In late July and early August our temperatures had become quite mild –almost below normal I think for that time of year. They stayed there so long that weather reporters had begun saying that we might not see any more 90º days for the rest of Summer. My wife and I joked that somehow all of a sudden, meteorologists could now predict the weather not just weeks, but even months out! Even we knew that was ridiculous to say at the time, and sure enough we are back into the mid-to-upper 90's again. In fact is is just darn right HOT because the dew points are also again very high. I had to get to the park earlier in the day if I wanted to go at all but didn't make it there until about 9:30 am. I was surprised with the high heat to see as many birds as I did today. My total list included; Red-bellied Woodpecker, Gray Catbird, House Wren, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Blue Jay, American Crow, American Goldfinch, Least Flycatcher, Hummingbird, Great Blue Heron, Great Crested Flycatcher, White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Wood Duck, and my favorite bird of the day –a Belted Kingfisher! Some of the first birds I noticed on the south side were both male and female Common Yellowthroat.
They were busy picking about in the mucky shoreline of a little swampy area and calling back and forth. It took me a while to get close enough for a photo or two and this male looks like he was working up a sweat trying to catch that little bug. My second photo to post for the day is also a Warbler –the American Redstart.
These birds seem to have been quiet for a while but I'm starting to hear and see them again lately. I believe they are early to leave in the fall so it's possible they are becoming active again, gearing up for migration. This one was busy singing loudly above me just outside the paved trail on the north side. The last bird I wanted to share today is a bird I just don't see too often at the park. They're not so uncommon in our area and in fact you could probably see one just about any day up at the Coon Rapids Dam, but it is rare for me to see them at Palmer Lake Park for some reason. I first noticed him while standing on the footbridge over Shingle Creek on the north side.
From a perch on the creek bank, he dove right into the water, came up and flopped around a bit before gaining flight again. I'm assuming that whatever fish he was after he may have missed because he came back to another perch and just sat there for a bit. I've always wanted to get a better photo of one of these birds so I hiked along the creek, wading waist deep in sticky and prickly weeds, getting bitten by all sorts of bugs in the process. I sat and waited along the shoreline for a while but never saw him again.
So I found a snow-free area along the ditch and just sat for a while enjoying the birds. Many Robins tend to "over-winter" here at Palmer Lake, so it's not unusual to see them this early. I caught a photo of this one right after it had a drink. Later on my hike I came to an area where Great Horned Owls nested (unsuccessfully) last year. I pulled up my binoculars and sure enough the female was using the same spot. I cannot divulge exactly where this is, as word about roosting or nesting owls spreads like wildfire and can attract photographers who might visit repeatedly and potentially stress the owl. 
In fact I wasn't even going to post this image, but I feel it tells an interesting phenology lesson, AND I want readers to be able to appreciate the park for the good habitat it offers some bird species. Great Horned Owls are the first birds to nest –as early as late January. Besides, the people who stalk owls likely already know about this location anyways :( Later as I was heading north, I heard the unmistakeable call of a Belted Kingfisher! I could hardly believe my ears, until I saw the bird fly over Shingle Creek to a new perch. Belted Kingfishers may also "over-winter" wherever they can find open water but this is the earliest by far I have ever spotted one in the area. 
Typically I wont see one here along the creek until late summer. I took a long distance photo for documentation and then attempted to get closer but was horribly unsuccessful. I could hear the bird periodically and it always sounded hundreds of feet ahead of me and eventually I lost track of it as I hiked the trail connecting to Brookdale Park. Here in Brookdale Park I spent some time watching the Mallards, and even saw a pair engaging in courting behavior of "head bobbing" as they faced each other. The pair eventually copulated which also surprised me to see so early in the year. Apparently Spring is on the way!
