Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Adams Co., May 25

[Ted Floyd]

Hey, all.

Hannah Floyd, Helen Butts, and I had a nice visit this Saturday morning to Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, just outside Denver. Highlights included: 4 broad-tailed hummingbirds still going through; 2 Mississippi kites; 1 broad-winged hawk; 1 Cassin kingbird; 4 Swainson thrushes still going through; ~20 lark buntings and at least 18 grasshopper sparrows on the auto loop; and 2 orchard orioles. In bloom everywhere were snowball sand verbena, Abronia fragrans, and western spiderwort, Tradescantia occidentalis. Water is high at all ponds and lakes, with the result that we saw few shorebirds—but a nice diversity of anatids, rallids, and ardeids. Got passed on the auto loop by 18 Hell's Angels; they were courteous, they were safe, and they evinced no interest whatsoever in the burrowing owls, Swainson hawks, lark sparrows and divers other wonders of The Arsenal.

Back in Boulder Co., I can report that Greenlee Wildlife Preserve is filling up with water—and with sora rails. Saw my FOY common nighthawk there last night, Fri., May 24, too. Earlier in the week, we had a nice pulse of "Eastern" warblers at the preserve and nearby Waneka Lake: chestnut-sided warbler, blackpoll warbler, northern parula, and American redstart, all May 19–21. Waneka Lake is perhaps higher than I've ever seen it, and the osprey show there is spellbinding. Bushtits are tending nests in several places around the preserve, gray catbirds are on territory in the dense vegetation around the north and west shores of Waneka Lake, a beautiful Clark grebe visited Waneka Lake for a few days, and there seem to be more black-chinned hummingbirds around the preserve & environs than ever. By the way, the next installment of "Lafayette Birds!" will be on Sun., June 2, starting at 1pm.

Ted Floyd
Lafayette, Boulder Co.