Denver County Birdathon Big Day

[Chris Rurik]

Hello all,

Yesterday, Team Not-Just-Pigeons had a very successful day trying to uncover as many species as possible in Denver County while raising support for Audubon Society of Greater Denver. We exceeded our modest goal of 60 species by 20, with a lifer or two and some decently rare birds. Glad we went yesterday instead of last Wednesday as originally planned!

Highlights in chronological order: 

Greater White-fronted Goose (continuing at City Park)

Bonaparte's Gulls (continuing at City Park...didn't see any Franklin's)

Clark's Grebe (City Park and Sloans Lake)

Solitary Sandpiper (City Park and Berkeley Park)

White-faced Ibis (flyover at City Park and Westerly Wetlands)

Wilson's Phalarope (Westerly Wetlands)

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Westerly Wetlands)

Rock Wren (Bluff Lake rabbit brush area)

FOS House Wren (two along creek at Bluff Lake)

Brewer's Blackbird (female at Bluff Lake)

Burrowing Owl (Lifer! - northeast corner of 114th and Trussville)

Loggerhead Shrike (Heron Pond Natural Area)

FOS Lark Sparrow (3 along South Platte near Heron Pond)

TOWNSEND'S WARBLER (Berkeley Park in fir tree near parking area)

All 6 swallows - tree was the difficult one for some reason

Surprising misses: 

Green-winged Teal

American Wigeon

Accipiters

Any nuthatches, bushtits, kinglets

California Gull

Turkey Vulture

Vesper Sparrow

A very fun day, all around, in some beautiful places. Hard to beat sunrise in City Park or tamales at Sloans with spotted sandpipers and pelicans flying around.

Chris Rurik

Denver CO