end of January

     The big excitement in the neighborhood is a new grocery store that opened in mid-January.  A sleepy strip mall on the corner of Wadsworth had a few cars at the TJ Max clothing store, a few more cars at the fitness center, and a mostly empty parking lot.  Sprouts is a natural foods store with good vegetables, fruits, and a large bulk section.  The  store is very popular, now the parking lot is full and finding an empty space requires much patience.  I wonder if the mattress store is having more business since Sprouts opened.
     My backyard feeders have been quiet, except for the Starlings and the squirrels.  I have suspected the unusually warm weather has allowed birds to find food elsewhere.  Today I found another answer. 

Its hard to attract little birds when there is one of these watching the feeders from a neighbor's tree  !!     (It can have all the Starlings it wants to eat.)

And this morning I was surprised to find a Bald Eagle across the street.




The top photo is a Gadwall, one of the continuing winter ducks in South Platte River.

Around and about

Its been awhile since there has been a serious snowstorm and the mountain roads are clear.  Sunday I drove into the foothills on highway 7 stopping at 2 known locations for winter birds.  It was a pretty blue sky day, cold and windy. 
    A herd of Rocky Mt Sheep was a surprise.

These are not my feeders !!    A Rosy-finch and a Pine Siskin share the feeder with American Goldfinches.   This one Common Redpoll was exciting.   I have not seen Redpolls since Winter 2010 - 2011 in Durham.  

Winter ducks can be found in several places along South Platte River as it runs thru Denver.   Canvasback is the only expected species I have not found yet.  They are reported in the area.  This Ring-necked Duck is looking serious about finding a mate.

Christmas Bird count # 2

       My 2nd count this season was at Barr Lake State Park, a very nice place.  Birders gathered at 7 am just inside the park.  I was assigned to Section 2, the east side of the lake.  Our first stop was a hedgerow of Cedar trees where we flushed 5 Long-eared Owls !!  I was impressed.  We walked from the boat ramp to the Nature Center, watched their feeders for a few minutes, and continued along the trail for another 1.5 miles to an observation platform.          
      Highlights were:  Bald Eagles wintering in numbers (we counted 25),  Common Mergansers that had found a small patch of open water, and a Northern Shrike, singing.  We found the 4 expected Sparrows:  Song, American Tree, House, and White-crowned.  At the Gazebo/ observation platform we found 2 unexpected birds, a Peregrine Falcon and a Say's Phoebe.
      Drama on the ice was observed.  An adult and an immature Eagle were sitting on the ice near a brown lump.  In the 'scope the brown lump became a Canada Goose, either stuck in the ice or sick.  Late in the morning the Eagles had fresh Goose for lunch.
      The total for the entire count circle was 73, considered low because the lake was frozen and there were no ducks to count.  (No ducks for the Peregrine to dine on, either)
      Photos of my feeder birds during Christmas weekend.  The top photo is a Flicker HYBRID, Red-shafted  X Yellow-shafted.  This Flicker below is a typical Red-shafted.  Notice the feeder he is sitting on !!

This sparrow showed up just after the snow stopped falling.  I took these photos through the kitchen window and posted them on the  Facebook page of Denver Field Ornithology. Local experts commented this bird could be a juvenile White-throated Sparrow.  !!!

A Spotted Towhee also came by.