West Arapahoe Co. Birds
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Jared Del Rosso
May 8, 2017, 12:07:53 PM5/8/17
to Colorado Birds
May started slowly in west Arapahoe Co., perhaps because of the 11-12 inches of snow April left with us. I struggled, over the first week, to pick up any new arrivals. But, since Friday, the area has gotten birdier.
Highlights include:
On Friday (5/5), I had my FOS Green-tailed Towhee in my west Centennial yard.
Saturday (5/6) brought a single, male Western Tanager (my FOS) to Marjorie Perry Nature Preserve in Greenwood Village. There were also a few Brewer's Sparrows and a single Clay-colored Sparrow (both FOS) at the preserve.
Saturday evening, while pruning a tree, I spotted a vireo in my yard. I ran inside to get my binoculars and camera, fully intending to turn the drab bird into a yellow-soaked Philadelphia Vireo. Though the drabness resisted my efforts, this is was my FOS Warbling Vireo and a new yard bird.
Sunday (5/7) brought a Bullock's Oriole (my FOS) to Marjorie Perry NP. I had my first Blue-gray Gnatcatchers there, though I've found them around the area since the last weekend of April. (Last year, I had only one spring encounter with a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in west Arapahoe, a ten second visit of one to my yard. This year, I've seen them at Willow Spring Open Space, deKoevend, and Marjorie Perry. I'm not sure if they're coming through in greater numbers or if I'm just lucking into finding them this year.) My FOS Yellow & Common Yellowthroat Warblers were also at the preserve. I think I heard my FOS Sora, calling from the marsh at the preserve. I would've liked to ID the distant Western / Cassin's Kingbird, hunting from a barbed-wire perch on private property. Though likely a Western, it was too far for me to see any of the field marks.
I woke on Monday (5/8) to find two male, Western Tanager's visiting my suet feeders. I took an AM walk with my dog around deKoevend and heard a Yellow Warbler and saw another male Western Tanager, but there didn't seem to be much else going on there. As soon as we arrived home, however, I spotted a MacGillivray's Warbler in my yard. Last year, my first at this house, I had a three day visit from a MacGilllivray's (5/17-5/19). Though I can't prove it, I suspect this is the same bird, as I'm not sure how and why another one of these birds would find itself in the thin layer of brush and trees that separates my yard from my neighbor's. Unfortunately, my dog, in pursuit of a rabbit, drove the warbler over to my neighbor's side of things. Hopefully, it sticks around for a few days like last year's.
- Jared Del Rosso
Centennial, CO
Highlights include:
On Friday (5/5), I had my FOS Green-tailed Towhee in my west Centennial yard.
Saturday (5/6) brought a single, male Western Tanager (my FOS) to Marjorie Perry Nature Preserve in Greenwood Village. There were also a few Brewer's Sparrows and a single Clay-colored Sparrow (both FOS) at the preserve.
Saturday evening, while pruning a tree, I spotted a vireo in my yard. I ran inside to get my binoculars and camera, fully intending to turn the drab bird into a yellow-soaked Philadelphia Vireo. Though the drabness resisted my efforts, this is was my FOS Warbling Vireo and a new yard bird.
Sunday (5/7) brought a Bullock's Oriole (my FOS) to Marjorie Perry NP. I had my first Blue-gray Gnatcatchers there, though I've found them around the area since the last weekend of April. (Last year, I had only one spring encounter with a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in west Arapahoe, a ten second visit of one to my yard. This year, I've seen them at Willow Spring Open Space, deKoevend, and Marjorie Perry. I'm not sure if they're coming through in greater numbers or if I'm just lucking into finding them this year.) My FOS Yellow & Common Yellowthroat Warblers were also at the preserve. I think I heard my FOS Sora, calling from the marsh at the preserve. I would've liked to ID the distant Western / Cassin's Kingbird, hunting from a barbed-wire perch on private property. Though likely a Western, it was too far for me to see any of the field marks.
I woke on Monday (5/8) to find two male, Western Tanager's visiting my suet feeders. I took an AM walk with my dog around deKoevend and heard a Yellow Warbler and saw another male Western Tanager, but there didn't seem to be much else going on there. As soon as we arrived home, however, I spotted a MacGillivray's Warbler in my yard. Last year, my first at this house, I had a three day visit from a MacGilllivray's (5/17-5/19). Though I can't prove it, I suspect this is the same bird, as I'm not sure how and why another one of these birds would find itself in the thin layer of brush and trees that separates my yard from my neighbor's. Unfortunately, my dog, in pursuit of a rabbit, drove the warbler over to my neighbor's side of things. Hopefully, it sticks around for a few days like last year's.
- Jared Del Rosso
Centennial, CO
Jared Del Rosso
May 8, 2017, 9:45:23 PM5/8/17
to Colorado Birds
After posting earlier today, I found my first Dusky Flycatcher of the year in my yard. The bird moved around trees in my and neighbors' yards, allowing me, as I only seem to do with empids., to take my time watching and photographing the bird. At first, I thought it might be a Hammond's, as it took odd positions that gave its face a "punched in" look. But as it moved around, I got better views and it looked just like nearly every other empid. I've ever seen in Colorado. Dusky! (Well, beyond that general impression, the bill, primary extension, and tail seem good for a Dusky.)
Soon after, inspired and made jealous by Rebecca's and Chris's texts about the Botanic Gardens, I took my dog back out. We headed to visit Marjorie Perry Nature Preserve to see what we could find. Turns out, not much. I did see my first Spotted Sandpiper of the year in the only spot they ever are at the preserve -- at the midpoint of the northeastern edge of the main pond. And I confirmed the Sora I heard yesterday. I'd doubted Sunday's encounter, because I heard the bird poorly and thought it might have just been a Red-winged Blackbird making some sort of whinnying call from the preserve. This time, the call was loud and definitive. I tried making an awkward variation of my awkward Eastern Screech Owl impression to see if the Sora would respond. Nope. Both days, I heard the bird from the northern portion of the preserve, east of the first lake. Each time, I heard it call once and only once, right as I passed by wherever it was in the marsh.
In potentially bird related news, as I was leaving for Marjorie Perry preserve, I found a dead, young rabbit at the very end of my front sidewalk, as if left for me. It had a single hole torn in its side and much of what should have been inside the animal was outside of it. I suspect the local red-tailed, which has been flying low over my house and perching on my trees much more than usual. When I returned from the preserve, the rabbit was gone, though not entirely.
A few weeks ago, while doing yard work around my home, I found a large pellet, with bones protruding from it. It was almost directly under the peak of my roof, which I think means a Great Horned Owl perched there at some point and expelled the pellet.
The wilds of Centennial, I suppose...
Soon after, inspired and made jealous by Rebecca's and Chris's texts about the Botanic Gardens, I took my dog back out. We headed to visit Marjorie Perry Nature Preserve to see what we could find. Turns out, not much. I did see my first Spotted Sandpiper of the year in the only spot they ever are at the preserve -- at the midpoint of the northeastern edge of the main pond. And I confirmed the Sora I heard yesterday. I'd doubted Sunday's encounter, because I heard the bird poorly and thought it might have just been a Red-winged Blackbird making some sort of whinnying call from the preserve. This time, the call was loud and definitive. I tried making an awkward variation of my awkward Eastern Screech Owl impression to see if the Sora would respond. Nope. Both days, I heard the bird from the northern portion of the preserve, east of the first lake. Each time, I heard it call once and only once, right as I passed by wherever it was in the marsh.
In potentially bird related news, as I was leaving for Marjorie Perry preserve, I found a dead, young rabbit at the very end of my front sidewalk, as if left for me. It had a single hole torn in its side and much of what should have been inside the animal was outside of it. I suspect the local red-tailed, which has been flying low over my house and perching on my trees much more than usual. When I returned from the preserve, the rabbit was gone, though not entirely.
A few weeks ago, while doing yard work around my home, I found a large pellet, with bones protruding from it. It was almost directly under the peak of my roof, which I think means a Great Horned Owl perched there at some point and expelled the pellet.
The wilds of Centennial, I suppose...
- Jared Del Rosso
Centennial, CO
Jared Del Rosso
May 10, 2017, 6:31:08 PM5/10/17
to Colorado Birds
A few updates on some of the birds I reported on Monday & others, too...
On Tuesday (5/9), I woke and quickly spotted the Dusky Flycatcher I first saw the day before in my yard. I took my dog out and heard the MacGilllivray's Warbler call and sing. A trio of Western Tanagers worked a neighbor's tree. Hours later, when I came home from work, I saw the warbler foraging around my yard. One of the tanagers was still around.
On Tuesday, I took my dog for a walk around deKoevend Park a bit before sunset. We quickly found two Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and a Warbling Vireo along the Big Dry Creek. These were the only two migrants I spotted while there. But there were other consolations. Northern Rough Winged Swallows, which I think may nest along the Big Dry Creek, flew low and close as they foraged. On a low and visible perch, a Swainson's Hawk killed and ate a rabbit, even as Blue Jays and starlings mobbed and scolded it.
On Wednesday (5/10), I woke and did not find either the Dusky Flycatcher or MacGilllivray's Warbler in my yard. One Western Tanager (adult male) was around; in the afternoon, it made a visit to my suet feeders. A White-crowned Sparrow, which I first spotted on May 7, continues in my yard.
Later in the morning, I took my dog to the vet, then to Marjorie Perry Nature Preserve and Willow Spring Open Space, where my slow spring somehow slowed to a stop. At the preserve, I noted only a few more Yellow Warblers & Common Yellowthroat since my last visit. Notably, I had zero Yellow-rumped Warblers. Last year, around this time, I had about three dozen. I don't know what explains this difference. At Willow Spring, I had two Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. I heard Virginia Rails at both stops. That's it.
I haven't yet spotted any grosbeaks, buntings, pewees, or empids. except that Dusky in my yard.
On Tuesday (5/9), I woke and quickly spotted the Dusky Flycatcher I first saw the day before in my yard. I took my dog out and heard the MacGilllivray's Warbler call and sing. A trio of Western Tanagers worked a neighbor's tree. Hours later, when I came home from work, I saw the warbler foraging around my yard. One of the tanagers was still around.
On Tuesday, I took my dog for a walk around deKoevend Park a bit before sunset. We quickly found two Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and a Warbling Vireo along the Big Dry Creek. These were the only two migrants I spotted while there. But there were other consolations. Northern Rough Winged Swallows, which I think may nest along the Big Dry Creek, flew low and close as they foraged. On a low and visible perch, a Swainson's Hawk killed and ate a rabbit, even as Blue Jays and starlings mobbed and scolded it.
On Wednesday (5/10), I woke and did not find either the Dusky Flycatcher or MacGilllivray's Warbler in my yard. One Western Tanager (adult male) was around; in the afternoon, it made a visit to my suet feeders. A White-crowned Sparrow, which I first spotted on May 7, continues in my yard.
Later in the morning, I took my dog to the vet, then to Marjorie Perry Nature Preserve and Willow Spring Open Space, where my slow spring somehow slowed to a stop. At the preserve, I noted only a few more Yellow Warblers & Common Yellowthroat since my last visit. Notably, I had zero Yellow-rumped Warblers. Last year, around this time, I had about three dozen. I don't know what explains this difference. At Willow Spring, I had two Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. I heard Virginia Rails at both stops. That's it.
I haven't yet spotted any grosbeaks, buntings, pewees, or empids. except that Dusky in my yard.
- Jared Del Rosso
Centennial, CO
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