Hi Birders, Early Monday, Frank and I checked out the north section of DIA. After a spate of Rock Pigeons, there was a pair of McCowan's Longspurs. Both were ducking in and out of the low vegetation and pecking on the gravel on the north side of 114th, about 1 mile east of Tower Road. This is on the west side of DIA and in Adams County. Three more McCowans' and several Lark Sparrows turned up at the edge of a weedy field in a clearing one-quarter mile east, on the south side of 114th, in Denver County. >From then on, we stayed in Denver County. Further east, on the south side of 114th near intersection with Trussville, we found two Burrowing Owls and two prairie dogs on mounds. This little site is near six oil tanks and a low building. These were the only owls we found that morning. A few roads south, there was a flock of Lark Buntings at a strip of water in a culvert along 104th. The birds that weren't splashing in the water on this hot, dusty day, were standing in the mud or on sunflowers. The Denver Police became involved three or four roads later because we inadvertently strayed deep into DIA territory near the north runway. Maybe our scope looked like a small ground to air missile launcher. The police escorted us out of the area, and led us to the east end of DIA and onto what we assumed was a road to continue birding on. It wasn't, so they returned. This was unfortunate because, by then, we were out of the car and standing at a grove of cottonwoods surrounding a stream, and beginning to hear and see birds. It was the only habitat of its kind in the extensive area we had been in, so we were especially eager to explore it. During the trip through DIA with the police, we were pellmelling down ravel roads in back of them, and only able to get a cursory look at the birds, but did see sparrows, Mourning Doves, Rock Pigeons, and red-tails.
At the edge of the grove and a do not enter sign mashed into the dirt, on 104th and one-quarter west of Imboden St., there was a flock of thirty Lark Buntings scattered along the roadside. Periodically, they burst up into the air, then settled back down. Each time they swirled into higher, wider arcs, and gathered more buntings into their group so that by the time we left, there were more than fifty. Good Birding! Nancy Hatch Denver --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Colorado County Birding: http://www.coloradocountybirding.com/ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.as/group/cobirds?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
