New Year’s Day was icy cold, but we and the other birders from the Denver Audubon Society chapter were not to be deterred from counting as many birds as we could on that day. It was the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count, an event Jim and I have been involved in almost every year since 1978. If you would like to know more about the Christmas Bird Count, please go here: http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count.
Our territory in the Cherry Creek area included the Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Country Club, Washington Park, Cheeseman Park and the campus of DU. All together we counted 30 species of birds, most of which were Canada geese, crows and robins, but we did score a merlin and a bald eagle, both of which earned bragging rights at the after count dinner. We were treated to sightings of cedar waxwings, downy woodpeckers, house finches and a spotted towhee among other avian friends. Northern shovelers, common goldeneyes, buffleheads and mallards dabbled in the frigid waters of Cherry Creek as we shivered in the north wind. Two chapter members prepared and served a delicious hot lunch in their home, giving the group a chance to warm up before continuing the count in the afternoon. It was a great day! We met a delightful group of bird enthusiasts and got to explore some areas of our neighborhood that were new to us.
Typical of the schizophrenic weather of Denver, temperatures continued to climb for the rest of that week and by Thursday we were biking the Platte River bicycle trail in shorts and shirtsleeves. Here are a few photos of that ride.
Confluence of Cherry Creek and Platte River
Confluence Park
Starbucks at Confluence Park
REI at Confluence Park
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