[cobirds] Poudre River in Fort Collins n and s of Prospect Rd (Larimer) on 5/3

I birded on both sides of Prospect along the west side of the Poudre River today from 8:45am to 2:15pm.  I went as far as a mile north of Prospect within Riverbend/Cattail Chorus Natural Areas first, then as far south as the s end of the entry road into the Environmental Learning Center, mostly being within Prospect Ponds NA.

It was cold and resembled early to mid-April tree phenology-wise.  Boxelders are flowering, male cottonwoods mostly spent, with female cottonwoods coming into full flower.  Not a lot of migrant activity but a little bit.  The Poudre River is not in good shape, mostly due to black runoff and slurry from the 2020-2021 fires.  It does not appear to be supporting a lot of aquatic insect life or fish.  With all the dead trees in the riparian area, many of which are falling down, natural brush piles are commonplace.  That is to say, the world is coming the way of House Wrens that like jumble.  But mostly everything looks dry and "dumbed down" due to more and more social trails, mountain bike impacts, non-native vegetation and drought.  The recent rain is most welcome.

Best bird was a Cassin's Vireo near the far se corner of the former Sharp Point Drive feedlot.  This place is for sale and was left in a royal mess.  Hopefully the City can purchase it, clean it up and add it to Prospect Ponds NA.

                           

 

Had one Swainson's Thrush, which actually seems a bit early.  Altogether saw maybe 20 yellow-rumps but couldn't make any of them into something more unusual.  Saw a couple small groups of Chipping Sparrows, had one Clay-colored Sparrow and two Spotted Towhees.  All normal swallows except for Cliff were working the pond e of the ELC entry road (we need to give that pond a name).  The ditch between the ELC and the water treatment plant had Wood Ducks and Blue-winged Teal.  An Osprey was eating a huge carp atop a pole by the entrance to the water treatment plant off Environmental Drive.

Counting both sides of Prospect, had a total of right at 50 species, but basically pretty lackluster.  Expected Bullock's Oriole, Orange-crowned Warbler, maybe an empid but no luck.  In the northern Front Range in spring we have to be patient after reading about all the cool stuff to the south.

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins