Some JeffCo birding 4/24

[David Suddjian]

Highlights at Hine Lake in Robert Easton Regional Park included 2 Long-billed Curlews flying north (for my 300th JeffCo species), Baird's Sandpiper, a fly over Snowy Egret, 1 Common Goldeneye (my first in JeffCo in several weeks), my FOS Brewer's Blackbirds, my FOS Plumbeous Vireo and Lazuli Bunting. Two Burrowing Owls continue at the NW side of the lake. And south of the lake in the open space, south of Coal Mine Ave, I saw my FOS Western Kingbird and a singing Horned Lark. This was my first visit without Greater Scaup since fall.

Blue Heron Park had 1 Great-tailed Grackle lording it over the lesser-tailed grackles

Harriman Lake Park had at least 18 Great-tailed Grackles (including many displaying and a female with nest material), 1 Yellow-headed Blackbird, 1 Green Heron, 1 Solitary Sandpiper, and 1 Common Yellowthroat.

Along the South Platte in Chatfield I had my FOS Least Flycatcher, being very "whitty" upstream of Kingfisher Bridge. A pair of Eastern Phoebes continued near the bridge. The McCown's Longspur was still at the model airfield. One Bonaparte's Gull flew by the Swim Beach, but otherwise the lake itself was very slow.

The Eastern Phoebe continues at Deer Creek at Valley Road near South Valley Park.

David Suddjian

Ken Caryl Valley

Littleton, CO