[cobirds] Denver FAll Count - RMArsenal NWR - Adams

On Sunday, Sept. 10 we conducted the 39th annual Fall Count at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. The 96 species fall in the higher end of species counts over the years. Highlights included:

8 or 9 species of flycatchers including a wagging-tail-down-then-up Gray Flycatcher (waiting for a description of one Empidonax).

Six Bushtits seemed surprising, a flock at the First Creek bridge on the Refuge Drive-around.

60 Pied-billed Grebes -- A huge number -- eBird questioned that.

22 Snowy Egrets seemed high.

340 Am. Coots, almost all on Lower Derby.

44 Killdeer.

3 Sage Thrashers -- David Blue took a splendid picture of one on a blooming rabbitbrush.

Only two species of warbler, but a dozen sparrow species (if you include towhees).

And a nice count of 63 Meadowlarks.

 And an Un-bird hightlight: 

        We saw over a dozen Monarch Butterflies, and Lynn Forester found a Monarch caterpillar on a Milkweed. Milkweed seems fairly widespread and the number of Monarchs showed that.The Arsenal, according to Tom Wall, has worked at fostering Monarchs.

Urling & Hugh Kingery
Franktown, CO

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