At the Rookery - Part One - Black-crowned Night-Heron

Monday evening was the last meeting of the D.F.O. (Denver Field Ornithologists)for the season. So after work I headed to Denver and got a chance to do a bit of birding in City Park before it was time to head inside.


It wasn't so much birding, as watching the activity at the rookery. Of the two rookeries in the area the one I spent my time at on Monday was the smaller and more diverse. It features nests of Black-crowned Night-Herons, Snowy Egrets and a few Double-crested Cormorants. The other, larger, rookery is almost exclusively filled with the nests of hundreds of Double-crested Cormorants. Last year my visits must have preceded any of the nesting activity of the Herons and Egrets, because I had not seen those species at the park in the past.


Getting a chance to watch so many of each was fun. A couple of Night-Herons were grabbing twigs for nest maintenance from the tree above my head. They would move precariously through the limbs and select the perfect stick before returning to their island. After a few minutes of sitting the entire colony seemed to forget my presence and were much more intent on displaying and squabbling, and keeping out of the way of the Canada Geese, and their efforts to establish pairs.


There were well over a hundred Black-crowneds in the nesting colony, but this lone bird in juvenile plumage was a bit of a wonder for me. I presumed, and it seems to be backed up by online reading, that this would be a year old bird. Dates for birds showing their "Formative Plumage" (Birds of North America Online) extend into September of the year following their hatching. I found it odd that there was just a single bird hanging out that was shoeing that plumage. Is it a 'momma's bird' afraid to break out on its own and hang with the others? An overachiever - the Doogie Howser of birds, trying to hang with the adults ahead of time? Or as I had initially thought, but now seems to be unlikely, that it was a lone bird that was late to molt into adult plumage.


Very cool to have so many nesting birds in such an approachable, urban location. If you are in the area I recommend stopping by to check out the activity.

Backside of a Storm

Tuesday I headed down to Cherry Creek Reservoir. A Neotropic Cormorant has been around, along with all kinds of migrants, and I thought I would pay a visit to see what I could find. Initially I thought I was on the young Neotropic Corm, but it turned out to just be a juvenile Double-crested Cormorant instead.


That was not to say that I regretted the trip. I had several good year birds, including this Black-crowned Night Heron among others. This was an early shot, as the storm was brewing overhead. I wandered around the marina to the edge of the dam, when the sun finally dropped below the clouds and stared reflecting. I hustled back to the fishing pier, and was treated to a great sight as the storm moved west.


A full double rainbow was huge before me, and the lower bow was repeated on itself at least three times. It was so perfectly aligned that it seemed as if I was looking through a tunnel into the distance. Of course a telephoto isn't a tool for that job, so the gull flyby will have to do.


Cherry Creek was full of Western Grebes. I guessed two hundred, but that may have been low. They were everywhere, and even with all that variety I couldn't find a single Clark's among them.


I headed back down last night, similar weather, and still no Neotropic. Lots more pictures to get through, and aspirations fro the weekend, so we'll see what happens and when they get posted.

2011 Count: 90
Lifetime: 252

Preview

I got away a bit early this afternoon and took the opportunity to do a bit of solo birding at the Running Deer Nature Area in Ft. Collins. If the pre-birding was any indication it is going to be a good weekend. I had 33 species on a casual walk, including this displaying Black-crowned Night Heron. One of which was a Least Flycatcher (I had a Western Wood Pewee for comparison), giving me a new life species before the convention birding has begun.

2010 Count: 148

Lifetime: 219

Did I just see what I thought I saw?

Well, yes, I did see Dragonflies [update 6/2/2011 thanks to Dave Leatherman for pointing out that this is a Damselfly, not a Dragonfly, specifically an American Rubyspot] on Thursday evening, but that isn't really what had me thinking while I walked in the late day sunshine.


I had stopped to revisit a section of the Coal Creek Trail system rather than sit in traffic at rush hour. While I was walking I received a phone call and was busy talking when something big flew up into a tree from a quiet bend in the creek. With a "I just saw a really cool bird, I'll call you back..." I hung up and started shooting what I could see in the overhead branches.

Seeing the image now and knowing what I do the species is clear, but without the advantage of a full frame and just the size, shape, stripes and a hint of orange I immediately thought I was on to one of the birds I have been keeping an eye out for. A Bittern!

I got about 15 frames before the bird decided that even its treetop perch was too close, and flew off along the trail, in the general direction of the parking area where I had started.

After having inadvertently startled the bird I decided to give it a rest, continue on in the direction I was headed, and try to relocate it before I left.

As I walked I kept thinking, did Bitterns really roost in trees? From what I have seen of them online they frequent grassy wetlands where their stripes give them great camouflage. I held some guarded optimism for the sighting as I returned near the end of my walk. As I got close I kept an eye out, alternating looks between the creek itself and the canopy above. Before long I saw another large bird rise from the limbs, about the same size, but immediately recognizable in adult plumage. A Black-Crowned Night Heron. I held out hope for a few seconds that it might have been a coincidence, that perhaps they were both just in the same area. Sure enough though, seconds later the same bird with the brownish striped markings flew off as well. the two made on brief landing farther down stream, but were off again due to a passing car and soon out of sight.

So instead of a first American Bittern I had my first juvenile Black-Crowned Night Heron - and really that was just as good. Between that and the dragonflies it sure beat sitting in traffic.

The Approach of Night

With fading daylight on Friday evening I decided to quickly check Brunner Reservoir to see if anything was heading to the water for the evening. As I walked the heavily used pathway behind the Community Center and rounded the corner at the inlet I found that I was being watched.


Those burnt-orange eyes belonged to this fine looking Black-crowned Night Heron.

The perch in a willow was only a few feet from this highly trafficked walkway, but the Heron sat still as I took pictures and several families walked past. Even when they stopped and children exclaimed " I see it! I see it!" the bird seemed unfazed.

As I snapped away and tried to get the clearest focus possible the nictitating membrane flashed over the pupil a few times. The light was great to show the comparison between the transparent shield, (above), and the bare eye, (below).

The pure color was mesmerizing as I stood for long minutes watching the changing tone of the sunset reflected on the white of this bird.

On occasion a sidelong glance was needed to let the passing families know who was boss of that willow.

At sunset on a beautiful evening like this the soft textures and warm colors were enough to keep everyone content. For me it was an evening I won't soon forget.

Broomfield Birding - Nissen Res and Alexx & Michael's Pond

Everywhere I turn there are Yellow-Rumped's, this guy was one of three who followed a Chickadee through some trees at eye level and let me get a much closer shot.



Before I saw him I had headed to Nissen Reservoir in Broomfield to see if an earlier reported Black and White Warbler was still in the trees. It wasn't, but I did add Snowy Egret to my list.


I also had my best look at a Black-Crowned Night Heron, and first sighting of the year. All told there were 5 Great Blues, two Snowys, and the Black Crowned. Not too shabby, for our humble city and county!

After checking Nissen I headed on to Alexx and Michael's Pond which I had driven by, but never walked around. Boy am I kicking myself now. I was walking down the trail before I even reached the pond itself when a Little Blue Heron flew overhead. It was a good thing I had just been watching the Great Blues fly or I may not have picked up on the smaller overall size and dark neck and head. I also got a shot of the first Pied-Billed Grebe I had seen in Broomfield.

Along the way I spotted my first Yellow-Headed Blackbird - it was my first of season since I started a list in October. I also had a chase session with an Orange-Crowned Warbler moving slowly along the brush on the bank, and just as I was returning to my car had a Coot with the best resolution I have gotten yet.

A good way to get home from work on Friday.

BTW, just as I start to think that I am getting somewhat respectable numbers on my list I see that there are group of people in Colorado who have 400 species (in-state I believe) and all 54 14ers under their belt. The list has come up with 6 people. Flat out impressive.

2009 Count: 123

Lifetime: 139