Lincoln's Sparrow + Hermit Thrush - Belated report from west Arapahoe

[Jared Del Rosso]

On Thursday (12/27), I conducted my third annual local winter count, birding the northeast quadrant of my local home circle. I usually do this before the CBC's start, to get into the spirit of the counting season. But personal obligations and a cold kept me from doing that this year.

The northeast quadrant of my home circle covers the High Line Canal Trail in Greenwood and Cherry Hills Villages (Arapahoe). Marjorie Perry Nature Preserve, Blackmer Lake, and Dahlia Hollow Park are the hottest of the hot spots within this portion. Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens and Holly Park in Centennial are also in it. Happily, they're two of my favorite bad birding spots. 

This year, I logged 40 species & about 2,200 birds, one species and a 1,000 birds off of last year's pace. (The extra 1,000 birds last year were all Canada & Cackling Geese. Numbers were lower this year. Open water was far less too.) Highlights this year included a Hermit Thrush, in the usual spot at Dahlia Hollow Park, and a rather late Lincoln's Sparrow among juncos, towhees, and Song Sparrows at a residential feeder at Marjorie Perry Nature Preserve. A Merlin with prey (lightpost in Greenwood Village) and a Greater White-fronted Goose at Westlands Park were other highlights. I've posted a more complete account here. 

- Jared Del Rosso

Centennial, CO