pheasant, snow goose - Louisville CO

[JohnT]

Cobirds:

            Female ringed necked pheasant seen crossing four lanes of traffic at South Boulder Road and Barcelona Drive in Louisville at 12 noon today.  The bird was road savvy and crossed when no cars were coming. Pretty slick.  This may be part of a remnant group of pheasants that has been hanging in this area for years.

 

             Snow goose seen with hundreds of cackling and Canada geese at the Louisville golf course.  The golf course is officially closed, but you can work the perimeter and scope out the ponds and fairway.   There have been conflicting reports about when the golf course may open depending on the source.   The last thing I saw was a report in the Daily Camera saying that the contractor had been fired and the City of Louisville may or may not repair the flood damage by 2014 summer, or beyond.  In the meantime, the wildlife have the run of the place. 

 

For upcoming xmas counts, for those who are interested:

 

Clark's Nutcrackers continue to be seen in Boulder Mt. Park in small numbers for the last 6 weeks.  Some areas they were in:  Mt. Sanitas, Shannahan Ridges, Third and Second Flatiron, Shadow Canyon, and Mallory Cave Trails.  (maybe someone can tell me what the heck they are eating).  

 

Bushtits are seen along the Nighthawk trail at Hall Ranch Open Space near Lyons (now open for hiking).  Look at the parking lot and up higher, especially in juniper / mountain mahogany habitat.  Ditto same area for tree sparrows, chickadees, and house finches.

 

Scrub jays seen frequently at the Bear Creek trailhead (still closed) off of Bear Creek Drive neighborhood in Boulder.    Also seen regularly in the Shannahan Ridge neighborhoods near Tincup and Hardscrabble Roads adjoining Mt parks properties. 

 

Sharp shined and coopers hawks keep popping up at bird feeding stations in Louisville and Boulder.   If the small birds are freaked out - somebody's after them.

 

Townsend's solitaires have come down to lower elevations and should not be hard to find anywhere along the front range now.

 

Singing canyon wrens and the occasional late rock wren in Boulder Mt. Park.

 

Some flowers (amazingly) still blooming:  rabbit brush, white aster, seneco, and dandelion. 

 

 

John T (Tumasonis) of Louisville CO