Denver FAll Count - RMArsenal NWR - Adams

[Hugh Kingery]

On Sunday, Sept. 10 we conducted the 39th annual Fall Count at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. The 96 species fall in the higher end of species counts over the years. Highlights included:

8 or 9 species of flycatchers including a wagging-tail-down-then-up Gray Flycatcher (waiting for a description of one Empidonax).

Six Bushtits seemed surprising, a flock at the First Creek bridge on the Refuge Drive-around.

60 Pied-billed Grebes -- A huge number -- eBird questioned that.

22 Snowy Egrets seemed high.

340 Am. Coots, almost all on Lower Derby.

44 Killdeer.

3 Sage Thrashers -- David Blue took a splendid picture of one on a blooming rabbitbrush.

Only two species of warbler, but a dozen sparrow species (if you include towhees).

And a nice count of 63 Meadowlarks.

 And an Un-bird hightlight: 

        We saw over a dozen Monarch Butterflies, and Lynn Forester found a Monarch caterpillar on a Milkweed. Milkweed seems fairly widespread and the number of Monarchs showed that.The Arsenal, according to Tom Wall, has worked at fostering Monarchs.

Urling & Hugh Kingery
Franktown, CO