On this chilly, autumn morning, with a full moon balanced on the foothills to our west, I went down to South Platte Park, hoping to encounter fall migrants. The early morning chill had brought out the songbirds, flitting and twittering among the shrubs and trees, but all was relatively quiet on the lakes and river.
During my one hour visit, I did observe two flocks of blue-winged teal, passing overhead, a handful of pied-billed grebes and a pair of Wilson's warblers, down from the mountains. That was the extent of the autumn migration, a tide that has not yet gained momentum. I did see plenty of permanent and some summer residents, including an osprey, a great horned owl, gray catbirds, double-crested cormorants and wood ducks, but the migrants have been slow to appear.
Nevertheless, it was a pleasant walk around Eaglewatch Lake. I got my exercise, enjoyed the fresh, cool air and appreciated the company of the resident wildlife. The migrants will turn up soon enough.
Addendum: My ongoing search for migrants was rewarded early this afternoon, when a flock of 5 sandhill cranes circled southward above our Littleton farm.
During my one hour visit, I did observe two flocks of blue-winged teal, passing overhead, a handful of pied-billed grebes and a pair of Wilson's warblers, down from the mountains. That was the extent of the autumn migration, a tide that has not yet gained momentum. I did see plenty of permanent and some summer residents, including an osprey, a great horned owl, gray catbirds, double-crested cormorants and wood ducks, but the migrants have been slow to appear.
Nevertheless, it was a pleasant walk around Eaglewatch Lake. I got my exercise, enjoyed the fresh, cool air and appreciated the company of the resident wildlife. The migrants will turn up soon enough.
Addendum: My ongoing search for migrants was rewarded early this afternoon, when a flock of 5 sandhill cranes circled southward above our Littleton farm.
