Lewis's woodpecker, Boulder Co

[Peter Ruprecht]

I hadn't seen a Lewis's woodpecker in the Boulder area for a few years and thus was pleased to find one working over a fence post along W. Coal Creek Dr. about 1/3 mi E of its intersection with 66th St.  (This is in grassland between Marshall Lake and Superior.)

Other migrants out this morning included a Townsend's solitaire, 2 sage thrashers (the canal along CC Dr. is a surefire spot for these in Aug/Sept), a few Brewer's sparrows, and a lone clay-colored sparrow.  Otherwise kind of quiet.

Off-topic: I found a few piles of what looked a lot like fresh elk scat - the summer "patty" shape, not pellets.  I have never heard of elk coming that far out on the plains from Coal Creek canyon, especially this early in the season.  Will have to keep an eye out to see if that's really what it was!

Peter Ruprecht

Superior

[Dave Cameron]

Thanks to Peter for the tip on Sage Thrashers-- we saw several, as previously described,

as well as the man himself- nice to meet you.

 

 

Also one Adult and one juvenile Golden Eagle, sitting on power poles, in the same area.

 

Came up empty on the Clay-colored sparrow, though we did find plenty of Brewer's,

Vesper, and Chipping, as well as a juv white-crowned.

 

27 species in all, in a half mile walk along Coal Creek road.  Good spot.

 

Dave Cameron

Denver