Denver's Riverside Cemetery was a lively place on Sunday as they invited the public in as part of the Doors Open Denver event. One non-birding event of great interest was a base ball game played with pre-1864 rules by the Denver Blue Stockings and the Central City Stars of the Colorado Vintage Base Ball Association. The cemetery also hosted several tours with various foci, such as a Sights and Symbolism of Riverside, The Women of Riverside, etc. Now on to the birds. The cemetery borders the Platte River in an old industrial area and has some old trees that invite habitation. Magpies, European Starlings, Pigeons and Collared Doves abound, as would be expected in this locale. But there's a lot more to see if you give the place a chance to reveal itself. Of greatest interest to me were the half-dozen FOS Tree Swallows flying around as Cub Scout Pack 216 from Wesminster prepared their nest boxes for another season. In the pond and marsh by the river were a few Canada Geese and Mallards joined by over a dozen each Green-winged Teal and Gadwalls. An Osprey circled above the river. Fighting the wind came a funeral (how appropriate!) of about 12 Turkey Vultures, heading north. A Red-tailed Hawk and a Cooper's Hawk soared high above. Resident American Kestrels were out and about, perhaps investigating nest sites in some of the old trees. Many Red-winged Blackbirds crowded into the bushes above the marshes, chattering and arguing. Robins galore. No Turkeys were seen but there's plenty of evidence of their presence. The cemetery is at 5201 Brighton Boulevard just down the tracks from the oil refineries at Commerce City. Not in the prettiest neighborhood but well worth a second look. Keep Smilin', Kevin Corwin Arapahoe County west Centennial - Denver suburb
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