Black Swifts over Ken Caryl Valley JeffCo 8/31

[David Suddjian]

Early this morning 2 Black Swifts appeared flying south under lowering gray skies with light rain beginning as I was birding in Ken Caryl Valley north of Massey Draw between the Lyons and Dakota formation hogbacks. They paused in their trajectory a bit to join some foraging White-throated Swifts and high flying swallows and then continued on south. Other migrants were not numerous in that area this morning, but there was a Cassin's Kingbird, and small numbers of Wilson's, Virginia's and Yellow warblers. I had expected lots of Spizella sparrows in that area, but all I found was a single Brewer's and no Chipping!

Chatfield at the Platte delta area had two continuing Semipalmated Plovers and some of the other expected shorebirds that have been there lately. A juvenile Stilt Sandpiper flew by the shoreline and landed along the main lake shore about 300 meters west of the Platte inlet. A Willow Flycatcher was in that area. Pulses of Violet-Green Swallows were moving through, with smaller numbers of Barn, Tree and Bank. 

The Marina sandspit area had no shorebirds except Killdeer when I looked, but there were a good number of usual sparrows and Yellow Warblers.

Last evening 3 Marbled Godwits flew over Ken Caryl Avenue near C470, heading in the Chatfield direction.

David Suddjian

Littleton, CO