Re: [cobirds] Bear Creek/So.Platte Confluence - South Metro Birding

Thank you for this helpful post. Posts calling our attention to interesting Birding opportunities are very much appreciated. Sharing of info and birding  knowledge is a great use for CoBirds. While eBird presents the data and the bird alerts, it doesn't give the story about birding a place, usually. 

David Suddjian

CoBirds moderator

Littleton CO

Sent from my iPhone

On May 4, 2022, at 10:44 PM, Doug Ward <dougward@frontier.com> wrote:



This post is more of a promotion of a decent south central (Denver) Metro area birding spot than about any specific bird… but did have a load (10 species) of sparrows there this afternoon (Weds., 4 May '22).  The area in question is around the confluence of Bear Creek and the South Platte River along the Mary Carter Greenway in Sheridan (Arapahoe Co., CO); named Bear Creek Confluence Park Hotspot in eBird.  It is a stretch of the South Platte that splits the Broken Tree Golf Course between Hampton and Oxford; I usually park on the north end in the nearby River Point shopping center.  This spot is fast becoming one of my favorite "stop and check while out doing errands" places, and today it was hopping, literally.

 

The highlight today was the variety of sparrows present, ten (10) species in all including a beaut of an adult HARRIS'S SPARROW.  An added treat was the fact that every single species was singing, including the Harris's, making for both a good refresher course and also a just plain cheerful walk.  In addition, a surprising (to me) GRAY FLYCATCHER as my first Empid of the year (fairly classic individual – lanky, plain grayish overall, long, narrow bill with pinkish lower mandible, and constant downward tail wag).

 

So after your next Costco run down that way, make some time for a walk along the river being sure to check the willow covered gravel bars - think something really good will turn up here one of these days.

 

Good Birding,

Doug

Denver

 

4 May 2022  South Platte River / Bear Creek Confluence area, Sheridan, Arapahoe Co., CO

Canada Goose – 10

Wood Duck – 1m

Blue-winged Teal – 8

Northern Shoveler – 2

Gadwall – 4

Mallard – 12

Common Merganser – 1f

Pied-billed Grebe – 1

Mourning Dove – 5

Killdeer – 3

Spotted Sandpiper – 2

Double-crested Cormorant – 2

Snowy Egret – 1

Black-crowned Night-Heron – 2

White-faced Ibis – 18 (flying down river)

Swainson's Hawk – 1

Belted Kingfisher – 1

Downy Woodpecker – 1

Northern Flicker – 3 "Red-shafted"

GRAY FLYCATCHER – 1

Say's Phoebe – 1

Black-billed Magpie – 5

American Crow – 2

Black-capped Chickadee – 6

Northern Rough-winged Swallow – 20

Tree Swallow – 6

Violet-green Swallow – 50

Barn Swallow – 10

Cliff Swallow – 15

House Wren – 3

European Starling – 10

American Robin – 10

House Finch – 8

Chipping Sparrow – 2

Clay-colored Sparrow – 3

Brewer's Sparrow – 20

Lark Sparrow – 10

White-crowned Sparrow – 20 "Gambel's"

-          1 "dark lored"

HARRIS'S SPARROW – 1a

Vesper Sparrow – 10

Savannah Sparrow – 3

Song Sparrow – 2

Green-tailed Towhee – 2

Bullock's Oriole – 1m

Red-winged Blackbird – 10

Brown-headed Cowbird – 1

Common Grackle – 3

Common Yellowthroat – 1m

Yellow-rumped Warbler – 30 "Audubon's"

-          15 "Myrtle"

 

PS – Add the WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and SPOTTED TOWHEEs at home, and yep, lots of sparrow diversity today.

 

 

 

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