May 2018 Birds, Woodland Park Area and Beyond

[joe...@betterbirdwatching.com]

May 2018 Birds, Woodland Park Area and Beyond


It was a Finchapalooza month in the yard area this month featuring good numbers of Pine Siskin (lots), Evening Grosbeak and Cassin’s Finch and also House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, American Goldfinch and Red Crossbill. By early June the event had ended with only a few siskins and House Finches hanging around.


Blue-winged Teal- Highline Canal Trail in Englewood on 5-13

Wood Duck- Highline Canal Trail in Englewood on 5-13

Osprey- FOS along S Platte River near Lake George on 5-19, Crystal Reservoir near Pikes Peak on 5-25

Bald Eagle- 1 adult along South Platte River near Lake George on 5-2, nesting at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12

American Kestrel- 1 along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-6, at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12

Peregrine Falcon- flyover at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12

Wild Turkey- Pikes Peak Highway on 5-28

Spotted Sandpiper- FOS along S Platte River near Lake George on 5-23

California Gull- 1 along South Platte River near Lake George on 5-8

Belted Kingfisher- along South Platte River near Lake George on 5-2, 5-8

Mourning Dove- Mating on 5-15

Eurasian Collared-Dove- 1 on 5-18, 2 on 5-23

Broad-tailed Hummingbird- F on 5-6, M courtship displays on 5-7
along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-6, Highline Canal Trail in Englewood on 5-13, Parent’s House in Englewood on 5-27, above treeline at over 12,000 feet at Almagre Peaks area on 5-31

Downy Woodpecker- Seen a few times a week all month

Lewis’ Woodpecker- Report from Divide area in mid-May

Red-naped Sapsucker- 1F on 5-2,  1M on 5-7, 1 on 5-18, 5-26
1 calling along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-6, along South Platte River near Lake George on 5-8, Lovell Gulch in Woodland Park on 5-17

Williamson’s Sapsucker- calling, drumming, courtship displays along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20

Northern Three-toed Woodpecker- 2 along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20, sign along Lovell Ridge Trail

Western Wood-Pewee- FOS singing along the S. Platte near Lake George on 5-19

Eastern Kingbird- at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12

Cordilleran Flycatcher- FOS, singing on 5-24
FOS singing at Lake George area and Dome Rock SWA S of Divide on 5-23

Hammond’s Flycatcher- Singing along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20

Tree Swallow- at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12

Violet-green Swallow- along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-6, FOS on 5-9

Plumbeous Vireo- 1 FOS singing along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-6, singing along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20

Warbling Vireo- FOS, singing on 5-24
FOS singing along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20, a couple singing along North Almagre Peak Trail on 5-31

Black-billed Magpie- 4 on 5-18

Clark’s Nutcracker- 5-16 FOS, last seen on Oct. 23, 5-17, 5-18, 3 on 5-24, at water feature on 5-22, 5-26, 5-31
2 along North Almagre Peak Trail on 5-31

Common Raven- Feeding on squirrel remains on 5-25
Courtship displays along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20

American Crow- 3 along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20

Bushtit- Dome Rock SWA near Divide on 5-8, Highline Canal Trail in Englewood on 5-13

Ruby-crowned Kinglet- FOS 5-17, singing
Dome Rock SWA S of Divide on 5-2, 5-8, 2 singing along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-6, singing at Lovell Gulch in Woodland Park on 5-17, singing along the S. Platte near Lake George on 5-19, singing along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20, a few singing along North Almagre Peak Trail on 5-31

Golden-crowned Kinglet- singing at Lovell Gulch in Woodland Park on 5-17, singing along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20

Western Bluebird- A few around all month
2, MF, along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20

Mountain Bluebird- 2 along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-6, 1 along North Almagre Peak Trail on 5-31

Hermit Thrush- on 5-20, at water feature
4 singing and calling along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-6, singing at Lovell Gulch in Woodland Park on 5-17, singing along the S. Platte near Lake George on 5-19, singing and calling along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20, a few singing along North Almagre Peak Trail on 5-31

American Robin- nest building on 5-9

Townsend’s Solitaire- at water feature on 5-6, 5-15
Singing along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20, 2, singing North Almagre Peak Trail on 5-31

Northern Mockingbird- at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12

House Wren- FOS on 5-11 singing
2 singing along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-6, along South Platte River near Lake George on 5-8, 5-19, 5-23, at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12, Highline Canal Trail in Englewood on 5-13, singing along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20

Rock Wren
1 singing above  treeline at over 12,000 feet, Almagre Peak area on 5-31

American Dipper- 1 on Fourmile Creek at Dome Rock SWA, S of Divide on 5-2, singing at Dome Rock SWA S of Divide on 5-23

Red-breasted Nuthatch- FOS on 5-24, last seen on Oct. 30
Highline Canal Trail in Englewood on 5-13, calling along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20, Parent’s House in Englewood on 5-27

Brown Creeper- Dome Rock SWA S of Divide, 1 singing along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers, singing along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20

American Pipit- FOS on North Almagre Peak Trail on 5-31

Western Tanager- FOS 5-17 singing, 1M at water features on 5-18, 5-20, 5-22, 5-30
singing at Lovell Gulch in Woodland Park on 5-17, singing along the S. Platte near Lake George on 5-19, singing at Dome Rock SWA S of Divide on 5-23

Yellow-rumped Warbler- along South Platte River near Lake George on 5-2, 8 singing along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-6, singing along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20

Yellow Warbler- FOS singing along South Platte River near Lake George on 5-8, 5-19, 5-23, at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12, Highline Canal Trail in Englewood on 5-13,

MacGillivray’s Warbler- FOS on 5-28, Pikes Peak Highway, singing
at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12

Orange-crowned Warbler- at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12

Black-headed Grosbeak- FOS, MF, on 5-11 singing, 3 on 5-17, 4 on 5-18, daily
at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12

Green-tailed Towhee- 1 calling along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-6, at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12, singing at Dome Rock SWA S of Divide on 5-23, singing on Lovell Ridge Trail on 5-26

Spotted Towhee- Highline Canal Trail in Englewood on 5-13, 1 singing along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20, parent’s house in Englewood on 5-27

Chipping Sparrow- FOS 1 on 5-6, 3 on 5-10, singing on 5-11
2 singing along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-6, Highline Canal Trail in Englewood on 5-13, singing along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20, Parent’s House in Englewood on 5-27

Brewer’s Sparrow- 2 along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20

Vesper Sparrow- FOS on 5-15, 5-16, singing, new species for yard area
8 singing along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-6,at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12, near Lake George on 5-19

Clay-colored Sparrow- at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12

White-crowned Sparrow- at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12

Lark Sparrow- at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12

Lincoln’s Sparrow- FOS singing at Lovell Gulch in Woodland Park on 5-17, singing at Dome Rock SWA S of Divide on 5-23

Dark-eyed Junco- High count 50+ Gray-headed during snowstorm on 5-3, a Pinkl-sided stayed late thru 5-17, alos a hybrid Gray-headed X Pink-sided on 5-10 and 5-11

Brewer’s Blackbird- FOS on 5-1, 5-6, near Lake George on 5-8, 5-19, 5-23, S of Divide on 5-31

Common Grackle, 2 near Divide on 5-8

Brown-headed Cowbird- FOS on 5-1, along South Platte River near Lake George on 5-2, 1 along 6 mile section of Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-6, Highline Canal Trail in Englewood on 5-13

Bullock’s Oriole- at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12, report from Highland Lakes, Teller County on 5-27

Red-winged Blackbird- A few flyover on 5-9
Along the S. Platte near Lake George on 5-19

Western Meadowlark- at Nature Center Area at Standley Lake Park in Westminster on 5-12

Evening Grosbeak- Daily flocks of 6 to 12. Courtship display on 5-23

Pine Siskin- Daily flocks of 10-20 all month and 70+ on 5-7!
Highline Canal Trail in Englewood on 5-13, along the Colorado Trail N of Deckers on 5-20, 10 on 5-30

American Goldfinch- 1M on 5-11, 2F on 5-17, 1F on 5-18, 5-20
Highline Canal Trail in Englewood on 5-13

Lesser Goldfinch- FOS on 5-16, Green-backed

House Finch- Courtship on 5-17.
Singing in Lake George on 5-19

Cassin’s Finch- Daily flocks of a few birds all month then disappeared in early June ending their steady streak since last September

Red Crossbill- 1M on 5-16, 2, MF, on 5-30
1 or 2 flyover calling at Parent’s House in Englewood on 5-27

House Sparrow- 1M on 5-20


Red Fox, 5-14

Pine Squirrel, 1, new species for yard area on 5-30


Joe LaFleur
Woodland Park, Teller Cty., 8500 feet