I set my alarm for 4 am yesterday (5/18), planning and prepared to head out early to Elbert. But when I woke up to a steady rain, my intentions washed away...back to bed. I did have a male *Rose-breasted Grosbeak* singing across the street from my house early in the day, which I'd have missed if I was in Elbert, so that was a consolation. Then after the rain let up at mid-morning I visited a few spots in JeffCo.
Hildebrand Ranch had a vocal/interacting pair of *Peregrine Falcons*, and *Least*, *Hammond's*, *Dusky* and *Cordilleran* flycatchers, plus a singing *Brown Thrasher*. Flooded grasslands at Chatfield to the SW of the S end of the reservoir had 2 male *Bobolinks* and 1 *Lark Bunting*. In addition to the golden-voiced *Blue-winged Warbler*, Welchester Grant Tree Park had two Type 2 *Red Crossbills*, 3 *Dusky Flycatchers*, 4 *Clay-colored Sparrows*, and a goodly number of Western migrants. Belmar Park had a *Virginia Rail*, hordes of swallows (estimated 420 *Cliffs* led in numbers), and more *Clay-coloreds*. Three *Avocets* were wading around in the lake. Do they nest there? Seeing a nice break in the rain, I ended up traveling to southern Elbert County in the afternoon, after all. Big Sandy Creek near Simla had an *Ovenbird *and *Northern Parula*. CR 149 south of Matheson had *Bobolink*, *Red-headed Woodpecker*, *Northern Waterthrush*, *Summer Tanager* and *Orchard Oriole*. County Road 197 south-southeast of Matheson had a fly over *Upland Sandpiper* going north, 2 *McCown's Longspurs*, *Hooded*, *Nashville* and *Palm Warblers*. Today (5/19) a female *Rose-breasted Grosbeak* visted my feeders in Ken Caryl Valley, JeffCo, but no sign of yesterday's male. On 5/17 there was a *Northern Waterthrush* at a tiny pond on the grounds of St. Mary Church, Littleton, Arapahoe, and five Type 2 *Red Crossbills* flew over. David Suddjian Littleton, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAGj6RoqanTM4Spa4aesJXc08Ph0voG7QtnHLXFou8rO81u%2ByUQ%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
