[cobirds] Big Lake Day redux

Good afternoon, COBirders!

What a fun day walking around Cherry Creek State Park! I'm so grateful for ALL who joined in for all, or part, of the walk:  Quinn, Dwayne, Cinnamon (who came up from CO Sprgs), Colleen, Joey, Ken, and Susan. And, of course, we bumped into a bunch of other birdy people along the way

Quinn, Dwayne, Cinnamon and I started at Tower Loop at 6:30a: temperature - 50º. Quinn and I ended at Tower Loop at 2:45p: temp - 91º. We ran into Joey at the Swim Beach, and again at 12-mile (where he put us onto a Hammond's Flycatcher). Colleen and Susan (dear spouse) joined the merry band at 12-mile. Ken joined in for a while, too, at 12-mile.  Folks peeled off as their schedules (or bodies) demanded.  

The overall route took us south from the Tower Loop, along the lake to Pelican Point, then "overland" (via the Shop Creek Trail, with some bush-whacking) to the 12-mile Trail, continuing south to the bridge over Cherry Creek, and then north along the creek. Onto the Cherry Creek Trail until the Cottonwood Creek Wetlands, then on lakeside trails 'til the Marina. Finishing with the dam trail.

By the numbers (at least for ME . . .):

Logistics:

11.86 miles

8 hrs, 10 mins

Total Birds on the day:  73

Birds (for my lists):

1 Colorado Bird:

Pectoral Sandpiper

8 Arapahoe County Birds:

Pectoral Sandpiper (duh!)

Wilson's Warbler (30+)

Peregrine Falcon

Bairds Sandpiper (2)

Lark Bunting (3)

Hammonds Flycatcher

Rock Wren (4)

Other (semi-)notable birds:

Lincolns Sparrow

Bald Eagle

Forster's Tern

Ruddy Ducks (a cool flock that kept us busy trying to identifying them)

Yellow-headed blackbirds — a bunch at the Swim Beach area

Northern Shoveler

Osprey

Sage Thrasher

Virginia Rail

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

Lark Bunting

Eastern Kingbird

Rock Wren (4)

Savannah Sparrow (4 or so) 

Unfortunate "misses" (since 75 would've been a nice round number):

Townsends Warbler

Spotted Sandpiper

Rock Pigeon (!)

Again, thanks to all who joined me on my "folly"! It was suggested that this become an annual event. I'm game!

Sore legs, and all . . . .

Gary Brower

Unincorporated Arapahoe County