Cherry Creek SP migrants

[Karl Stecher Jr.]

Yesterday, spring exploded at Cherry Creek State park...a sharp contrast from just two days before.  This is a summary for the archives.

Best birds...loggerhead shrike along the road to the gun range

                 red necked grebe, adult winter plumage, in near water just off Dixon's grove, next to a returned western grebe

others...two adult bald eagles

            two magpies inspecting a nest high in a tree above the west boat ramp

            12 duck species...only teal was green-winged

            flock of 60 robins near gun range, another 25 or so all over the park

            marsh to the west of Cherry Creek vegetation soaked with red-winged blackbirds

            few starlings

            geese have essentially left

            two red-tailed hawks

            40 returned white pelicans, more coming in near sunset

            flicker...hadn't seen one there for a while

            coots

 

And an unusual non-bird sighting...an almost white, but with uniform traces of gray and buff, adult mule deer past the camper area northward towards the dam

 

Karl Stecher

Aurora