So. Platte Park Reservoir swallow-fest last evening 5/20

[David Suddjian]

Driving past South Platte Park Reservoir on C470 - just past 6:40 pm, with drizzle and light rain - I noticed an exceptional assemblage of swallows foraging over the grassy slopes of the reservoir and the property to the west, I went to check it out and found the air thick with vast clouds of gnat/midge sized insects over the grasses especially, and the water, with the army of swallows coursing through the clouds and columns of insects. My estimates of the swallow numbers were 30 Nor. Rough-winged, 300 Tree, 1400 Violet-green, 5 Bank, 325 Barn and 950 Cliff. Some 1500 additional swallows far off over the north side of the reservoir were left unassigned. A minor cross-section of other species at the reservoir include these of interest: 3 Least Sandpipers (JeffCo), 2 Chimney Swifts (Arapahoe, far north eade), and my first local Common nighthawk of the season (Arapahoe).

The shrubby vegetation along the west margin of the reservoir entry road and the adjacent property had a good variety of migrant landbirds, among them: W. Wood-Pewee, Willow Flycatcher, Hammond's Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Eastern Kingbird, Gray Catbird, Yellow Warbler, Lazuli Bunting, Spotted Towhee, and Bullock's Oriole.

David Suddjian

Ken Caryl Valley

Littleton, CO

[Charles Hundertmark]

Yesterday afternoon, I birded sections of the Arkansas River at Valco Ponds and below the dam at Lake Pueblo State Park (Rock Canyon area). At Valco Ponds, Violet-green Swallows, with a few Barn Swallows and a rare Northern Rough-winged were swarming low over the river as far upstream and downstream as could be seen with bins. I walked a section of the river toward the state park and stopped at several points to view the river. There was no end to the flow of swallows. At times, groups would perch on trees or lines, from a few birds to a hundred or so. 

Below the dam, the scene was the same. The numbers were doubtless in the thousands.

Later at the Canon City Riverwalk more modest numbers of Violet-greens were similarly sallying up and down stream all along the river. I assume they were hawking for midges.

The number of swallows, particularly Violet-greens, moving through Colorado yesterday must have been amazing.

Chuck Hundertmark

Lafayette, CO

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