Snowy, cold ride, but so many birds! We topped 150 species for the green year!

 

 17 April 2021

Before the crazy and fun of the birding, please consider a pledge or donation support the Joe Roller Memorial Research Grant! Click the link (scroll to the bottom). Thank you!
https://cobirds.org/CFO/Grants/

Green Big Year species list: 152 (as of Apr 17)
Miles ridden: 746 miles (as of Apr 17)
# of rides with a frozen water bottle and broken shifter: 1 
# of dropped water bottles at stop lights: 1
2021 Joe Roller Memorial Green Big Year Species List

Now on with the fun!

With recent snows, my daughter’s soccer game this morning had been cancelled. I touched base with a few friends about joining me at Chatfield State Park, which is that place I might as well set up camp in (and stash some tripods for later use)! A Black Phoebe had been refound and a Burrowing Owl was found the day before in the same place I was looking for one just three days earlier.

It was flat out cold, but the roads were ok, so why not, right?

It’s cold. It’s probably 30 degrees F when I depart at 830am. Roads are wet. Some spots are a little icy. But overall the roads were fine and it was about freezing, so we’re all good. I get to Chatfield and touch base with friends. There’s a couple places I want to check for target species. A nice bonus bird would be Loggerhead Shrike, which was found clear on the other side of the reservoir, of course. I meet up with Joey Negreann on the way. I ride while he drives next to me and we chat and plan birding. It kind of felt like a slow rolling professional bike race when team cars come up next to you and hand off food and drink. However, he didn’t even have a cup of coffee or a donut to pass me. We stop and discuss the birding plan. I opt to go for the shrike right away since they are notorious for vanishing. I’m riding along looking on the top of every rabbitbrush hoping to see a shrike-like blob. I wasn’t quite to the spot where the shrike had been seen and BINGO! I spot it. I get some digibin photos and my friends come up all warm and cozy in their cars. I may or may not see another Loggerhead Shrike this year, so this is a GREAT start to the morning.

Digibin Loggerhead Shrike!
https://ebird.org/checklist/S85739558

I think I was doing a selfie with the shrike, and failed,
but whatever, I was half frozen, but happy (although I don't look it).

Long story, but I learned a lesson or two about what to do with my bike when I have to huff it down a long muddy path. Anyway, while scanning the mudflats of the South Platte River delta, we pick up Solitary Sandpiper, a gorgeous Bonaparte’s Gull, and lots of Mountain Bluebirds and a couple Western Bluebirds.

My buddy Steve Stachowiak calls and says that he refound the Black Phoebe. The bird isn’t far. I clean up my bike enough and roll on. The bird is right where he said it was. I heard it calling before I saw it along the river bank, and then it took off south. I never saw it again. Luckily Kathy Dunning, Joey Negreann and Joey Kellner saw it. Reed Gorner was there as well for the excitement.  Black Phoebe was Green Year bird 150!!! And I missed the photo opp. Oh well.

While we were all chatting briefly, Reed points out Joe Roller’s favorite bird: Peregrine Falcon! I kept just missing them in different places, but knew I’d find one eventually. #151! Thanks Reed! Nice to check that bird off the list!

https://ebird.org/checklist/S85759880

The weather had warmed up to a balmy 33F or so, and we go on to the prairie dog town to see if the Burrowing Owl had decided to show. I didn’t hear the text from Kathy, but I roll up and it was there! Woo hoo!! I get a couple digiscope shots on her scope, and I break out the homemade chocolate chip cookies that I brought just in case we got the bird. I scarf them down. I won’t lie, I was fairly happy no one else took up my offer of a cookie. 😊 Burrowing Owl was #152 and one I may not get a decent shot at again!  What a sweep of both main target birds (phoebe and the owl) and pick up of some bonus birds!  

Burrowing Owl!

https://ebird.org/checklist/S85739479

It's easy to forget to stop and take in the scenery, esp. when it's cold. 

I’m already running late to get home, so I start huffing it home on my heavy back up bike. I get halfway home and it starts snowing or sleeting. It was freezing precipitation anyway. The rest of the weekend involved “resting” and just being dad. That 3 hour tour really wore me out!

Thanks for reading.
Scott