One less Ring-billed in the world

[David Suddjian]

All was pretty peaceful at Hine Lake in Robert A. Easton Memorial Park in JeffCo this morning until a Prairie Falcon appeared out of nowhere, stopping from on high and slamming into a 1st cycle Ring-billed Gull. Poof! It landed with the gull on the lake's remnant of ice for a minute or so, and then lifted up and carried it off with some effort to the northwest. A pair of Greater Scaup watched it all.

A Say's Phoebe was at the south margin of Sledding Hill Park near Kipling x Ken Caryl. 

An American Pipit was along the South Platte near the exit from Chatfield Dam. A 1st cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull was flying around near the Chatfield Swim Beach. The reservoir had hardly any birds at all. 

On the shifting season's theme, I've been enjoying seeing male Red-winged Blackbirds arrayed atop cattail stems, singing over their still beaten down marsh patches. Today near South Valley Park I heard my first songs from Spotted Towhees for this season. Northern Saw-whet Owls are doing a lot of calling lately.

David Suddjian

Ken Caryl Valley

Littleton, CO