lake, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and two Iceland Gulls stood on the shore near mile 2.5.  From the bench here, I could see the Yellow-billed Loon, the Pacific Loon and three Common Loons!  The Red-necked Grebe (12/31) was not found.

First Day of 2020 Birding

January 1, 2020

Transcript of Richard Stevens' email:

Rebecca and I headed southwest to start our New Year. 

The White-winged Scoter and Pacific Loon were found on Chatfield Reservoir (Jefferson/Douglas Counties).  Other first year birds included Common Mergansers, Hooded Mergansers, one Red-breasted Merganser, Common Goldeneyes, American Coots, Mallards and Bald Eagles.

We could see from above the Chatfield Reservoir dam that South Platte Park Reservoir (Arapahoe/Jefferson) to the north was mostly ice covered.  Only two White-cheeked Geese were on the Lake.

We hiked a ways up Waterton Canyon searching for sparrows and towhees.  It was a surprise to find neither.

The feeders at the Discovery Nature Pavilion added White-breasted Nuthatches, Dark-eyed Juncos, Downy Woodpeckers, Song Sparrows and a Wild Turkey to our year list.

Castlewood Canyon State Park (Douglas) was our most successful stop.  Highlight was a Northern Goshawk.  We finally found our Spotted Towhee, White-crowned Sparrows, four Red Crossbills, a Pine Grosbeak and Canyon Wren.

Highlight after dark, a Northern Saw-whet Owl was enticed to come and inspect our recordings!