Category: Uncategorized

SATURDAY, JULY 27, 2024 HUDSON GARDENS WALK WITH PATTI GALLI

Posted on July 27, 2024 by - Uncategorized

Hudson Gardens Walk – Saturday, July 27, 2024

Led by Patti Galli

I know I say this every time! But we get the most wonderful beginner birders. Eager to learn and participate. And this time was no exception, we also had two very young birders joining us and spotted a couple great birds!

It started out pretty warm around 71* and ended up at 86* so we got pretty toasty. But that didn’t stop us from finding 20 different species. Which is great for this time of year when it truly gets quiet out there. Birds are now fully engaged in raising young, feeding and teaching. Staying quiet as not to tell predators were they and their young are. And some birds, like the male Mallards are starting to molt before Autumn arrives.

Now for some of the fun birds seen on this trip starts with a fabulous Great Blue Heron that stayed perfectly still. That gave our group a nice amount of time to really study him. A beautiful tall 54” inch large, heaviest of the Herons, with elegant wings, as they lift up to fly. The interesting Western King Birds, which are in the fly catcher family. A yellowish gray bird, that has the most acrobatic ability when catching its meal.

We still had our regular birds such as, Black-capped Chickadees, Cliff swallows, Norther- rough-winged Swallows, Chipping Sparrows and our beautiful American GoldFInch to name a few! Can’t wait for next month’s trip, there is always something to see and a great group to enjoy birding with!

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 2024 DEER CREEK CANYON PARK WITH DAVID SUDDJIAN

Posted on July 17, 2024 by - Uncategorized

Wednesday, July 17, 2024 Littleton Walk

Led by David Suddjian

Hi Everyone,

Thank you for joining today’s walk at Deer Creek Canyon Park. Several of you were new to this popular park, and it was fun to give you a bit of an introduction to it. I’ve shared our eBird checklist. If you do not use eBird (I recommend you do; it is easy to set up a free account), you can still view our eBird checklist here. Some of you were taking pictures. Feel free to attach them on the eBird list  (I can help with any IDs) or just share any that you like with us here on this thread. I’m still impressed by the bevy of birds at the beginning of the walk, so very busy in that area near the parking lot! Wow!  And such nice looks at several Lazuli Buntings, the singing Western Tanager, a chat, many Spotted Towhees, Sage Thrashers (plus one trasher ;-), and much more!  

Keep an eye out for other weekday walks offered by the store, and the usual monthly Saturday walk, too. 

Hope to see you again,

David

SATURDAY, JULY 6, 2024 SOUTH PLATTE RIVER, CHATFIELD STATE PARK WITH DAVID SUDDJIAN

Posted on July 6, 2024 by - Uncategorized

Saturday, July 6, 2024

Hi Friends,

Thanks for joining today’s Front Range Birding Co walk along the South Platte River at Chatfield SP. I’ve shared our checklist with each of you, and here is a link to the checklist.  Our pair of American Redstarts were certainly a highlight, as were the many Yellow Warblers and the songs of Yellow-breasted Chats going off in all directions, all the time. As I mentioned I would, I’ve added some photos from July 4 in the same place we were today taken by Melody Serra. The restart is the same male we saw today.

See you out there,

David

Am. Redstart

Am. Redstart

Am. Redstart

Yellow Warbler male

Yellow Warbler feeding gray-colored fledgling

This juvenile Yellow Warbler is undergoing a molt from juvenile plumage (gray) to its preformative plumage (yellow), which it will wear from late summer until early spring. This preformative plumage is only present in its first year of life. 

Gray Catbirds

Lesser Goldfinch

(END)

Chatfield State Park, July 2, 2022 – with Chuck Aid

Posted on July 8, 2022 by - Bird Walks, Blog, Uncategorized

Say’s Phoebe (c) Bill Schmoker

The area we visited Saturday morning near the Denver Audubon Nature Center is a popular birding destination; so much so that it is here that Denver Audubon regularly offers their Bird the Wetlands programs and the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies has its annual spring migration banding station (mid-April through May).  As with much of Chatfield SP there is a wonderful mix of habitats and we consequently saw some great birds.  

Here we are now in early July which means spring migration has pretty much been over for at least a month and the advent of breeding season with so much singing and territorial establishment has begun shifting into a time of numerous fledglings looking doofy and seeking to be fed.  In fact, some parents are starting to turn a cold, feathered shoulder to their offspring and saying, “You’re on your own now.”  On our walk we noticed that the nesting Say’s Phoebes were no longer active at their nest on the side of the Nature Center, so hopefully they successfully raised their brood; and out by the banding station the nesting Broad-tailed Hummer was no longer on her nest which was so exposed it could easily have been subject to some sort of depredation.  Raising avian young is not an easy endeavor – only about 75% of nestlings end up fledging, and only about 10-20% make it through the first year of life.

Lesser Goldfinch (c) Bill Schmoker

One family that seemed to have managed everything well was a group of four American Kestrels, apparently mom and dad with two vociferous fledglings.  American Kestrels (formerly known as Sparrow Hawks) are secondary cavity nesters – that is they nest in old cavities previously excavated by woodpeckers, the primary cavity nesters.  Many species are reliant on the primary cavity nesters to provide these nest sites, including some ducks, small owls, kestrels, chickadees, nuthatches, wrens, swallows, bluebirds, and starlings.  Some big old dead trees can through time become avian condominiums with several species nesting in the same snag.

Cedar Waxwing (c) Bill Schmoker

Vocalization highlights on Saturday were provided by Yellow-breasted Chats and Gray Catbirds.  Chats were for some time considered to be part of the warbler family but have recently been assigned to their own family.  Despite their bright yellow breast, they can be difficult to see as they are great skulkers.  On the other hand, the extensive array of loud catcalls, whistles, rattles, and grunts by the male can at least make them easy to hear.  The Gray Catbird is a member of the Mimidae family, which includes thrashers and mockingbirds, all of which are notable for their great vocalizations, and some of which mimic not only other birds but other sounds in the area in which they live, e.g. chainsaws and car alarms.  While Gray Catbirds show no evidence of being mimics, there is good evidence that the male song results in large part from improvisation and invention.  Both species can definitely put a smile on your face.

Good birding!  Chuck

Chatfield SP – Audubon Nature Center, July 2, 2022
30 species

Mourning Dove  2
Broad-tailed Hummingbird  5
Double-crested Cormorant  6
Great Blue Heron  2
Turkey Vulture  1
Northern Flicker  1
American Kestrel  4
Western Wood-Pewee  2
Cordilleran Flycatcher  1
Say’s Phoebe  1
Warbling Vireo  1
Blue Jay  1
Black-capped Chickadee  2
Tree Swallow  6
Cliff Swallow  2
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
House Wren  10
Gray Catbird  2
American Robin  2
Cedar Waxwing  7
House Finch  1
Lesser Goldfinch  5
Spotted Towhee  8
Yellow-breasted Chat  6
Western Meadowlark  1
Red-winged Blackbird  18
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
Common Grackle  1
Common Yellowthroat  1
Yellow Warbler  12

Walker Ranch Meyer’s Gulch, July 10th–with Jamie Simo

Posted on July 12, 2021 by - Bird Walks, Blog, Uncategorized

Juvenile Western Bluebird. Photo by Chris Friedman.

Walker Ranch is a fantastic place to go in summer for birds, butterflies, and blossoms. On Saturday, July 10th, 10 of us met up at the Meyer’s Gulch (also called Meyer’s Homestead) trailhead. Right off the bat we were greeted by a trio of mule deer bucks. A “bachelor herd” such as this one is usually comprised of immature males that have left their parent herd, but haven’t yet gained a harem of their own. These guys were almost completely unconcerned by us as we organized in the parking lot prior to our hike.

Every day is different when it comes to birding. While my Friday scouting trip was entirely bereft of bluebirds, a small flock put in an appearance to the delight of all on Saturday, including at least one immature bird distinguished by its spotted breast. Boulder County Open Space volunteers maintain the bluebird boxes along Meyer’s Gulch and Western (and sometimes Mountain) Bluebirds regularly set up shop in them. The mix of open Ponderosa woodland and meadow is the perfect habitat for Western Bluebirds, which are larger and a darker cobalt blue than their Eastern counterparts.

Lincoln’s Sparrow. Photo by Chris Friedman.

We also had a good day for sparrows. An especial treat was the pair of Lincoln’s Sparrows that made themselves known on the trek back to the parking lot. Lincoln’s Sparrows can often be confused for Song Sparrows and, to make it even more difficult, they can co-occur in the same wet meadow habitats. However, Lincoln’s Sparrows are smaller and more “refined” than their larger breathren with narrow, distinct breast streaks, a buffy wash on the breast, and often a more visible crest. They also often tend to be a little shyer and more retiring, but, happily, we were treated to great views of, and even some singing from, these subtly handsome birds.

Perhaps our most cooperative bird of the day was the Western Wood-Pewee. One of our most conspicuous flycatchers, this dull brown bird likes to sit upright on exposed perches, making it very easy to see. The same could not be said for the MacGillivray’s Warbler that we heard streamside, but that wouldn’t come out of the tangle of willows he was hidden in.

Meadow anemone. Photo by Jamie Simo.

In addition to birds, we had a great day for butterflies. Just a few of the butterflies we saw were the hoary comma, Weidemeyer’s admiral, and several species of blue. They were particularly attracted to the wet sand and pools of water along sections of the trail, a behavior called “puddling,” that allows the butterflies to ingest salts and minerals they don’t get from feeding on nectar. A big thanks to Chris Friedman who helped us identify the many butterflies and skippers we encountered! Wildflowers of note included Indian paintbrush, meadow anemone, sulfur flower, and sticky geranium. All in all, a fantastic day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walker Ranch–Meyers Gulch
Jul 10, 2021
30 taxa

2 Mourning Dove
9 Broad-tailed Hummingbird
1 Red-tailed Hawk
2 Northern Flicker
4 Western Wood-Pewee
1 Hammond’s/Dusky Flycatcher
1 Cordilleran Flycatcher
2 Warbling Vireo
2 Steller’s Jay
3 Black-billed Magpie
3 American Crow
1 Black-capped Chickadee
8 Mountain Chickadee
1 Violet-green Swallow
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch
2 White-breasted Nuthatch
6 Pygmy Nuthatch
4 House Wren
6 Western Bluebird – FL
3 American Robin
2 Pine Siskin
1 Chipping Sparrow
1 Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-headed)
2 Vesper Sparrow
1 Song Sparrow
2 Lincoln’s Sparrow
1 Green-tailed Towhee
1 Spotted Towhee
1 MacGillivray’s Warbler
3 Western Tanager

Meyer’s Gulch Bird Walk 7/13

Posted on July 25, 2019 by - Bird Walks, Blog, Uncategorized

Pygmy nuthatches. Photo by Jamie Simo.

We couldn’t have asked for a much better trip to Meyer’s Gulch at Walker Ranch. The Meyer’s Gulch Trail took us through some of the best preserved examples of the native ecosystems where the Rocky Mountains and foothills meet in Boulder County. Of course, aside from the amazing views and wildflowers we saw an awesome assortment of birds.

On the first segment of the hike we got the opportunity to see and hear many Pygmy nuthatches. These tiny nuthatches are among the smallest in their family at only 4 inches long and with a body weight of only 10 grams. What they lack in size, however, they make up for in personality as they are gregarious, noisy and hyperactive. We also got to see two species of sparrow: the Vesper sparrow and the Chipping sparrow. The Vesper sparrow is a grass-loving species with a white eyering and outer tail feathers while Chipping sparrows are easily distinguished from other sparrows by their rusty caps, gray bodies, and black lores and beaks. We also got fleeting views of a beautiful Green-tailed towhee, a less common cousin of the Spotted towhee known for its unmistakable olive-yellow wings and tail. 

Fledging Red-naped sapsucker. Photo by Aidan Coohill

Some of our best birding happened in the willow carr next to the old mill. We quickly re-found the Red-naped sapsucker pair that I had found scouting for this trip and were able to see not only them but their fledgling young as it practiced scaling a ponderosa and foraging just like its parents. We were also treated to good views of a Cordilleran flycatcher, one of the more colorful Empids, and a fascinating bird that inhabits the cooler and damper slopes of arid forests. Other birds here included many House wrens, a single Pine siskin, both species of goldfinch, and a singing Plumbeous vireo. 

On our way back to the parking lot we continued to get great views of a male Western tanager and plenty of Western bluebirds. Sarah, by some miracle, found a lone Red crossbill sitting on a spruce far off in the distance. Thanks to a handy scope, most of the group was able to see the bird and its distinct beak that earns the species its name.

In the end, our trip netted us 30 bird species in all. Such a great day!

I would like to extend a special thanks to the amazing Sarah Spotten for helping me out on my first bird-walk with FRBC and all the great folks who joined us!

-Aidan Coohill

Hudson Gardens, May 25, 2019

Posted on May 28, 2019 by - Uncategorized

When your walk starts with great looks at Cedar Waxwings, you know it’s going to be a great day!  We saw a 3 of these gorgeous birds hopping around low in a tree, then visiting the small stream behind the Visitor’s Center.

This spring, we have seen and heard many reports of Western Tanagers so we were on the look-out for them, as well as the vibrant Bullock’s Oriole.  We were not disappointed!

In addition to these colorful birds, we also saw a couple of spunky House Wrens, busily hopping in and out of a wood pile, most likely looking for nesting material or a snack.  Nearby, we saw a nestbox full of sticks – a sign of a busy wren!  Males build several nests in the spring, perhaps as decoys, but also to give the female a choice of nest sites.  Never fear – the wrens don’t lay eggs on a pile of sticks and hope the babies don’t fall through the cracks.  Once they’ve selected a nest to use, they build a soft cup for their eggs. Wrens are larger-than-life characters – they are tiny birds that sing loud and long, and seem to have the energy of the Energizer Bunny.

 

We saw several Yellow Warblers that seemed to follow the same path as us for a bit, foraging in the tree canopy.  We all got to experience “warbler neck,” that painful feeling you get from looking straight up in a tree for warblers.  I’m considering, and I’m only half-joking here, a post-birding yoga session.  Perhaps there is a “downward bird” pose, or maybe “hunting heron” that will help us stretch out our necks?

 

Near the end of our adventure, we saw two Snowy Egrets and eventually got a good look of their black legs and yellow feet.  Word on the street is Snowy Egrets will use those yellow toes like fishing lures. They wiggle them to attract fish, and then snatch up whoever unwittingly takes the “bait.”   Makes me wonder how many times they snatch their toes in the process.

 

Til next time,

 

Jennifer O’Keefe

 

Western Tanager (C) Bill Schmoker

Bullock’s Oriole (c) Bill Schmoker

Species List

Blue-winged Teal                             2

Mallard                                               20

Common Merganser                        1

Mourning Dove                                 1

Broad-tailed Hummingbird           2

Double-crested Cormorant            2

American White Pelican                 5

Great Blue Heron                             1

Snowy Egret                                      2

Egret spp.                                           1

Turkey Vulture                                  1

Accipiter spp.                                     1

Red-tailed Hawk                               1

Western Wood-Pewee                     1

Black-billed Magpie                         2

Cliff Swallow                                      35

House Wren                                       2          

American Robin                                8

Cedar Waxwing                                 4

House Finch                                      5

American Goldfinch                        1

Chipping Sparrow                            3

Song Sparrow                                    2

Bullock’s Oriole                                5

Red-winged Blackbird                    50

Common Grackle                             7

Yellow Warbler                                 5

Western Tanager                             2

 

 

 

Front Range Birding trip to Minnesota and Sax Zim Bog

Posted on February 10, 2017 by - Bird Walks, Blog, Events, Uncategorized

Who goes to Minnesota in January? If you want to see Great Gray and Snowy Owls then traveling to the Sax Zim Bog just outside Duluth, Minnesota is a must. Front Range Birding helped, along with Sheridan Samano of the Reefs to Rockies travel company, to lead a small group of intrepid birders to this cold north location to see these and other great boreal birds. 

Top left and top center – Great Grey Owl!  Top right – Snowy Owl!    Score!!

Bottom left – The drive into Sax Zim Bog      Bottom right – Our group from Colorado, Delaware, and New Jersey. 

Considering the weather, and dead of winter time frame, the number of birds seen was quite impressive. Most in the group picked up multiple life birds for their lists. The temps were very tolerable and brought out many of the Minnesota winter residents. Aside from our target birds pictured above, of note were the Black-backed woodpecker, White-winged crossbill, Bohemian waxwing, Pileated woodpecker, Boreal chickadee, and Golden-crowned sparrow.

We loved our stay in Duluth, Minnesota at the historic Fitger’s Inn which is located in the vintage 1885 renovated Fitger’s Brewery. The shores of Lake Superior offered great views and ambiance and all of us had a fantastic time. Thank you Reef to Rockies for setting up this trip!

Our complete list of birds seen is below.

  1. Mallard
  2. Common Goldeneye
  3. Ruffed Grouse
  4. Sharp-tailed Grouse
  5. Wild Turkey
  6. Bald Eagle
  7. Red-tailed Hawk
  8. Rough-legged Hawk
  9. Thayer’s Gull
  10. Rock Pigeon (feral)
  11. Snowy Owl
  12. Great gray Owl
  13. Downy Woodpecker
  14. Hairy Woodpecker
  15. Black-backed Woodpecker
  16. Pileated Woodpecker
  17. Northern Shrike
  18. Gray Jay
  19. Blue Jay
  20. Black-billed Magpie
  21. American Crow
  22. Common Raven
  23. Black-capped Chickadee
  24. Boreal Chickadee
  25. Red-breasted Nuthatch
  26. White-breasted Nuthatch
  27. American Robin
  28. European Starling
  29. Bohemian Waxwing
  30. Dark-eyed Junco
  31. Golden-crowned Sparrow
  32. Pine Grosbeak
  33. White-winged Crossbill
  34. Common Redpoll
  35. Pine Siskin
  36. American Goldfinch
  37. Evening Grosbeak

Our partnership with Reefs to Rockies is great and we are planning many more trips with them. Next up is a visit to the Sandhill Crane Capital of the World – Kearney, Nebraska March 25-27, 2017. Be sure to visit Reefs to Rockies website for details on this trip. Also sign up for our newsletter on this website to learn more about this and other great trips with Front Range Birding!

 

South Platte Park, February 4, with Chuck Aid

Posted on February 8, 2017 by - Bird Walks, Blog, Uncategorized

Well, Saturday was another great day of birding. Eleven of us went to South Platte Park, where the winds calmed down and the temperature warmed up quite nicely.  We started by looking at the orange legs of female Common Mergansers.

Photo courtesy of Bill Schmoker

Our first enthralling bird of the day was a female Northern Harrier, which flew down from a nearby tree with prey in its talons, and landed out in the open on the edge of Blackrock Lake. We were able to watch her for some time as she ate her breakfast – possibly a pigeon or a coot. The photos below are not of our bird, but they give you an idea of what we saw. Note the owl-like facial disc, the white both above and below the eye, the streaking on the upper breast and nape, the long banded tail, the white rump, AND the prey (in this case a Green-winged Teal).

Photo courtesy of Rob Raker

Photo courtesy of Bill Schmoker

Then, we were most fortunate to see my target bird for the day, Greater Scaup, which are uncommon wintering bird in the interior of the continent, preferring salt water along both coasts. However, they have been occurring regularly at Blackrock Lake over the past three winters, and we were able to see eight of them. Distinguishing Greater Scaup from Lesser Scaup, which occur regularly here in the winter, is one of the trickier IDs, and I hope our group didn’t tire of my trying to point out some of the distinguishing characteristics. Among these, head-shape is a key factor. In the photos below note how the three Greater Scaup have more rounded, longer heads, with eyes closer to the top of their heads. The single Lesser Scaup, on the other hand, has a more pointy head with an obvious corner towards the rear of the head, and the eye appears to not be as close to the top of the head. I have spent hours working on the finer points of distinguishing these two species, and you can too if you get on over to Blackrock Lake. Apparently the Greater Scaup are showing up there again with some regularity.

Photo courtesy of Arthur Grosset

Photo courtesy of Bill Schmoker

One additional highlight of the day is that were able to locate a pair of Great Horned Owls. Their proximity to a huge nest high in a cottonwood may indicate that they have chosen their nesting site for this year. The female could be incubating eggs anytime now, as here in Colorado nests tend to begin being occupied at the beginning of February. Incubation then lasts about 35 days, so we could expect to start seeing little white owlets as early as mid-March. However, there is great variation in the nesting phenology, and it is possible to see owlets in nests as late as July. The photo below is of the male we saw.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Jaacks

Hope you guys are enjoying these mild days, and enjoying the wintering ducks.

Good Birding!

Chuck Aid

 

South Platte Park, Feb 4, 2017

31 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  48

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  1

Gadwall (Anas strepera)  12

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  21

Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  16

Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)  8

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  11

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  32

Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)  23

Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)  11

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)  2

Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  2

Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)  1

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1

Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)  1

American Coot (Fulica americana)  7

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  1

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  110

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon))  30

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)  2

Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)  1

Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  2

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  2

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)  2

Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)  3

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  9

Common Raven (Corvus corax)  1

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  7

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  2

European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  40

House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  8

South Platte Park, February 4, with Chuck Aid

Posted on February 5, 2017 by - Bird Walks, Blog, Uncategorized

Saturday was another great day of birding! Eleven of us went to South Platte Park, where the winds calmed down and the temperature warmed up quite nicely.  We began by noting the orange legs on the female Common Mergansers.

Photo courtesy of Bill Schmoker

Our first really enthralling bird of the day was a female Northern Harrier, which flew down from a nearby tree with prey in its talons, and landed out in the open on the edge of Blackrock Lake. We were able to watch her for some time as she ate her breakfast – possibly a pigeon or a coot. The photos below are not of our bird, but they give you an idea of what we saw. Note the owl-like facial disc, the white both above and below the eye, the streaking on the upper breast and nape, the long banded tail, the white rump, AND the prey (in this case a Green-winged Teal).

Photo courtesy of Rob Raker

Photo courtesy of Bill Schmoker

Then, we were most fortunate to see my target bird for the day, Greater Scaup, which are an uncommon wintering bird in the interior of the continent, preferring salt water along both coasts. However, they have been occurring regularly at Blackrock Lake over the past three winters, and we were able to see eight of them. Distinguishing Greater Scaup from Lesser Scaup, which occur regularly here in the winter, is one of the trickier IDs, and I hope our group didn’t tire of my trying to point out some of the distinguishing characteristics. Among these, head-shape is a key factor. In the photos below note how the three Greater Scaup have more rounded, longer heads, with eyes closer to the top of their heads. The single Lesser Scaup, on the other hand, has a more pointy head with an obvious corner towards the rear of the head, and the eye appears to not be as close to the top of the head. I have spent hours working on the finer points of distinguishing these two species, and you can too, if you get on over to Blackrock Lake. Apparently the Greater Scaup are showing up there again with some regularity.

Photo courtesy of Arthur Grosset

Photo courtesy of Bill Schmoker

One additional highlight of the day was that we were able to locate a pair of Great Horned Owls. Their proximity to a huge nest high in a cottonwood may indicate that they have chosen their nesting site for this year. The female could be incubating eggs anytime now, as here in Colorado nests tend to begin being occupied at the beginning of February. Incubation then lasts about 35 days, so we could expect to start seeing little white owlets as early as mid-March. However, there is great variation in the nesting phenology, and it is possible to see owlets in nests as late as July. The photo below is of the male we saw.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Jaacks

Hope you guys are enjoying these mild days, and enjoying the wintering ducks.

Good Birding!

Chuck Aid

 

South Platte Park, Feb 4, 2017

31 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  48

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  1

Gadwall (Anas strepera)  12

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  21

Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  16

Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)  8

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  11

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  32

Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)  23

Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)  11

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)  2

Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  2

Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)  1

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1

Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)  1

American Coot (Fulica americana)  7

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  1

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  110

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon))  30

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)  2

Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)  1

Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  2

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  2

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)  2

Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)  3

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  9

Common Raven (Corvus corax)  1

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  7

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  2

European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  40

House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  8