Fall Counting at Barr Lake State Park (2011 Style)

Highlight life bird of the day - Barn Owl

I'll ask the reader's forgiveness in advance for a long-worded post, but yesterday was a highlight day of birding. For the second time I was a part of the Fall Count at Barr Lake State Park, my previous count in 2009 was blogged here, and here. I am a big fan and proponent of the organized counts that are largely a function of the Audubon Society. Most birders and a good chunk of the general public are aware of the Christmas Bird Counts - and I have had a great time over the past few years joining in as many of those counts as I am able to in that busy season. Fall counts are more limited, but offer another group birding opportunity, with the added bonuses of good weather and the possibility of migrants.
When I stumbled into the fall count at Barr Lake in 2009, I was a year into birding, had a bit of experience, and had the very good fortune to arrive on a day when our largest group of counters was three, and dropped to two in marginal weather. On that day we counted 46 species. This year, with better weather we had a group of seven counters, and our species count ended at 76, (I believe), when added with the species totals from counters in other areas of the park and the bird banding station we were confident that total would climb to over 80 for the day. My personal list reached 65, and included three new species for me.

Cassin's Vireo

Our group on Sunday had a good mix of birding ability, including a couple of great 'ear' birders - who were able to let the rest of us know what we should be looking for before any of us saw the bird. While my ears aren't that well attuned, being quick with a camera can produce results in its own right. While scanning a few trees on my own I spotted the bird above and got four pictures before it was gone. The spectacles gave me a right first guess of vireo, but I was so caught up in warbler ids that I dismissed it and immediately had the group look at the image on my camera for help. A worse picture showed the olive back noted in the first linked post above, and I had my second ever Cassin's Vireo - on my second ever Barr Lake Fall Count. We spent a long while in the area trying to get the rest of the group on the bird, but it was long gone. Fortunately there were lots of other birds in the area and we tallied some good species while we watched.

Common Yellowthroat

This Common Yellowthroat was just one of the many species we saw in that area. We were having good luck in the area below the dam, but we had to head on. Dedicated counts help to keep you moving when birding. You want to avoid recounting the same individuals, and the idea is not to stake out an area in hopes of getting great photos. So before long we were off, hearing a Virginia Rail before reaching the far end of the dam, where we had cars waiting to ferry us back to the far side of the lake. Before we reached our destination, we had one of those non-bird moments of amazement that so often happen while out to see birds. We were passing one of the spillways, and there was some pooling in the creek bed, where recent flows had apparently been cut off and were now receding. In a harsh view of nature we saw many fish that were struggling in the remaining pools. Rainbow and Brown Trout were all stranded, along with a lone Carp. I'll save those images, as they are a bit grim, but beautiful fish nonetheless - and instead share an ugly fellow that was living large in the shallows.

Cayfish - species unknown

The small pool had some fascinating wildlife to observe, the large fish mentioned above, hundreds of minnows, water skimmers and other insects galore, and crayfish. This one and several others could have passed for small lobsters at some restaurants. It was a testament to the diverse natural interests of birders that we stopped for as long as we did, but eventually we were off to find more species. Leaving didn't stop us from wondering what opportunistic predator(s) would find an easy meal before the day was over though.

Semipalmated Plover

We were off to find more birds, and to that end we weren't disappointed. Passing the group of banders who were leaving their station as we approached, we learned that they had recaptured a Magnolia Warbler in their nets that morning. Hoping to somehow relocate the bird, a longshot at best, we headed out across the extended shoreline following the track between nets. While scanning the lake for gulls one sharp-eyed member of our group spotted this Semipalmated Plover with several killdeer on the mudflats. While its markings could possibly be confused with those of a Killdeer, its size is revealing.

Semipalmated Plover and Killdeer

Getting a life bird, and having it pose for size comparison shots is almost too much to hope for. It seemed tiny while foraging with the Killdeer. I lingered, getting shots of the two species and just enjoying the opportunity to get to know a shorebird before hurrying to catch the rest of the group.

Townsend's Warbler

It was good that I didn't fall too far behind. Before long we came across more fall warblers, this time including a Townsend's Warbler, my second life bird of the day. We actually had two individuals on the day, this was the second, and the only one that I was able to get a picture of. Like all warblers it was there, and then gone - vanished beyond the leaves and branches. Pressing on, we completed our last leg, reaching more staged vehicles and returning to the nature center where we could consolidate our totals and make sure nothing was missed. As we approached a picnic table one group member spotted a large bird departing the tree overhead. We all turned, and had different impressions as the large bird glided across a canal. Popular opinion was Great Horned Owl, and others thought maybe it was an immature Black-crowned Night Heron. It turned out we were all wrong.

Barn Owl

The bird first perched with its back to us, and was a bit to far for good looks with bins. My first few frames were inconclusive, it looked like a rusty Great Horned Owl to me. Then I shot a few more frames and zoomed in again on my camera's LCD. When that white face emerged I was floored. Here it was, my number one most sought after bird. I always kept my eye out for them, but after countless detours to check abandoned hay barns, sheds, and hedgerows they had grown into an elusive target. Finally seeing one in broad daylight in the mid-afternoon was so unexpected I am sure I will never forget that sighting. Almost immediately a scope was on the bird, and it remained perched allowing everyone to get up close views. Absolutely an impressive bird and one that I hope will not remain as long unseen for my second sighting.

If returning readers couldn't tell already, I am really a fan of this specific count trip. I have more conflicts with dates in the fall, but always hope to be able to make this one happen. Check with your local birding organization to see if there are spring and fall count locations in your area. You will be glad you did.

2011 Count: 220
Lifetime: 289

RMBO Office at Barr Lake

Yesterday I had a bit of extra time in the afternoon and evening, so I headed out to see if I could track down a Rough-legged Hawk, a species that still eludes my official counting despite being fairly common on the plains. I am putting a bit more pressure on, as they will soon be gone for parts North, and I will have missed them for yet another season. True to form they are still slipping through my sights, but the juvenile Red-tailed Hawks are everywhere. I saw four juvenile individuals yesterday as I was driving and walking. The problem is that their light heads are all potential 'roughies' so I get excited and check each one closely. Not that I really mind, I really enjoy hawks, but I am chafing for a conclusive Rough-legged and until I get one those juvie Red-tails are just going to be trouble.
Instead of a Rough-tail I found this Great Horned Owl sitting on her nest. She was much more interested than the passing train than she was in me.

I also had a few good winter species, which could be on their way out of town soon. Perhaps they were just trying to remind me that despite the warm temps last evening and again today we could have ten inches of snow on the ground by this time tomorrow.

A few American Tree Sparrows were working through the brush at the edge of the dam and water. The dipping sun really set off their red heads. Apparently if you flap your wings just right in the fading sun they will glow!

These American Tree Sparrows will soon be replaced by the similar looking Chipping Sparrows. Chipping Sparrows have some dark outlines on their crest and a prominent white eye-line. They also lack the dark breast spot.

On my way out I was searching for some small owls to emerge from the windbreak hedges, they disappointed, but another driver was really excited to see a herd of deer cross the road. Funny how different things catch the interest of different people. I had a van circle back and forth multiple times gesturing me to the deer. To satisfy his sense of outdoor stewardship I did snap off a few low light pictures including the one above. I did get some good detail, so I guess some of my photographic skills are coming into practice. Now if only I had seen the Pheasant I was listening for at the time and gotten a shot of it as well.....Hmmmm.

Stay safe out there Coloradoans! Who knows how much snow will stick to 60 degree pavement, but odds are it will be slushy and slick underneath. Hopefully they have everything cleaned up for my Saturday Snowshoe birding trip - we should have good powder for it!

Fall Counting at Barr Lake State Park

I had the chance to spend a great Saturday helping out with the Fall Bird Count at Barr Lake State Park. The weather wasn't spectacular, overcast and damp, but birding with others is always educational. Saturday was no exception.


One of the early highlights of the day was the Osprey in the previous post. In addition to that I had the chance to observe four new species, three of which I got passable photos of, including the Swainson's Thrush above.

Not all birds were new, however, some just gave me better photo opportunities than I have had in the past. The Rock Wren above and Great Egret below were two such species. The Great Egret was a species that I observed for the first time in Colorado.

It was really a day of Egrets when looking out over the vegetation surrounding the lake. We kept passing groups of Snowy Egrets in numbers from four to six, and then near the end of the day saw a group of 20 all working through the weeds together. They made a good comparison with the Great Egrets who were far fewer in number.

I was glad for the accompaniment of a much more experienced birder, who was able to help me identify this Cassin's Vireo. The overall olive tinge is a strong field mark distinguishing it from the Plumbeous Vireo which is more gray.

The Vireo wasn't the only Cassin's species I observed however. The two Kingbirds below are of the Cassin's species. We saw these mixed in with several Westerns in a group of passed sunflowers. In the field it was tough to be certain of the id, but after zooming in on the stills the overall gray head and upper breast were clear. That differs from the Western variety which has a lighter head and white on the breast. Because of the lighter head on the Western Kingbird, it has a more distinct eyeline. In contrast the Cassin's has a less distinct eyeline, but a distinctive white malar streak. It was a good lesson to learn. Later as we visited with some banders working further along I learned that in mid September most of the Westerns will depart and Cassin's Kingbirds will become the more common of the two until they complete their migration as well.

Along with the Cassin's Vireo, Kingbird, and Swainson's Thrush I added a group of Franklin's Gulls to my list, but while distinct through a scope they were just blurry specs on a fully zoomed photograph.

Counts are great fun, and as always birding with others is a good educational experience. If you don't get the chance to join one this fall think about clearing some time for a Christmas Bird Count in a few months. I am really looking forward to repeating those counts and being more of a contributor this time around.

2009 Count: 185

Lifetime: 193

Yum! Yum!

Talk about flying in the catch of the day. Admittedly not the best focused shot I have ever arranged, but when I saw the Osprey crossing the sky in the distance I new I had to start shooting. Here is what the bird looked like in my view finder before cropping:

So for a damp overcast day I was fairly pleased with the result. I really enjoy getting to see birds engaging in the activities that they need to do on a daily basis. There is always something new to see. In this case I was below the dam at Barr Lake State Park, and when I spotted the Osprey it was already a good ways off from the lake, and continued flying until it was lost from view. While I am not surprised that an Osprey could catch and fly with a large catch, I was not aware that they would just leave the vicinity of the lake. It passed many mature trees on its way to its chosen location. In any event it was a great sight to see live, and even better when in closer detail on the monitor.

More from Barr Lake State Park and the Fall count later.

On the way to the Airport

I had an evening flight after work on Thursday, from work I took highway 7 straight east from Boulder, and Tower Rd south from Brighton. The best part about that route, (other than avoiding traffic), is that it swings right past Barr Lake State Park, and I had enough time to drive slowly to the boat launch and back before heading on to park for my flight.

I was following a storm out, so the light was a pretty mixed bag, but it was a nice break between work stress and airport stress. There were bunches of Eastern Kingbirds along the access road.

One of the risks of stopping on the way to the airport is that there is a risk that self discipline will fail, and the necessary time to continue on to make the flight seems to come very quickly. Even as I pushed that limit I had to make one stop as I exited the park. A well marked Swainson's Hawk is always worth a quick stop, even in poor light.

Trip details to follow, but I need to work on a replacement for a failed hard drive in my laptop, (apparently Minnesota didn't agree with it).

Barr Lake State Park

On my quick visit to Barr Lake State Park on Sunday I was treated to a few moments of great light, and a whole lot of looks at Western Kingbirds.


There was a good sized group around the Visitor Center, who seemed more concerned with a nearing storm than my presence in the area. Even the two young ones didn't seem concerned. There was a Cowbird in the area that also appeared young, and seemed suspiciously like one who was just realizing that there were some major differences in the members of the brood.

I wonder if there is an awkward moment when every Brown-headed Cowbird slinks away from the nest and brood, much like Carl Spackler in Caddyshack after the priest was just struck by lightening. I didn't stick around to find out, because in addition to lots of Western Kingbirds there were lots of mosquitoes and they were some kind of mutants that were completely unfazed by my spray. So I was off to the car and have been busy scratching ever since.

1/9 Barr Lake State Park

On my Friday off I spent my day well at Barr Lake State Park. The weather ranged from mediocre to annoying, but even so the park seems to have a great deal of potential. For anyone who has already visited this site, or is familiar with it that is a bit of a no-brainer. As the home of the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory and a bird banding site it is one of Colorado's birding hot-spots. Thanks to the wind and overcast skies I had the place effectively to myself.
During my visit I hiked two miles out and back in both directions along the perimeter trail from the Nature Center.

My first hike took me north to the boat launch point. I had good views of Shovelers and Northern Pintails, and enjoyed watching Bald Eagles out fishing on the ice. On my return from the boat launch I had a great up close Downie Woodpecker who was willing to stay close while I snapped his picture a bunch of times.

I also got my first shots of a Brown Creeper.

The second out and back took me south into the wildlife preserve half of the lake. One of the highlights was walking out to the Gazebo under and through a cloud of 1700-2000 Red-winged Blackbirds.

I walked until I had gotten just past the Bald Eagle rookery. It was nice to be able to watch them back in the trees perching over a secluded pond or inlet. On the return trip I was treated to several Bald Eagle flyovers, and watched a Black-capped Chickadee as he hung inverted while working over a branch.

All in all it was a great day at the park. I am really hoping for a nice sunny day so I can get back to taking bright pictures again.

Update: Saw that this is a Song Sparrow, 7/17/2009

2009 Count: 46

Lifetime: 84