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Showing posts from August, 2021

More trips to Chatfield State Park, but BIRDS!!!

23 August 2021 Many of you have probably caught on that I end up at Chatfield State Park a lot. It's true! Chatfield is a great place for birds, especially if you know where and when to bird there. I have recently started just birding there a lot in search of green year birds. I have targets in mind and I need to put in the time to try to find them. I made a couple trips in the last week or so, which has been a lot of fun. Ok, one trip was hot and not birdy at all, but I had some great mornings.   Quick summary: 14 Aug 2021 I rode to the sand spit at sunrise, which can be a hit or miss venture. I lucked out and found a Long-billed Curlew! Amazingly I already have one for the big year. A stunning and fun find regardless! There was also an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull with a juvenile, which is early and odd. Photos of both and audio of the curlew in my list. https://ebird.org/checklist/S93204483 I rolled over to the west side of the park to scan the South Platte Delta from one...

One Big Year nemesis obtained! Canyon Wren!

9 August 2021 I had a friend in town looking to get some year birds, so I got some intel on a couple targets. This involved DRIVING for birds. Weird. But I note it is way easier to drive for birding! One target he had was Canyon Wren. I need that one too for the green bird year! We went to a hogback ridge in Littleton at dawn via recommendation and a male was singing his heart out! That was too easy, but we drove.  The next morning (Aug 10), I left at first light and got there at 5:45 am and he was singing!  I was riding there wondering whether today would be the day he isn't singing and did I get up early for no reason again. There was a bit of dread and uncertainty in my head about this trip. These thoughts cross my mind on nearly every chase trip!  However, I was riding along the shoulder of the road at the hogback and heard him singing!! I opted to stop and enjoy the moment, but could have easily kept riding and just ticked the bird and said good riddance!  This ...

What birds do you still need?

UPDATED: 30 August 2021. Northern Waterthrush #250! UPDATED: 17 Oct 2021. Neotropic Cormorant and Pacific Loon, #264 and 265! UPDATED: 29 Dec 2021. Trumpeter swan was #284. Several folks have asked what do you still need? Do you need this bird or that bird?  I have gotten so many species already ( 247 species as of August 23), so what's left to get? A LOT! I realize no one is following my list nor knows what I still need, so I thought I could provide a needs list for you all to memorize (just kidding). :)  But seriously, below is the list of more possible/probable birds that I can still get this year. T he following list is the Code 1-4's that I can still get. Recall Code 1 are pretty easy birds (I have one left to get), whereas Code 4 (and 5) are rarities or tough to get from my house.  I did not include the Code 5's below as they are all really rare stuff, so if you hear about a mega-rarity around here like Brant, Arctic Tern, Little Gull, Red Knot, Vermilion or Scissor...