re: Burrowing Owls -- Douglas County
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B K
Apr 24, 2014, 11:10:41 AM4/24/14
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Hello!
I went out to see the Burrowing Owls yesterday morning in extreme northwest Douglas County (not far from Chatfield State Park) and saw eight owls between 8-9 am. It is a beautiful setting below the Front Range hogbacks on the edge of the plains.
From the Denver area, take Santa Fe Drive (US 85) south and exit west on Titan Road. Take Titan Road west to North Roxborough Park Road and turn south on to a good quality graded gravel road. (If you go north, the paved road takes you into Chatfield State Park.) You will pass a large equestrian farm and go up a gentle slope thereafter. At 1.2 miles, watch the fence posts on the west side of the road for a post with an old auto tire around the base (bottom) of the post. It's a subtle finding, but it's the only fence post like it. You will notice a very large prairie dog colony with lots of active "dogs" in the immediate vicinity west of the road.
Your car will serve as a great "blind" and you should see the owls (several in pairs) anywhere from 50-100 yards distant to the west. Since you are looking in a westerly direction from the road, the best viewing angle is in the morning. The road appears to be lightly traveled, is wide and others will have plenty of room to pass by. If you continue to go south on this road, you can actually eventually reach Roxborough State Park and Sharptail Douglas County Open Space.
There were a few more owls a little further south along the road from the fence post tire marker, but they seemed to avoid the gully further south even though the prairie dog colony goes on and on. There are some trees and rock perches in that gully and I suspect the owls don't want to be near hiding places for raptors. There are multiple highline wires through this prairie dog colony as well -- but the owls seem to have judged exactly how far they can be from these raptor perches. There were Red-tailed Hawks circling overhead. In watching the owls, some readily moved around the prairie dog colony -- almost like they are still considering the real estate. Link to photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/109076502973383280668/BurrowingOwlDouglasCountyColoradoApril232014
Ben Kemena
Denver, Colorado
I went out to see the Burrowing Owls yesterday morning in extreme northwest Douglas County (not far from Chatfield State Park) and saw eight owls between 8-9 am. It is a beautiful setting below the Front Range hogbacks on the edge of the plains.
From the Denver area, take Santa Fe Drive (US 85) south and exit west on Titan Road. Take Titan Road west to North Roxborough Park Road and turn south on to a good quality graded gravel road. (If you go north, the paved road takes you into Chatfield State Park.) You will pass a large equestrian farm and go up a gentle slope thereafter. At 1.2 miles, watch the fence posts on the west side of the road for a post with an old auto tire around the base (bottom) of the post. It's a subtle finding, but it's the only fence post like it. You will notice a very large prairie dog colony with lots of active "dogs" in the immediate vicinity west of the road.
Your car will serve as a great "blind" and you should see the owls (several in pairs) anywhere from 50-100 yards distant to the west. Since you are looking in a westerly direction from the road, the best viewing angle is in the morning. The road appears to be lightly traveled, is wide and others will have plenty of room to pass by. If you continue to go south on this road, you can actually eventually reach Roxborough State Park and Sharptail Douglas County Open Space.
There were a few more owls a little further south along the road from the fence post tire marker, but they seemed to avoid the gully further south even though the prairie dog colony goes on and on. There are some trees and rock perches in that gully and I suspect the owls don't want to be near hiding places for raptors. There are multiple highline wires through this prairie dog colony as well -- but the owls seem to have judged exactly how far they can be from these raptor perches. There were Red-tailed Hawks circling overhead. In watching the owls, some readily moved around the prairie dog colony -- almost like they are still considering the real estate. Link to photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/109076502973383280668/BurrowingOwlDouglasCountyColoradoApril232014
Ben Kemena
Denver, Colorado
Lowell Baumunk
Apr 25, 2014, 12:05:05 PM4/25/14
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I visited this area yesterday afternoon. It certainly is an idyllic scene- the prairie and the backdrop of hogbacks and foothills were beautifully green. There were several burrowing owls along with lots of meadowlarks, prairie dogs and cottontails.
But, if I am not mistaken, this property is part of the impending huge Sterling Ranch development. The developers are making noises about beginning the earth-scraping preliminary work very soon. I’m wondering whether any cobirders who are associated with birding or conservation groups might take an interest in working to ensure that the scraping is postponed at least until the nesting period is finished.
Lowell Baumunk
NW Douglas County
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Joe Roller
Apr 25, 2014, 12:55:04 PM4/25/14
to lowell...@gmail.com, Colorado Birds
Thanks, I sent your plea to those who can help with that.
joe
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAHqDKaFy%2B9Xb1YUTdTz%2By3foeWuBuTeK3ZXK7DfazZs8ZsewBA%40mail.gmail.com.
Joe Roller
Apr 25, 2014, 12:55:57 PM4/25/14
to lowell...@gmail.com, Colorado Birds
Sorry, I did not include my full name and county.
Thought I was just replying personally.
Joe Roller, Denver
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