Sunday, May 10, at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife
Refuge, Urling led us to an incredible day. Weather conditions - cloudy and
occasional showers for two days -- helped down birds and keep them there all
day.
The 122 species total more than we've ever seen at the Arsenal in
one day (and more than I've ever seen at one site in one day) also 3,696
individuals -- a huge number. Our list includes:
a.. Fabulous rolling flocks of Lark Buntings (95% ; males) [We even saw a
flock of 75-100 a mile from home in Franktown]
b.. Sparrows: huge numbers, many in flocks that fled in front of us without
offering themselves to our binoculars. We probably underestimated their
numbers.
c.. Ten Warbler species. These included one Blackpoll, one Townsend's, one
Ovenbird and EIGHT (8) Northern Waterthrushes. [Has anyone ever seen 8
waterthrushes in one day in Colorado?]
d.. More towhees (both species) than we've ever seen in one day (and maybe
the total over 20 years) at the Arsenal - 42 Green-tailed and 51 Spotted.
e.. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers - 31 - more than any other count. Several flocks
of Wilson's Phalaropes spinning in the deep water.
Other reports from the weekend;
Barr Lake: Charlie Chase led the Barr Lake trek to the tune of 103 species.
(Sat. May 9)
Waterton: Our group of seven found 86 species, 1068 individuals on Sat., May 9.
One of our highest counts ever for the Waterton Spring Count.
Waterton banding station: After closing the nets on Sunday, May 10, Meredith
McBurney sent this message. "The first time ever, I think, that we've had an
experience like this at Chatfield...Processed 157 birds (151 new, 2 returns, 4
recaps) today. Three times our previous high - I think we've had as many as 50
once or twice before. Only had 13 nets open (never got to opening the river
nets; birds were practically flying into the nets as we opened them), and had
to close for an hour mid-morning because of rain. Things never died down; we
finally started closing about 2:30 because we were freezing. If it hadn't been
so cold we might still be there!
"Twenty-four species - led by Yellow-rumped Warblers (35), Empidonax
flycatchers (25, mostly DUFLs), Common Yellowthroats (19), and Spizella
sparrows (10 BRSP, 8 CCSP, 7 CHSP; we've never caught any of these species
prior to this year)."
Hugh Kingery
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