Chatfield / Hildebrand Ranch mostly, Jefferson/Douglas

[David Suddjian]

And one from Arapahoe Co - A Townsend's Solitaire was at St. Mary Catholic Church along South Prince in Littleton yesterday 4/15.

Today 4/16 I had some time to check for any interesting snow birds, checking near home in Ken Caryl Valley, Hildrebrand Ranch Park and vicinity and Chatfield. The species that I encountered that seemed most moved by snow were American Robins, Mountain Bluebird, and Gray-headed Juncos; moved down from the hills and concentrated at likely snow-day foraging spots. Hildebrand had at least 224 Am. Robins gathered near the parking lot where there was open dirt and grasses for forage at. A Hermit Thrush and 2 Chipping Sparrows there were my first this season. A gathering of juncos nearby at Deer Creek Canyon Road x Owens Road had 5 forms and included 22 Gray-headed Juncos.

Mann Reservoir in South Valley Park had my only swallows of note, with 4 Barn, 1 Nor. Rough-winged, 2 Violet-green and 4 Trees. A Solitary Sandpiper there was notable.

I was surprised to find Chatfield Res. nearly swallow-free during my lake-view stops, except for a paltry 2 Tree Swallows. The Swim Beach  had 2 Sage Thrashers out of sorts at the parking lot margin and on the beach, with a Rock Wren hanging around the restrooms. The North Boat Launch area had 2 Marbled Godwits flying around through the snow, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 2 Horned Larks foraging in the parking lot, 16 lovely Franklin's Gulls, 11 Herring Gulls (sparse to absent on my birding of late), 6 California Gulls and of course Ring-billeds.  The model airfield area had 12 Vesper Sparrows, 3 Savannah Sparrows and 2 Am. Pipits. The largest gathering of Mountain Bluebirds was 48 at the base of the Marina Sand Spit.

David Suddjian

Littleton, CO