An Easter Hunt: Part 1, Not just eggs.

One of the first things I saw after leaving my car yesterday afternoon, well besides the rain, was this egg. It was sitting on the concrete outcrop of an underpass, just above eye level. I thought it was either, not an egg - it almost looked like a marble as I approached, or someone's stashed Easter Egg that had not been found in a hunt that morning. After checking on line it does seem very likely a Rock Pigeon egg. It was certainly the right environment, and there are Rock Pigeons around, but I have never seen an egg that exposed that was completely undamaged. I did double check it on the way back to my car two hours later and it was still there, intact. Weird, but at least I can say I found my Easter Egg!
I should say that my walk yesterday and Friday evening were both basically in the same location. A new one for me. The Coal Creek Trail extends eastward from some of the areas I access while on lunch breaks. The stretch I walked in the previous post is located between highway 287 and South Public, and the stretch from yesterday runs east from South Public all the way to 120th St. and from what I could see was the end of the trail.

There is a good stretch of trail that runs away from the creek in the middle of a cow field. It offers great views of the trees to the south, and makes picking out raptors a snap. The juvenile above has great colors in the feathers on the back. It was one of my first Swainson's Hawks of the year, and since I have been listing.

This Song Sparrow perched long enough for me to get his picture.

Here were two American Kestrels on a date. Personally I thought the atmosphere was a bit drab, but then maybe for a Kestrel a poop covered pole on a cloudy damp evening is where its at.

I am very glad I went out. As soon as I learned that trail connected those areas of Coal Creek I knew I had to get over there. It was a seventeen species count and one of them counted three individuals that were so much fun they are getting their own follow-up post. I will be making those walks again soon.

2009 Count: 80

Lifetime: 104