RE: [cobirds] Possible Heron Rookery-Douglas Co-Parker

This morning I ran past the location Jean talked about in her e-mail earlier this week.   I would like to confirm that this is an active Great Blue Heron rookery.  There were 20 birds in the trees noted in her email.   There were pairs standing on 8 nests and the other birds were standing on tree branches near the nests.  I did not have binoculars because I was running but it was very obvious when one knows where to look.  I run here every Sunday morning and will enjoy monitoring the activity.

 

I also have the good fortune of having a Red-tailed Hawk nest across the street from my home in Parker.  It is high in a tree in a green space that backs up to my neighbors' home.  I'm hoping I won't get arrested as a peeping tom as I have my spotting scope set up in the living room and from the street it appears to be aimed directly at their house.    Not really, it's watching the female on the nest and the male standing guard duty nearby.

 

Pam Munroe

Parker,

Douglas County, CO

 

From: cobirds@googlegroups.com [mailto:cobirds@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of stevenson.jean@comcast.net
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 4:56 PM
To: CObirds
Subject: [cobirds] Possible Heron Rookery-Douglas Co-Parker

 

Lat 39 33 02 N

Long 104 47 00 W

At approx. 3:00PM, this afternoon, March 26, I observed at least ten Great Blue Herons perching in tall cottonwood trees and taking off soaring in circles, then returning to the trees.  I did not see any nest building activity, but there were potential nests (small collections of sticks) all around. Maybe they were simply on a migration rest stop? The trees are in a fenced "Wildlife Conservation Area" along Cherry Creek, just north of a small duck pond which is visible to the north from westbound E-470 between Parker Rd and Jordan Rd, north of the center of Parker CO. I was on the Cherry Creek bike path where I ride frequently, so I plan to check this out again in a couple of days. I had my binoculars because I was scanning for owl and hawk nests which I did not find.  I did see a hawk, likely Red tailed, standing on the edge of a nest high in a cottonwood tree west of Cherry Creek and just south of the greenhouses at Tagawa Gardens.

Other birds seen between Arapahoe Rd and Lincoln Ave:  Belted Kingfisher, Killdeer, Mourning Doves, Robins, Red winged Blackbirds, Northern Flickers, Canada Geese, Crows, Coots, Gadwalls,Lesser Scaups, Mallards

Also the bugs were out hitting me in the face.  Spring is definitely here.

 

Jean Stevenson

Aurora CO

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