Stearn's Lake Saturday Morning

I was out before the sun on Saturday morning, and took the opportunity to visit Stearn's Lake at the southern edge of Boulder county. Readers of this blog will know that this was a spot I visited frequently when my office was located in Louisville and it was a brief turn from my daily drive. On my visit Saturday I stood in the company of a pair of Bald Eagles waiting for the sun to clear a ridge. Turning to the east, a distant post caught my eye...


My interest was peaked, and I did some backtracking to try an approach from another direction. My effort was rewarded, my route took me out of view of the post, and when I had reached a new vantage point it was bare.


To my delight, the bird had relocated to the small tree that had been blocking my view, and had multiplied! I took a few shots, and then dragged myself away to let them settle in for the day.


I looped out to the south, and returned along the edge of a pumpkin field, (they're getting close), as I walked I had some Vesper Sparrows to keep me company, showing off their seasonal colors in the post-dawn light. As I walked I was teased with unphotographed views of at least one Cooper's Hawk. I never got a satisfactory shot of it (them), but did get a nice distant shot of a Northern Harrier skimming the cattails on the far side of the lake. They are so distinctive when seen hunting mere feet above a marsh or field, the white rump, and facial disk were both visible in this shot.


I checked on the owls as I returned to the parking are from a distance and they were still visible. I'll take the opportunity to post one more of their previous shots, they were a real highlight to an enjoyable weekend start.


I hope that yours was just as beautiful, wherever you found yourself yesterday.

Lunchtime Looks

Lunchtime yesterday was beautiful, mild and sunny, without too much wind. The area Bald Eagle was out to prove that you can keep the people away from the Eagles, but you can't keep the Eagles away from the people.


The Bald gave me a close look as it made a lazy circle in the sky. It was checking me out as it flew straight overhead. I am sure in my white button down shirt I was quite a sight standing in the middle of a brown grassy field. Just goes to show that you don't have to have special equipment or gear to have random interactions with cool birds. Sometimes sticking out like a sore thumb helps.


It didn't help when a fleeting glance I had at a bird that may have been a Green-tailed Towhee was the only one I got. Shy birds were headed for deep cover when I headed their way.


It wasn't all bad though, I headed to the edge of the dam, and while scanning for shorebirds found a nice group of Vesper Sparrows instead. They were the first I have seen of that species this year. A FOY (first of year) bird on a casual lunch break, not too shabby.


An eye level flyby from a Great Blue Heron is cool, even if it is taken while facing into the sun. A less focused shot had it hanging its tongue out of its mouth a la Michael Jordan, but I'll stick with what I got.

As of yesterday's lunch my counts were:

2011 Count: 91
Lifetime: 252

but there will be more to add after I update my list from last evening...

Ridin' at the Refuge

Saturday's mountain snow reached the plains by the overnight hours Saturday, and I awoke to a fresh dusting of four or so inches. After a quick shovel of the drive I headed off to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. It's been a while, so I am sorry if you have read my posts on this great location in the past. For anyone who has recently found this blog, or is not familiar with the Arsenal I strongly recommend it. This former farming community, turned weapons plant, turned petrochemical factory, turned Superfund site is quickly becoming a unique treasure of the National Wildlife Refuge system. As the Denver area expands it is becoming an increasingly surrounded oasis of prairie in the midst of human habitation. This spring the Refuge will see the grand opening of its new Visitor Center, and as each year passes the area continues to evolve to a more wild state.

I hadn't been out to the refuge since last summer/fall, and the fresh snow made it seem like an appealing destination. My drive in followed only a single set of tire tracks, and a Coyote welcomed me back as he sat near the side of the road. I approached the Visitor Center, and decided to check out the feeder station from my truck. Before I had even gotten started I had Western Meadowlark, Chickadee, Red-winged Blackbird, Northern Flickers, Black-billed Magpies, Song Sparrow, and scores of Dark-eyed Juncos. Of the Juncos, the White-winged is the race that I have found I see the least frequently.


So, I was happy to find one perching for me. Then, it like the others was drawn to the spilled seed on the snow.


I dropped into the Visitor Center to sign in, and found that the weekend tour was set to leave in fifteen minutes, and with the snow it was likely to be a small group. I decided to ride along. It had been just about a year since the last time I had been over to 'raptor row' or the Bison enclosure and I had hopes of seeing the light and dark Ferruginous Hawks again. (For those who have not been, the trailed area that is open to the public in the refuge is relatively small. The focus is on the animals, and they are able to live their lives more naturally with large areas where humans just don't go. Regular tours take visitors on a shuttle buss to see areas that they are not allowed to visit on foot.) While I had a few minutes to wait I wandered around what had been the Officer's Club (now the Visitor Center) to check some of the plantings and fresh tracks in the snow. Not many birds in the trees, so I completed my walk back at the feeders. Feeding there among the crowd was a first-year Harris's Sparrow.


Suh-weet! I have seen a handful of these largish sparrows, but all of them have been re-finds, where I went in with the hopes of locating a bird I knew had been in the area recently. This was the first that I had just picked out of a crowd - pretty cool.


The top of its head and throat will turn black in adult breeding plumage, and will merge with the necklace patch it has right now to form a backwards black hood. Here is a post that shows an adult bird closer to breeding plumage - note that it is a Harris's Sparrow, not a Harris Sparrow, it is possible to learn a few things over a couple of years. From the birds I have seen, Colorado mostly gets first or second year birds that have gotten a bit off course for winter. Typically this species overwinters just to the south-east, becoming more common into the eastern plains of Colorado.


With a great add to my list, to go along with White-crowned Sparrow, American Goldfinch, and Hairy Woodpecker, I was ready for a tour and some hawks! The group grew to seven, a ten year old boy and his dad, a couple of whom the wife had visited the refuge as a Girl Scout. "Back before they cleaned it up!" She explained to the boy, which was why she still "glows at night" Wink-Wink. There were also another pair of photographers to round out our crew. The stars of our trip yesterday were the Bald Eagles. Even a jaded birder like myself who was out for the hawks had to be impressed with the showing. My conservative count for the tour was a dozen, although I am guessing we had more but couldn't count some assuming they were the same ones that had just relocated as we drove. We had a nice mix of adults and juveniles of all ages. Many were perched in the trees, but we had a chance to see one on the snow over a kill, and others in flight.


My highlight was getting to see both the light and dark Ferruginous Hawks on the trip. The dark morph was just seen in passing, and I had no angle to get shots from the camera portholes on the bus. As seen below, the light-morph was much more accommodating. It appears that this light-morph is a recent addition to the area, last year's birds showed dark irides, a characteristic adults have but younger birds do not.


To close, I am guessing that this will be the highlight bird for everyone on the trip who wasn't floored by an eye-level Ferrug or a feeding Harris's Sparrow....


...the just above eye level Bald Eagle. This bird was 10-15 yards from the shuttle bus, and just sat as we stopped and then slowly rolled past. Beautiful, and a great reminder of just how large these birds are. Our tour did get to see a handful of Bison, although they were distant and fairly well hidden in the downslope area of their range. By the time the bus got back I needed to be heading out, but I didn't regret taking the ride. I did notice someone birding from a vehicle at the feeders, and walked over to say hello and ask about the Harris's Sparrow. The man said he hadn't seen one himself that day but that there had been two around, a first and second year. Impressive little feeding station they have going there.

If you are in the area and remotely interested in wildlife do check this location out. The tour ride is a great experience for anyone interested in wildlife or history, regardless of your knowledge level. The ride is really great for kids, but parents be warned that it can run almost two hours. Be aware that the refuge isn't a park. It is a wildlife refuge, and there are a handful of differences for the visitor to be aware of - so check out the site or give them a call during visiting hours.

I can't wait to get back for a hiking day, although at the >95% of the water is frozen, so waterfowl are very limited. On the flip side this normally quiet site is in its off season, so you will have an even more intimate experience during the coming weeks than you will once migration heats up.

2011 Count: 64
Lifetime: 252

Sights from Sunday Morning

While looking for loons at Chatfield State Park.


I found no loons, but this Townsend's Solitare was posing nicely.


As was this Downy Woodpecker.


A Black-capped Chickadee just looked cold, although those little birds move so much I don't think the cold would ever get a chance to catch them.


This juvenile Bald Eagle was just curious enough to let me approach along the shore. I think the hundreds of Coots just below him were happy to have me there.

Dive Bomb

Cute little female American Kestrel, right?

Big, tough, Red-tailed Hawk, right?

Not, hardly - here she comes....

A tight pass, the youngster Red-tail has its head turned sideways. The approach had been that close.

She banked and considered a second pass, but opted instead to relocate to another tree and call vehemently at her young adversary.

A real head-scratcher for this giant of a child! I guess there are still a few things for a hawk to figure out.

The judges weren't all that impressed and called it a draw.

Sunny Stop Between Errands

Today was the day Girl Scout Cookies showed up at the office! Of course I didn't have the correct cash on me when they arrived. So, lunch featured a quick swing by the bank, and then a stop to break a twenty. In between I made a fortuitous stop along a creek behind the Safeway in Superior. There were dozens of Juncos moving about, but most stayed deep in the brush. I caught the Slate-colored individual above as it spied on me through a branchy frame. The visit reminded me why I have liked this spot in the past. In the ten minutes I stopped I had 20 or so juncos, three Northern Flickers, a Downy Woodpecker, a group of House Finches, and flyovers from geese and ducks. They were all singing their heads off, and I could feel that my appreciation of the springlike weather wasn't isolated just to humankind.

As I gingerly stepped back up to the path a pedestrian asked if I was taking pictures of Eagles, "nope" I said, "just too nice not to get out for a few minutes". I kind of laughed to myself as I walked away, a Bald Eagle in that tiny little grove would have so dominated the scene that I wouldn't have been the only one to notice it.

Then, as if word had gotten out that a Bald Eagle sighting was requested by a non-birder I saw a black and white speck in the distance.

Regrettably the walker was gone as I had been heading the other direction, but I still had a few minutes to enjoy this avian giant mastering the thermals over an area of fairly dense condos and commercial development.

It wasn't alone either. I am not sure if these two were willing co-inhabitants of their common airspace. But neither species really seemed to interact too closely with the other. Readers ready for an airborne ID? Look for a field mark on the non-eagle before getting to the bottom of the page.

The two birds may have tolerated one another, but even the Eagle has its limits.

Not quite enough depth of field to get both in focus - so I split the difference and missed both! Oh well, still a fun sight to see. I got a few shots a bit closer, but this was a different sighting from in the past. This was a prolonged appreciation of a flying eagle - never perched - never really flying with a purpose. It, like all the other birds I watched this afternoon just seemed to be soaking up the beauty of a bright day, and the sun that was coming down from above and back up from the snow.

Any non-hawkwatchers able to identify the other bird above? If you thought Red-tail Hawk you were correct! Note the dark aspects on the lower side of the wing. The dark wrist commas and patagial bars (dark patches on the leading edge of the wings between the commas and the body) mark this as a Red-tail. Bright days with snowy ground are fantastic for watching soaring raptors. All of those indicators that are obscured by shadow beneath the bird on a normal sunny day, get a nice highlight.

On the track of a Red-shouldered Rarity

Saturday along the Front Range in Colorado was overcast and chilly, but not wet, so a good chance to go after a few of the rarities that had been reported in the area but which I had not yet successfully located. I started the day in Broomfield, looking at gulls, but those are a story for a later post. For the moment I am going to jump ahead, and North, to Weld County. I headed there in hopes of seeing the immature Red-shouldered Hawk, which has been wintering out of range at the Kodak Watchable Wildlife Area. On the way I exited the Interstate a few miles south and swung into the Elwell Cemetery outside Johnstown to check the evergreens. It wasn't a wasted stop, seeing a Great Horned Owl sleep peacefully was well worth it.
Eventually, I did reach the outskirts of Windsor and the Kodak Watchable Wildlife Area. I have been reading reports about this bird for several months now, and on one previous rushed attempt had failed to locate it. This time I was committed though. I had no deadlines to meet, and having visited once before was able to process the descriptions of the birds habits better against the landscape. I heard it before I spotted it, and true to its description, my first glimpse of this easily spooked bird was as it settled into a tree on the south side of the river.

Shooting into the sun through a heavy overcast yielded poor results, but note the high degree of white in the back. That alone wouldn't have sealed the ID, even with my impression of the short single note call that was higher and shorter than that of a Red-tail. But this next shot captured a tell-tale field-mark in an otherwise trashable shot. That buffy patch towards the tip of the wing is a distinctive field-mark for a juvenile Eastern Red-shouldered Hawk. Knowing that the same bird was the one I was looking for helped as well, but I was still happy to find the bird and capture a conclusive - if poor quality - shot.

The Red-shouldered Hawk wasn't the only bird around by any means. A group of 20 Western Meadowlarks were singing in the scrubby trees surrounding a marshy area. Their song, the first I had heard this year, attracted the attention of a Northern Harrier, which was making low slow passes around the area.

Finally, as I returned to the parking lot I noticed a group of large birds in a distant Cottonwood tree. The group of Bald Eagles illustrates the difference between adults and 2nd (possibly one 3rd) year birds. Note how the juvenile looks a lot like a super-sized Swainson's Hawk with the dark bib on a light body? The bird on the left has its back turned and shows the small light triangle across the shoulders and upper back. Again, not the best picture, but one that shows them in the distance against a gray background, much as they often appear when driving along a highway at high speed.

Another post to follow that shows my gull filled visit to some ponds in Broomfield.

2010 Count: 58

Lifetime: 205

Big Birds

This morning I had a couple of hours before friends were coming over to my house, so I decided to head east and see what I could track down in Adams County. I ended up at the Adams County Regional Park, and walked through a portion of the Nature Preserve they have along the South Platte. Even before I had looped back to the parking area I had located the juvenile Red-tail Hawk in a tree just next to the road.

It waited while I parked, and let me approach on foot before it took off across another clear blue sky. Later, I spotted the intermediate Red-tail below. In all I counted 5 individual red-tails, all calling to one another in my short 2 mile hike.

If my first visit was any indication this is going to be a phenomenal place to visit. My birds of prey seen included Red-tails, a Kestrel, and a Northern Harrier - the Kestrel and first Red-tail before I had even approached the actual Nature Preserve. Just as I entered the preserve section a couple gave me the common tip that there was a Bald Eagle in the area this morning.

I found two sharing a branch, but they weren't in a mood for posing.

Bald Eagles are always a fun sight. While common in Colorado in the winter, people who see me with camera will usually tell me all about their last eagle sighting. I am glad that their symbolism and positive recovery story, coupled with their immediately recognizable appearance make them a species that can be appreciated by anyone, birder or not. I can't help but wonder if the couple would have recognized this youngster as a juvenile Bald Eagle as well.

I'm not too familiar with aging eagles, but this one would seem to fall into the sub-adult I category. The dark head and tail combo, extended secondary feathers, and light belly all seem about right. What I am not sure of is whether that puts this bird in its first or second winter. My guess would be first, but if anyone knows for sure please feel free to comment or shoot me an email.

I can't wait to get back and check this area out again. It is definitely a place for late afternoon and evening, as the river was choked with waterfowl, but they were all directly in line with the sun at that time of the morning. Although, with so many eagles, hawks and other great species around I don't believe there could be an uneventful visit, regardless of the time of day.

Second Post Trip Update (DeSoto NWR - Nebraska)

Bald Eagle nests are a big tourist draw, and I usually do a stop, look, "yep those are Eagles on a nest alright" and then head on off to some more quiet spot while the crowds stay busy there. I post this because it is nice to see that the nest had at least two young, and it reminds me that I need to get back out to Barr Lake State park soon and see what those nests have for activity.




In my mid-trip update I believe I posted that I had finally seen Ring Necked Pheasants from the road. Well at DeSoto I had much better looks, although they sought cover quickly and I had to wait patiently for these shots. It was very much worth it though, getting to watch, (and hear) these two perform their courtship rituals while they were both keeping an eye on me was a highlight.

Just look at those colors! He really goes all out for his ladies.

At the end of my day I reached the Wood Duck trail which the ranger had recommended to me several hours before. I wanted to take a peek, and in my rush did not grab my rain gear as I headed out. Sure enough a few minutes later it was dumping, and rolling thunder convinced me to finally get back on the road. Not before I had added the Eastern Towhee (above) and the Northern Rough-winged Swallow to my list.

Finally, just because they were everywhere on my trip, a Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) at the instant of takeoff.

I believe I have one more round of pictures to work through from Ft. Niobara NWR, and then my checklist submissions will be complete. Then I can actually go back through my pictures to recapture any highlights I have missed - and possibly get another post in about all the non-bird related stuff to see on my route. Now stop reading and go see some birds before all the leaves are too full!

2009 Count: 114

Lifetime: 131