CO Birds, 2-4 May 2015

[Scott Somershoe]

All,

I manged a bit of time out over the last few days, some with and some without my family.  A few highlights, some of which may just be not real notable as this is my first spring in CO.  One thing that is amazing is that I can't go anywhere and not trip on a House Wren or Spotted Towhee right now!

2 May 2015

South Valley Park, Jefferson Co.

I hiked ~3.5 miles with my wife and daughter.  

31 - Spotted Towhees and all singing males. I never saw a female.

3 - Blue-gray Gnatcatchers.  These western birds "mew" very differently than easterns!

Our yard in Littleton, Jeff Co

Finally got a hummingbird at the feeder (female Black-chinned).  Leave it to my almost 3 yr old to tell me there was a hummingbird at the feeder and low and behold I look around the side of the house and there was our first hummer at the feeder!  She's quite the birder for being almost 3.  Broad-tails have been heard for a few days, but I haven't seen one at the feeder yet.

3 May 2015

Chatfield SP, Douglas Co., while cycling

Least Flycatcher calling by Kingfisher bridge (with at least 5 House Wrens).  

One Yellow Warbler on the Jeff Co side near the mouth of Deer Creek.  The yellows here really slur their song like an American Redstart (I thought I heard a redstart there Saturday afternoon while cycling and pulling the kiddo, but wasn't completely sure, so I guess it was one of these western yellows).  Lark Sparrows singing in both counties. I heard Broad-tails everywhere (guess I wasn't pedaling hard enough!)

I also heard and then saw a pair of Brewer's Blackbirds south of Chatfield by the prairie dog town at Waterton rd and N Rampart Range rd.  My first Brewer's since we moved here.  Not bad for birding while out for a hard bike ride!

4 May 2015

Barr Lake SP, Adams Co, in the early morning rain for an hour by the Nature Center (no white-eyed vireo)

2 singing eastern Warbling Vireos

Yellow Warbler - another western bird that sounds more like an Am Redstart to me. Managed to get some nice looks at the bird singing what is a very different song to me.  Even the tone seems a little different than eastern yellow's.

Weld Co birds:

Lower Latham Res

Numerous Marsh Wrens and a spontaneously calling Sora.  Only found Least sandpipers with the usual Wilson Phals, Avcoets and Black-necked Stilts. 

Briggsdale area - at least 2 Brewer's Sparrows just south of the elementary school with usual grassland species, incl a couple Grasshopper Sparrows up the road.

Murphy's Pasture area of Pawnee NG

I took my time cruising down CR96 and had a lot of nice birds.  Great looks at a couple McCown's Longspurs displaying.  At least 6 Grasshopper Sparrows, and plenty of other sparrows to sort through.  Interesting to see White-crowned Sparrows literally 4 miles from a shrub. This was the first time I'd seen Lark Buntings displaying.  I could watch and listen to that all day.

Checklist (photos incl):

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S23224126

Not especially notable, but I saw a N Mockingbird by one of the in-holdings in Pawnee.  Took me 2 months to find one in CO and there was about 1 sec of excitement on that bird. 

Nothing notable at Crow Valley Campground.

Morgan Co - Jackson Reservoir

My first time there and I definitely need to learn how to bird the area, but didn't have enough time to explore thoroughly. 

Oodles of Western Grebes (800+) and some Eared Grebes 

1 Sanderling popped up on the rocks by the boat launch

1 Forster's tern 

Nice looks at various plumages of Calif Gulls and some nice breeding plumage Franklin's Gulls (which are really under rated!).

I didn't take many photos yesterday, but a few start here:

http://www.pbase.com/shoeman/image/159951394

Good birding,

Scott Somershoe

Littleton CO

Jeff Co.

[Jennifer Hallam]

You may have actually heard an American Redstart at Chatfield :-) David Suddjian reported one near the same area over the weekend ;-) I need to go find that guy! Sounds like you had a great weekend!