Chatfield mostly (Jefferson/Douglas) 5/3

[David Suddjian]

Before sunrise this morning I had my first Common Poorwill of the season north of Deer Creek on the slope of the Dakota Formation Hogback.

At the Chatfield North Boat Launch area a Whimbrel flew north over the dam. Chatfield Swim Beach had 2 Semipalmated Plovers flying north and a Solitary Sandpiper.

2 Eastern Phoebes were easy to find near Kingfisher Bridge, mostly on the Douglas side. Birding upstream from Kingfisher Bridge I encountered 4 Broad-winged Hawks, all likely in their roosting spots more or less. In addition to the numerous House Wrens and moderately common Yellow-rumped Warblers, migrants upsteream of Kingfisher Bridge over about 1.5 miles included a highlight male Northern Parula, 3 Yellow warblers, 1 Yellow-breasted Chat, 2 Virginia's Warblers, 1 Orange-crowned Warbler, 2 Least Flycatchers, 1 Warbling Vireo, 2 Common Yellowthroats, 1 White-throated Sparrow, 1 Marsh Wren, 3 Lincoln's Sparrows, 1 Green-tailed Towhee, 2 Hermit Thrushes, 1 Gray Catbird, several Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, 1 Lazuli Bunting, 1 Black-chinned Hummer, and 1 Loggerhead Shrike.

The Marina Sandspit had 9 Forster's Terns and 1 Bonaparte;s Gull. Plum Creek Nature Area and vicinity had 3 Solitary Sandpipers, 1 Broad-winged Hawk, 1 Dusky Flycatcher, 1 Black-and-white Warbler, 2 Lark Sparrows, 1 Bank Swallow, 1 Western Kingbird, 2 Loggerhead Shrikes, and more. A good part of the riparian of Plum Creek upstream of the end of the end of the road to the former Nature Area is flooded and flowing.

David Suddjian

Littleton, CO