Chatfield 9/16 and Ken Caryl Valley 9/17

[David Suddjian]

Yesterday I spent a short time at Chatfield SP early in the morning, without finding too much of note. The best for me for the park was a female Williamson's Sapscuker along the path leading to the Original Heronry Overlook platform. She flew into some pines there, then after a short time flew out toward some other trees nearer to the park office. A juv. Sabine's Gull was over the lake off the South Platte delta.

In the last few days Migrant landbirds around my home at Massey Draw in Ken Caryl Valley have been moderately diverse, but in lesser numbers than on some of the better recent days. Highlights from the yard perspective include Green-tailed Towhee, Sage Thrasher and Rock Wren. Hummingbird numbers are thinning notably, House Wrens and flycatchers are dropping out. Wilson's Warblers remain relatively numerous, but Yellows and MacGillivray's are winking out, while Audubon's and Orange-crowned Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets are increasing. Townsend's Solitaires and Mountain Bluebirds, too.

My front porch looks toward the first rise of foothills that is inside the hogbacks. This morning I spent some time scoping above the upper slopes there, perhaps leaving my neighbors a little uncertain as I pointed my scope over and beyond the tops of their homes. And it paid off, as there was a decent movement of raptors, mostly moving south. I viewed in three periods from 9:30 to 12:15 totalling 105 minutes. The raptor talley included 4 Turkey Vultures, 12 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 7 Cooper's Hawks, 11 Accipiter sp., 9 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Buteo sp., 2 Golden Eagles, 14 American Kestrels, 1 Merlin, and 2 falcon sp.  I also saw one Lewis's Woodpecker moving south. I was pretty happy with this for an effort from the front porch!

David Suddjian

Ken Caryl Valley

Littleton, CO