Sondermann Park Sunday Morning, Local Interest (El Paso)

[Lee Farese]

Spent a while this morning in Sondermann Park this morning (9/21) and thought I would pass along a few observations.

What seemed most notable to me was that the main riparian area (along Sondermann Creek) was very quiet of birds, while the foothills scrub above was overflowing. Up along the dry wash straight across the creek from the parking lot, were some of the most amazing numbers of birds I've ever seen in the park. Though the riparian area is as thick as I've ever seen it, this seems to point to high productivity out in the shortgrass (not so short this year) and scrub, so birds are less concentrated around the trees. Along the creek there were only a handful of Wilson's Warblers, a pair of MacGillivray's, some house Wrens still singing, a Bullock's Oriole, and a Western Tanager, and Robins among a few others. In the hills, though (mostly three-leaf sumac, mountain mahogany, and gooseberry, and this year very thick with tumbleweed and thistle), birds were everywhere. Along the dry wash was likely the best birding (there is a trail just up on the south side. There are a number of scattered elm and cottonwoods spread out along it, mixed with lower shrubs and undergrowth. Here there was a big group of Siskins, a couple Orange-crowned Warblers (both celata ssp.), countless Wilson's and many sparrows, including Chipping, Clay-colored, Brewer's, White-crowned, Song, and Lincoln's. The best bird I saw out there was likely a Sage Thrasher, the first I've seen in the park. A big flock of bushtits picking up a few other stray birds as well. There was another interesting very clear chip that I couldn't identify, up by the only russian olive a fair ways up the wash, but I only saw the bird briefly before it disappeared into the sumac a ways down the wash and I was never able to get a good look at it—might be worth looking into if anyone is birding around the park in the next few days. Also around were both species of goldfinch, many woodpeckers, a tailless flicker, and tons of towhees. I heard a few Audubon's Warblers fly overhead, but other than that didn't see any around the park. A few paintbrush still in bloom. Looks like this summer's been kind to the Front Range.

Lee Farese

CO Springs