Granted a reprieve from our wintery spring weather, I decided to visit South Platte Park, a greenbelt of ponds, meadows and riparian woodlands along the South Platte River. Like our weather over the past week, a mix of winter and spring was evident across that riverside preserve.
Many winter ducks, including buffleheads, lesser scaup and green-winged teal had yet to depart for the north, joining permanent residents such as mallards, gadwall, shovelers, common mergansers and wood ducks on the river and ponds. They were also accompanied by a number of summer residents that now grace the valley; among this group were double-crested cormorants, western grebes, cinnamon teal and tree swallows. Lesser yellowlegs, common migrants in Colorado, were also seen, feeding along the sandy shores.
As in most parts of our country, mid-April is a time of transition, when the signs of winter fade from the landscape and the greenery of spring begins to accelerate. Unfortunately, due to our recent cold, snowy weather, the leafing of shrubs and trees is well behind schedule and one wonders if our summer birds, arriving from wintering grounds in warm, southern climes, take notice of the barren woodlands.
