Coal Creek drainage, Boulder Co. & vicinity, July 6–10

[Ted Floyd]

Hey, all.

A few odds and ends, all from within the Coal Creek drainage of southeastern Boulder Co. & a bit of adjoining Weld Co.

Sat., July 6. At an undisclosed location along Coal Creek in Weld Co. At sundown on a buggy evening, in not one cave, not three caves, but TWO caves, families of barn owls getting ready to emerge for a night of hunting. Also a couple of black-chinned hummingbirds; the species continues its inexorable march across western Weld Co. And at least three gray catbirds, somewhat afield from their usual haunts closer to the foothills.

 
Left: A young barn owl stares from a cave. Right: two other young barn owls in another cave. Pics in low light at considerable distance. If you figure out where the owls are, please view from afar. Photos by © Ted Floyd.

Sun., July 7. A nice turnout for "Lafayette Birds!" at Greenlee Wildlife Preserve & environs. And a nice diversity of birds: pied-billed grebe and western grebe; a chimney swift; the first broad-tailed hummingbirds of the season; Virginia rail and sora; great looks by all at the common summertime raptors of the "Greater Greenlee ecosystem"; the American bushtit motherlode; and a great-tailed grackle, uncommon at the site. 

  
Left: a Swainson's hawk on my friend Keenan's roof; Keenan, sorry–not sorry about all the birders looking at your house. Right: an osprey on a pole near Keenan's house. Photos by © Ted Floyd.

Mon., July 8. Along Coal Creek proper near the terminus of Majestic Dr. in Lafayette. First off, the northern rough-winged swallows have had a great summer there, it would seem. It's all about the streambanks, ideal for nesting; hatch-years and adults were constantly in view and within earshot, both perched and in flight. But the real showstoppers there were the dozens of ebony jewelwings, Calopteryx maculata, which have recently and dramatically established along Coal Creek. Note: The spot for jewelwing photography is completely inundated now (thanks, Castor), so we'll need to find a new perch for the super-closeup pics we got in 2020–2023. Anybody?

 
Left: male ebony jewelwing at Coal Creek. Right: female ebony jewelwing at Coal Creek. Photos by © Ted Floyd.

Tues., July 9. A ramble across the Coalton Open Space near Superior. At least 10 grasshopper sparrows, and somebody with ears younger than mine no doubt would have heard more. Also lark sparrows and vesper sparrows galore.

 

Left: one of at least 10 grasshopper sparrows at the Coalton Open Space. Right: one of 20+ lark sparrows at the Coalton Open Space. Photos by © Ted Floyd.

Wed., July 10. Stearns Lake. The lake is decently low, and there were several spotted sandpipers and more than 20 killdeer. I wouldn't be surprised if, in the weeks ahead, Stearns proves good for up-close study of common summer migrant sandpipers in our area. Otherwise decidedly slow out there on a breezy and mostly cloudy evening, but nice to see a fledgling bald eagle, a couple of snowy egrets, and common yellowthroats 'round seemingly every bend in the trail.

 

Left: common yellowthroat at Stearns Lake. Right: snowy egret at Stearns Lake. Photos by © Ted Floyd.

Otherwise, darners and tiger beetles and swallowtails oh my, everywhere along the creek.

Ted Floyd

Lafayette, Boulder Co.