Today I saw a report on eBird about a sighting of this species on Saturday afternoon,
-- two days ago, but did not find it during a two-hour search Monday afternoon. Present were two Black-crowned Night-herons and three Snowy Egrets.
Spoiler alert: The rest of this report is barely worth reading.
Vanderbilt Lake and Park are near my residence, so I went down to check it
out. Not unexpectedly, the critter was not found. It was either elsewhere or inconspicuous, with lots of places to hide in cattails and mature willows. I circumambulated the small water body three times.
It is a novel venue for me, tucked into a zone of building material supply houses AND conveniently located near Rome's Saloon (Bud Lite, $2.50 a pint during happy hour). I was not happy, so I did
not party in session.
This lake is near the intersection of W. Mississippi Ave. and S. Santa Fe Drive.
Coming from the north, go south on S. Santa Fe Dr. and peel off to the right at its junction with S. Platte River Dr. (This is also known as the Canaan Highway, and indeed I felt that I was in the land promised to hold the YCNH).
Take a right on W. Mississippi Ave. and turn right (north) on any of the next three streets, Fox, Galapago or Huron, and one block north you will see the park. I suggest parking on West Tennessee on the south side of Vanderbilt Park. Off street and perhaps safer parking is at the north end of the park, near the ball field, just a short walk away.
If arriving on S. Sante Fe from the south, turn left at the light at Mississippi, take a quick right
and drive one block to the park.
Fortunately for nature, this park as a distinctly "un-manicured" appearance. (In fact, if it WAS manicured, I suggest it find a new salon). As such, the shore is lined with willows, cottonwoods, etc.,
with only a few scattered places where the needy birder can reach the shore to scan for herons.
After parking, I discovered a sodden hobo camp. After walking around the lake three times, a more accurate description would be a hobo camp "in the round." I felt safe here in broad daylight, but
if returning during the crepuscular time of day, when night-herons seem to be more active, why not
take a friend or 6 and feel even safer?
I also checked out lakes near here to the south, and the raging S. Platte River, with no luck.
IF you have read this far and go birding at this sweet spot, please let CObirds know right away if you find the target bird. This would be the first Denver County record, if accepted by the CBRC, according to the checklist on the CFO County Birding Website.
Joe Roller,
Denver
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