A long stroll down Dry Lake Trail and Bikeway in Westminster CO. I picked up the trail from Westminster City Park and went to Standley Lake dam, and back again. Here's what I saw:
Double Crested Cormorant: several fly overs, one in Dry Creek fishing
Snowy Egret - several
Mallard - about 20 - all males; no other duck species
American Kestrel - 1 being attacked by a sharp-shinned hawk
Sharp Shinned Hawk - attacking a kestre.
Red-Tailed Hawk - several nesting pairs; being attacked by red-winged blackbirds
Swainson's Hawk - about 4; Several have paired off.
Killdeer - several
Eurasian-Collared Dove - only a few
Mourning Dove - in good numbers. Paired off.
Cliff Swallow - hundreds near Westminster City Park. Probable migratory group.
Barn Swallow - fairly numerous
Northern Rough-Winged Swallow - a few
Belted Kingfisher - several
Northern Flicker - a few
Say's Phoebe - a few
Blue Jay - a few
Black-Billed Magpie - numerous
American Crow - a couple of fly overs
Black-Capped Chickadee - several
Bushtit - a pair
White-Breasted Nuthatch - only a couple
House Wren - 4 seen and heard
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher - 1 foraging in shrubs
American Robin - numerous
European Starling - lots, nesting
Myrtle Warbler - several, foraging and singing
Audubon's Warbler - several - all males
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER - Foraging in willows along the creek. This bird was foraging on the edge of willow thickets, with flycatching behavior and sometimes on the ground. Good looks. It would come out into the open unconcerned with activity along the bike path. And it would stay still for fairly long periods before sallying out to catch insects. Watched for over 30 minutes. From its activity in the same area, I think its going to stay around for a while. Read carefully to find: From where Big Dry Creek passes under Westcliff Parkway on the Big Dry Creek Trail, follow the trail under Westcliff Parkway (bikeway underpass) going south and west towards Standley Lake. Not far from the underpass, you'll see bright green metal railing on the creek side, and a big orange brick retaining wall on the neighborhood side (large gray and white apartments). Look across into the willow thickets from the bike path. You will get good looks from the bike path. DO NOT attempt to enter the cattail or willow area! This will "press" the bird, so stay out. Besides that, its all mud and marsh, and there may be rattlesnakes. (note there were also Myrtle and Audubon's warblers here).
Spotted Towhee - a couple singing.
Clay Colored Sparrow - a couple of small foraging groups
Song Sparrow - numerous
White-Crowned Sparrow - a couple still present
Western Meadowlark - a few singing
Red-Winged Blackbird - numerous. Fights, chases, pummeling other birds.
Common Grackle - very numerous. Males chasing females.
Brown-Headed Cowbird - a couple
House Finch - very numerous
American Goldfinch - a few
Conspicuously Absent: house sparrows and rock doves.
Also seen:
Common Snapping Turtle
Coyote
Fox Squirrel
Black Tailed Prairie Dog
By sign:
Red Fox - tracks
Beaver - chews, dam, beaver hut
Raccoon - tracks
Good luck,
John T (Tumasonis), Broomfield CO
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