Today I co-led, with David Suddjian, a Denver Field Ornithologists trip called Bear Creek from the Mountains to the South Platte. The weather was gorgeous, even a little toasty in the afternoon.
On the way to the mountains, we stopped at Lair O’ the Bear, before the hordes of mountain bikers, picnickers, dog-walkers, runners, and hikers showed up (we were the third car in the parking lot when we arrived, and when we left drivers were circling the lot, looking for someone to vacate a spot). We got a nice look at a Macgillivray’s Warbler:
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Here’s a recording of this Macgillivray’s Warbler:
We also stopped at Evergreen Lake, again before the parking lot got too full. Here’s a Broad-tailed Hummingbird with gorget beautifully lighted:
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Then up to Singing River Ranch, and down to the Bear Creek Greenbelt.
House Wren
We heard (and saw) a Lazuli Bunting. But MerlinID would sometimes identify it as a Lazuli Bunting and sometimes as an Indigo Bunting, and sometimes both . . . just as it has for the past week or so. As we were leaving, David paused to listen to what seemed like a song very similar to that of the Lazuli Bunting we’d seen, but just a bit different. Turns out it was in fact an Indigo Bunting!
Lazuli Bunting
Here’s a recording of this Indigo Bunting:
And for comparison, here’s a recording of a Lazuli Bunting we saw at Lair O’ the Bear:
We ended up at the confluence of Bear Creek and the South Platte. Dozens of Barn Swallows and Cliff Swallows were building nests under a bridge over the South Platte.
Cliff Swallows building nests
Finally, here’s an American Robin with a bill full of food. It didn’t move while we were looking at it, probably because it didn’t want us to see the nest to which it almost certainly was going to make a delivery.
Today I went on a Denver Field Ornithologists birding hike, led by David Suddjian, at Ken Caryl Ranch. It was a marvelous opportunity to listen closely to birdsong.
Here is one of the star singers, an Ovenbird, whose loud volume is matched only by the difficulty in spotting the bird (let alone photographing it, as you’ll see by my picture).
Ovenbird
Recording of this Ovenbird:
Another singer:
Warbling Vireo
Recording of this Warbling Vireo:
Another singer:
Virginia’s Warbler
Recording of this Virginia’s Warbler (at 6s, 15s, and 22s–also singing are Black-headed Grosbeak, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, and Spotted Towhee):
Another singer (but no recording):
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Here’s a couple of other birds who were vocalizing, if not always singing.
Hammond’s Flycatcher
Recording of this Hammond’s Flycatcher:
Brown Creeper
In the afternoon I went into the Bear Creek Greenbelt and found two of the owls.
Great Horned Owl
Great Horned Owlet
Looks like this Broad-tailed Hummingbird is still incubating:
I began the morning by meeting a friend in the Bear Creek Greenbelt. She was able to find all three Great Horned Owls.
Great Horned Owl and owlet
Great Horned Owl (Papa)
A little later, I went back into the greenbelt, and spotted a Northern Parula.
Northern Parula
Northern Parula
And a Broad-tailed Hummingbird being saucy:
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
And my first Mallard ducklings of the season:
Mallard and ducklings
I saw my first prairie dog pups of the season, too. But I was on my mountain bike at the time, so no pictures.
In the afternoon I returned to the greenbelt to look in on the owls. On the way, I saw Manky Mallard and a suitor:
I found Papa Owl perched, inscrutable as always.
Great Horned Owl
Mama Owl was more active, flying from tree to tree. At one point when she was perched over Bear Creek, she coughed up a pellet. Considering how fast and high Bear Creek is running, it’s probably in a different state by now.
Great Horned Owl
Great Horned Owl on the wing
Great Horned Owl
Maybe it was my imagination, but I thought she was looking for the owlet. I know I was. And I left the greenbelt before I could find it.
Today I joined a Denver Field Ornithologists team to do a Big Day within in the Deer Creek watershed. We assembled at 3:15 a.m. at South Valley Park and birded non-stop until 4:15 p.m. We saw 93 different species.
