[cobirds] Rose-breasted Grosbeak - BCLP - Jefferson County
During an Audubon Field trip in Bear Creek Lake Park (BCLP) this morning a group of eight observed a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak while looking for the young Great Horned Owls just west of Muskrat Meadows. The bird was in the woods where the Great Horned Owls nested in the tree cavity. The Rose-breasted Grosbeak was observed on both sides of the trail just beyond the cavity where the Great Horned nested. Mike Henwood --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ Join us at the 2009 Convention in Alamosa: http://cfo-link.org/convention/index.php You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Colorado Birds group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.as/group/cobirds?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[cobirds] Nesting Update - BCLP - Jefferson County
Here is an update on some of the birds presently nesting in Bear Creek Lake Park (BCLP). Both Great Horned Owl nests along Bear Creek have two young - the oldest chick is turning brown and losing the all-white downy look. The Red-tailed Hawk is starting to sit higher in the nest and I expect we will see chicks soon. Both Cooper's Hawks have just starting sitting on their nests in the last couple of days. We saw a female Kestrel leave a nest box on the back of an outhouse in the campground area this morning. She was joined on top of a pine tree where the pair copulated. There is a pair of Swainson's Hawks that have been carrying sticks for a nest. There is a Dipper sitting on a nest in a bridge support. We saw the pair this morning under the bridge, then the female flew to the bridge support and entered the rectangular opening where we were able see her sitting on the nest. The foot bridge is west of Skunk Hollow. Mike Henwood Bear Creek Lake Park - Jefferson County Morrison --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ Join us at the 2009 Convention in Alamosa: http://cfo-link.org/convention/index.php You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Colorado Birds group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.as/group/cobirds?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[cobirds] Loggerhead Shrike and Sparrows - BCLP - Jefferson Co.
Fellow birders: At Bear Creeek Lake Park this morning I saw 4 Loggerhead Shrikes between the Visitor Center and Pelican Point. Also saw FOS Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Variety of sparrows in BCLP right now. In the area around Fitness Station #1, I observed a mixed flock with Brewer's(FOS), Chipping, Vesper and White-crowned plus a Green-tailed Towhee. Throw in the breeding Song and Spotted Towhee and you have 7 species. There was also a Sage Thrasher in this same general area. The pair of Swainson's Hawks are back and looking to build a nest (south of the Stables). Mike Henwood Bear Creek Lake Park - Jefferson County Morrison --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ Join us at the 2009 Convention in Alamosa: http://cfo-link.org/convention/index.php You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Colorado Birds group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.as/group/cobirds?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[cobirds] Broad-winged Hawk - BCLP - Jefferson County
About 10:00 A.M. I observed a light phase male Broad-winged Hawk circling above the entrance to Bear Creek Lake Park. As soon as the bird had gained some height using the thermals, it took off in a NE direction. Not anything else new in BCLP this morning - a few male Audubon and Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warblers. Mike Henwood Bear Creek Lake Park - Jefferson County Morrison --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ Join us at the 2009 Convention in Alamosa: http://cfo-link.org/convention/index.php You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Colorado Birds group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.as/group/cobirds?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[cobirds] Sparrows - BCLP - Jefferson County
Had a variety of sparrows at Bear Creek Lake Park this morning. Chipping - Migrants Lincoln (1) - Migrant Savannah - (1) - Migrant Vesper - returning to BCLP, where they breed Song - Resident and Breeder in BCLP White-crowned - winter residents Also had a number of male Yellow-rumped Warblers both Audubon and Myrtle Mike Henwood Bear Creek Lake Park - Jefferson County Morrison --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ Join us at the 2009 Convention in Alamosa: http://cfo-link.org/convention/index.php You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Colorado Birds group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.as/group/cobirds?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[cobirds] First of the Season - Bear Creek Lake Park - Jefferson Co.
After being stranded in the mountains for a day I was able to get out to Bear Creek Lake Park this morning. FOS birds included: Osprey Sage Thrasher Chipping Sparrows Vesper Sparrows Yellow-rumped Warbler - beautiful Audubon male Yellow-headed Blackbirds Burrowing Owl was reported on 4-18, but didn't see it today. Both W. and Mtn. Bluebirds still present today. Still good numbers of ducks on the lake, but not as many as a week ago. Mike Henwood Morrison Jefferson County --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ Join us at the 2009 Convention in Alamosa: http://cfo-link.org/convention/index.php You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Colorado Birds group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.as/group/cobirds?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[cobirds] Eastern Bluebirds - BCLP - Jefferson County
Here are the highlights of our DFO field trip to Bear Creek Lake Park Sunday morning, 3-29-09. A mixed flock of bluebirds (25-30) including Eastern, Western, and Mountain Bluebirds around Pelican Point. We think there were two pairs of Eastern, but for sure we saw two male Eastern Bluebirds at the same time. It's a rare occasion when you can see all three species while standing in the same spot. I've only experienced that once before in my birding (Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction). A Cooper's Hawk chasing a Red-tail just as we arrived at Skunk Hollow Picnic Area. Come to find out there were a pair of red-tails and a pair of Cooper's. The Cooper's were probably defending the woodland west of Skunk Hollow where they nested last year and have showed signs of nesting this year. The male Cooper's (after all the action was over) landed on a branch in a nearby tree and allowed the group to study him in detail. Around noon as the group was breaking up(Skunk Hollow again) we had a Krider's Red-tail Hawk circling overhead. What a striking bird in the bright sunlight! Two Great Horned Owls sitting on nests. One of the owls is using a cavity in a tree and the other an old nest of some kind from last year. The female in the cavity was definitely sitting up higher than a week ago so she probably has young ones. The female in the old nest seemed to be a little more visible, so I suspect she has chicks or will have soon. Red-tailed hawk sitting on a nest - same one as the pair used last year - directly south of Whitetail picnic Area. A glimpse of the Rough-legged Hawk that has wintered in BCLP. On Saturday I had a real good look at the Rough-legged. Surprised the bird is still around - the Northen Shrike and Am. Tree Sparrows have left the park for points northward. Early arrivals - Tree Swallows, Killdeer, and Common Grackle. Downy Woodpeckers going in and out of a cavity in a tree while a Black-capped Chickadee sang in the background. Good assortment of ducks on the lake - nothing unusual. Mike Henwood Bear Creek Lake Park - Morrison Jefferson County --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ Join us at the 2009 Convention in Alamosa: http://cfo-link.org/convention/index.php You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Colorado Birds group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.as/group/cobirds?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[cobirds] Northern Pygmy Owls - Jefferson County
While running in Mount Falcon Park on March 1 Rob Raker discovered a pair of Northern Pygmy-Owls. Last night (March 6) Rob and I returned to the location. Here are our observations. We arrived at the site around 5:30 P.M. and shortly after heard a Northern Pygmy-Owl calling (single toots). The bird was on the north slope of the open draw in the coniferous forest, mostly Douglas-fir and Ponderosa Pine. We waited near the spot in the draw where Rob had seen the two owls on March 1. After a while we heard an owl calling (single toots) repeatedly from a spot down the draw, so we moved only a short distance before spotting the calling male on a limb near the top of a Narrow-leaf Cottonwood. Rob took some pictures and I was able to distinguish two owls calling back and forth. Suddenly the male pygmy-owl flew down to another tree (approx. 25 yards) and landed on another owl ( we thought it was copulation - lasted only a couple lof seconds-also heard a squeal of sorts) then flew back to its original perch. The female owl then flew up the draw a short distance and landed on a limb near the top of the narrow-leaf cottonwood. Shortly after the male followed and landed on a limb about 10 feet away. You could hear the owls making sounds. I thought I was able to distinguish a high rattle as described by Sibley among the sounds. The female then joined the male on the limb sitting side by side. The owls were quartered away from us and the light wasn't the best so we didn't have a real good view of the pair, but we could see their heads moving from side to side. The two remained together on the limb for 2-3 minutes before one of the owls moved to a perch on a nearby limb. I think it was the female that moved, but I'm not positive. After a minute or so, the female??? flew into the coniferous forest in the same area where we had heard the original calling upon our arrival. Shortly after the male??? followed. All of this took place sometime between 5:50 and 6:15 P.M. The area is best described as an open draw with coniferous forest on the north slope, narrow-leaf cottonwoods and brush in the bottom of the draw, and open country with some mature junipers on the south side. There were numerous woodpecker cavities in the narrow-leaf cottonwoods. The elevation was about 6600 feet. Rob and I decided not to reveal the site location so as not to disturb the pair. Hopefully we can find the nest location and observe the young as time goes by and provide the information to Atlas II. The location is in the north half of Mount Falcon Park, approximately 1.0 - 1.5 miles from a trailhead. Looking at maps, I believe Mount Falcon Park is not in an atlas block, but in the SW 1/6 of the Morrison Quadrangle. Mike Henwood Morrison --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Colorado Birds group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[cobirds] Golden Eagle other Raptors - BCLP - Jefferson County
Fellow Birders, Had a good raptor day at Bear Creek Lake Park this morning. Golden Eagle - perched on the tower on the north side of the dam above Mountain View Picnic Area. This is the first Golden Eagle I have seen perched in the park. I have seen them soaring above the park and I see them on a regular basis west of the hogback near The Fort Restaurant on the red rocks west of the road. Pair of Red-tails were perched near last year's nest (south side of Bear Creek opposite Whitetail Picnic Area. Yesterday I saw one of the Red-tails carrying a stick to the nest and positioning it. Northern Shrike and American Kestrel were seen in the open area near the powerelines as you drive toward the Archery Range. In the campground area there were the following buteos: Rough-legged Hawk below the compground on the Tjurkey Creek side. Juvenile Ferruginous Hawk on the west side of the campground. Red-tailed Hawk near the entrance of the campground. Also had a Cooper's Hawk sitting on top of a telephone pole. Mike Henwood Bear Creek Lake Park Morrison --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Colorado Birds group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
[cobirds] Bald Eagles - BCLP - Jefferson County
Drove through Bear Creek Lake Park (BCLP) this afternoon. When I checked the frozen lake, there were two adult Bald Eagles sitting on the ice in two different locations. Also saw Red-tailed, Rough-legged, and a Ferruginous plus several Kestrels and a Northern Harrier. Mike Henwood Bear Creek Lake Park - Jefferson County Morrison --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Colorado Birds group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
