Blackbirds... and other birds...

Cherry Creek State Park is a great place to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday (click here to see a previous hike there from a couple of years ago - Mountains and trees). And it’s an even better place for birdwatching… or simply admiring the mountains :)

 

There’s still plenty of dried grass and faded flowers around. Well, it’s only May, so we probably need to wait a few more weeks before everything turns fully green again.

As I mentioned, this is a fantastic place for birdwatching, especially blackbird watching :) Walking along the trail, you can spot dozens of Red-winged blackbirds.

And some of them got really angry at me. Don't ask why - I have no idea, and I didn't say anything to them :)

Unfortunately, I don’t speak blackbird, but I’d love to know what this one was shouting at me :)

Of course, not only small birds can be seen here. Centennial Airport is nearby, so these metal birds were constantly flying overhead, and I couldn’t resist taking a photo or two.

At one point, I watched a pair of blackbirds through the thick foliage of a bush. It wasn’t easy to see them clearly, but it was still possible :)

Another big bird crossed the sky…

Later, I turned toward the wetlands. The trail led me deeper into the woods, and I was excited to see what else I might find there.

Am I the only one who sees a map in this tree? Actually, it even looks pretty close to the shape of the trails nearby :)

Another plane crossed overhead while a small group of deer moved quietly through the woods.

Then came a really nice encounter. A Red-tailed hawk was perched on a branch not far from the trail, and I slowly moved closer for a better look.

But the hawk had other plans and took off before I could get near. It circled above my head for a moment before disappearing behind the thick foliage. Well, I waved goodbye and continued toward the reservoir.

Five minutes later, I reached the water’s edge and… apparently I wasn’t the only one curious about the waterfowl :)

Lunch time!

On the way back, I spotted a woodpecker. The bird didn’t stay on the branch for long and soon landed on a dead tree, where it immediately started drilling a hole.

But it didn’t stay there long either. Another woodpecker appeared, and both birds quickly moved away. Probably they wanted to discuss something important without me overhearing the conversation.

The trail eventually brought me to a slow-flowing creek, and I followed it in hopes of finding my way back to the parking lot.

Logs crossed the creek here and there. It looks like the beavers have been busy around the area ;)

Well done, beavers. Excellent work!

Two hours, plenty of birds, distant mountain views, and a peaceful walk through the woods. It turned out to be an easy and refreshing hike. I guess I’ll have to do it again.

  

Photos taken on May 10, 2026.