Recent birds: Chatfield, Marston Lake, Ken Caryl Valley

[David Suddjian]

At Chatfield SP on Mar 9...A female RED-BREASTED MERGANSER was with Commons off Catfish Flat picnic area, three BALD EAGLES were on the ice shelf there, and a SAY'S PHOEBE was near the Catfish Flat parking lot. The riparian of the Platte River delta area had a male Audubon's YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER that had begun molting to alternate (he probably wished he had stayed south once the next day's snow came), two TREE SWALLOWS, and four RUSTY BLACKBIRDS. I noted that Western Meadowlarks were much more widespread than they had been a week prior; they were singing in many places.

At Ken Caryl on March 10 there was a flock of 11 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS along the Cathy Johnson Trail between the hogbacks, while neighboring South Valley Park had a PRAIRIE FALCON and a GOLDEN EAGLE, and three more MOBLS were near Mann Reservoir there.

Martson Lake viewed from the west side on March 11 had a first cycle GLAUCOUS GULL, a first cycle THAYER'S GULL, 2 CALIFORNIAS, and less common ducks among good numbers of waterfowl were 6 GREATER SCAUP and 4 NORTHERN PINTAILS.

This morning March 12 there was a male CASSIN'S FINCH visiting my feeders in snowy Ken Caryl Valley. This was the only one I've seen in the Littleton region this winter.

David Suddjian

Littleton