Jefferson & west edge of Denver county highlights 3/6

[Chip Clouse]

CObirders,

I was lucky enough to escort Becky Marvil, the executive director of the Acadia Birding Festival in ME, around yesterday.  If you haven't been, GO! Its small and intimate with Jeff Gordon and Greg Miller serving as keynote speakers and trip leaders this year. Now back to CO...

First stop was Red Rocks Trading Post and a hopeful lifer Golden-crowned Sparrow for Becky.  Negative in two hours there.  We did get quite the Junco study with 5 subspp, including one White-winged.  Mostly it was the usual suspects including several Western Scrub-Jays (Woodhouse's), a Rocky Mountain Downy Woodpecker, a Red-shafted Flicker, a Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow, and a Song Sparrow joining the House Finches and House Sparrows at the feeders.  A calling Townsend's Solitaire, and singing Canyon Wren were also close by but no falcons.

Second stop was Prospect Park with mostly Cackling Geese and Northern Shovelers, a few Canada Geese, Mallards, Double-crested Cormorants, Common Goldeneyes, Buffleheads, and one Belted Kingfisher in about 15 minutes.

Next was Lowell Ponds in Denver County where we did find one American Dipper about 150 meters downstream just under the I-76 bridge.  This was Becky's first in about 25 years!  Walking upstream from the parking area were paired up Canada Geese, singing Red-winged Blackbirds, 4 male and 1 female Ring-necked Ducks, a shoveler pair, and a Prairie Falcon that flew in and perched atop the metal electrical tower above the bike path.

Not too bad for 3 hours afield.  Now that my traveling job with Opticron optics has ended, I'm looking forward to much more Colorado birding very soon!

Chip Clouse

Olde Town Arvada