Yep. Birding during COVID times. The new world of not knowing about tomorrow, what virus you may have that's keeping you coughing and tired, what the world will look like in a few months. And the stay-at-home-as-much-as-possible.
I've got lots of good stuff walkable from my front door: Morrison Rez, Red Rocks, Bear Creak Lake State Park. And spring migration is just kicking in...
Cormorants, song sparrows, a resident red-tailed, blue herons at BCL... a new great horned nest, high in the Cottonwood above the first parking lot, the pair having taken up residence in last year's red tailed's nest. Good spot-- easy to see the kitty cat ears even from the road while driving east to the lake. And then a bonus-- a shadow swept over me on my walk back from the lake two days ago, in the morning sun-- a Cooper's-- not going far, as it turns out, breaking, sorting, and adding twigs to her nest just 15 feet above the trail. Will be a nice one to come back and check on.
A week prior: three mountain bluebirds at. Soda Lake-- east/ past the boating area near the rocks on the north side. Good stuff-- best blue of the winter. One guy solo, another pair a bit back west in the tree, easy in each other's company.
Yesterday the temp dropped-- from misty and wet in the a.m. to colder in the afternoon. I was antsy as hell from all the E-teaching, sitting at the table with my laptop, grading work and answering student questions, helping Clemmie with her math and other projects.
Took off for Main Rez-- a 10minute drive into the burbs, something I'm not doing much of, but allowing myself here and there. All outside, not many people out because of the cold, snow coming in, giving each other 6+ feet on our respective walks...
Worth the trip, for sure. First, beyond the usual, some Killdeers along the muddy edges (water is down). A few fisherman here and there... Next, a lone Horned Grebe, doing lots of diving by herself, keeping an eye on me it seemed, but then working her way back south as I walked the same way along the shore. White neck, grey body, brownish head. Thin neck. Great diver...
And then... two Western Wood Pewees in the rocks, casando para insectos, as I traveled back towards the Starbucks (still be visiting, primarily via drive-thru). Brown with white wingbars, blackish head. Not 100%, but couldn't find any other close matches. (it's described as typically grey-- these two had a nice brown going, along with the blackish head). But the feeding behavior matched up, and I could find any other possible matches, so yeah! The first pewees of the year.
Sun coming back out today. Maybe a jaunt over to Wheat Ridge Green Belt. Chatfield tomorrow with a friend-- look for that Golden, as well as Balds, and see what waders have showed up at the south end of the lake, as well as what changes with the soon-to-increase water levels--
