A stroll around Broomfield CO

[John Tumasonis]

All:

         A loop through my neighborhood and surrounding areas:  Alexx and Michael's Pond,  Trails Park South \ West Lake, Trails Park North, Rock Point \ Stone Circle, Plaster Reservoir, Legacy High School area, Quail Park and Pond, a short section in Westminster, and back to Alexx and Michael's Pond.  

Here is what I observed: 

Pied Billed Grebe - 1 

Western Grebe - 5 

American White Pelican - about 25 total

Double Crested Cormorant - about 12

Black Crowned Night Heron - 1 in breeding plumage

Snowy Egret - about 4

Great Blue Heron - 6

Canada Goose - a few

Mallard - lots;  the rain brought them out - sitting on front lawns, walking down sidewalks and hanging out on streets.  Funny to see.

Gadwall - a few

Northern Shoveler - about 6

Blue-Winged Teal - about 4 - males and females

Cinnamon Teal - a pair

Red Tailed Hawk - several nesting pairs.  One flying with a red winged blackbird riding on its back for a few seconds.  A great trick if you can pull it off!

American Coot - only 1

American Avocet - a few

Common Pigeon - lots

Eurasian Collared Dove - lots, paired off

Mourning Dove - a couple dozen

Northern Flicker - several

Downy Woodpecker - 2 pairs

An Empid Flycatcher species - 1 - I did not get a good look

Say's Phoebe - several.   One was "skylarking" over a park. 

Loggerhead Shrike - 1- a surprise to see.  Behind Legacy High School along the bike path.

Blue Jay - everywhere, lots

American Crow - a few

Barn Swallow - in good numbers

Cliff Swallow - hundreds at Plaster Reservoir

Black Capped Chickadee - a few

Bushtit - a few

Brown Creeper - 1 - another surprise.  Trails Park North where the sidewalk ends near 136th Street.  Foraging in a line of cottonwood trees.

American Robin - lots;  foraging and singing.

European Starling - lots

Cedar Waxwing - 5 - a family group that has been hanging near Plaster Reservoir.

Myrtle Warbler - a few;  singing and foraging.

Audubon's Warbler - a few;  Songs and foraging.

Yellow Warbler - about 12 or so.  They came in a few days ago.  

Common Yellowthroat - about 12.  Broomfield is yellowthroat "rich".  Look in cattail areas, ditches, marshes.  Singing.  All males. 

Chipping Sparrow - small flocks moving through.  Lawns and weed patches. 

Clay Colored Sparrow - several small foraging groups.

Lark Sparrow - small groups traveling with chipping sparrows.

House Sparrow - a few

Song Sparrow - quite a few.  Most actively singing.  Marshes and cattails. 

ROSE BREASTED GROSBEAK - 1 male singing from on top of a tall maple tree near Grove Way and Frontier Ave.   Watched for a few minutes, then it flew off to the east.  

Red Winged Blackbird - Tons.  Males and females both conspicuous.  Fights, aggression towards other birds.  One male was pummeling a male cowbird.  Other males getting into serious fights, tumbling on the ground.  Here's something I've never seen before - a male "dancing" on the ground with bright red shoulder patches spread, going round and round the female, until copulation was achieved.  

Common Grackle - lots;  carrying nesting materials, chases, grabbing insects.

Brown Headed Cowbird - numbers of males and females increasing.  Male displaying to female. 

House Finch - large numbers throughout neighborhoods.  Lots of singing males.  

American Goldfinch - a few, most at feeders

Plaster Reservoir is the "Hot Spot".  

The five "W's"  -  "We Won't Walk Will We?"  

My feet hurt.  

John T (Tumasonis),  Broomfield CO