“Birds Coffee Donuts Volume 2” - The sequel ride featuring new bird sightings, different primo coffee stops, and other donuts.
Route
Links:
Description
- Distance: 76 miles
- Surface: 51% unpaved
- Elevation Gain: ???
Mile Notes
| Mile | Marker | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | Arrive 7:45a, Rolling at 8:00a | 🛤️ GRAVEL | No coffee yet 😢 |
| 9.5 | Highway Xing (Bridge Closed) | 🚵 SINGLETRACK | Leaving Rocky Flats, entering Westminster Hills Open Space |
| 10.6 | Mower Reservoir | 🦅 BIRDS | |
| 13.1 | Eagle Blind | 🦅 BIRDS | |
| 17.4 | Lamar’s Donuts | 🍩 DONUTS | |
| 20.6 | Standley Lake Southside Waterfront | 🦅 BIRDS | |
| 28.9 | Farmers and Croke Canals Trail | 🛤️ GRAVEL | |
| 33.2 | Majestic View Park | 🦅 BIRDS | |
| 36.6 | Sweet Bloom Coffee | ☕ COFFEE | Start Little Dry Creek Trail |
| 44.7 | Clear Creek Trail | 🦅 BIRDS | |
| 46.9 | Ralston Creek Trail | 🦅 BIRDS | Forks from Clear Creek Trail |
| 60.5 | The Bluegrass in Old Town Arvada | 🍽️ FOODS | Continue Ralston Creek Trail |
| 60.6 | Blunn Resorvoir and Tucker Lakes | 🦅 BIRDS | |
| 67.4 | Freedom Street | 🍽️ FOODS | |
| Candelas | |||
| Rocky Flats | 🦅 BIRDS | ||
| 76.3 | End/Fin Regular Route | ||
| ~100 | Optional Century w/ Dirty Bismarck |
Bird Bingo
BCD II — Birding Guide by Segment
1. Rocky Flats / Plainview Start (High Prairie Edge)
Habitat: Mixed shortgrass prairie, yucca flats, and rocky breaks Best window: Early morning / late afternoon
Look for:
- Raptors: Swainson’s, red-tailed, and ferruginous hawks; occasional golden eagle
- Songbirds: Western meadowlark, horned lark, vesper sparrow
- Other: Say’s phoebe near structures; prairie dogs = raptor indicator
Listen for: Lark ascending calls, meadowlark flute phrases, distant hawk screams
2. Westminster Hills Open Space
Habitat: Rolling prairie with scrubby draws and dog-disturbed patches Best window: Early morning before traffic
Look for:
- Lark sparrow, Brewer’s blackbird, killdeer on open flats
- Kestrel hovering, northern harrier coursing low
- Migrants: Savannah sparrow, pipit in spring/fall
Listen for: Blackbird chatter, meadowlark song, towhee “chuk” notes in shrubs
3. Standley Lake (North, East, and South Shores)
Habitat: Open water, cattail wetlands, shoreline trees Best window: 7–10 a.m. or evening calm
Look for:
- Waterfowl: Ruddy duck, gadwall, teal, bufflehead, grebes
- Waders: Great blue heron, snowy egret
- Raptors: Bald eagle (often perched near Eagle Blind), osprey (spring/summer)
- Songbirds: Red-winged and yellow-headed blackbirds, cliff swallows
Listen for: “Konk-a-ree” blackbirds, grebe chatter, coot grunts, eagle whistles
4. Church Ditch / Eagle Blind Spur (North Standley Wildlife Zone)
Habitat: Shallow wetland with reedbeds and cottonwoods Best window: Morning calm
Look for:
- Bald eagles on snags across inlet
- Coots, pied-billed grebes, white pelicans
- Marsh wrens, red-winged blackbirds nesting in reeds
Listen for: Marsh wren trills, red-wing chatter, juvenile eagle calls
5. Clear Creek → Ralston Creek Corridor
Habitat: Cottonwood-lined riparian greenway with shaded trail Best window: 9–11 a.m. or 4–6 p.m.
Look for:
- Residents: Chickadee, downy woodpecker, flicker, robin
- Migrants: Yellow-rumped warbler, orange-crowned warbler, western wood-pewee, kingfisher
- Water species: Mallards, teal, herons
Listen for: Kingfisher rattles, flicker “kek-kek-kek,” towhee “drink-your-tea”
6. Blunn Reservoir & Leyden Area
Habitat: Reservoir edge, grass slopes, open water Best window: Mid-morning or late afternoon
Look for:
- White pelican, cormorant, great blue heron, ducks
- Cliff swallows under dam faces
- Raptors over Leyden hill (red-tail, Cooper’s hawk)
Listen for: Pelican wing flaps, meadowlarks, magpie squawks
7. Candelas Ridge / Leyden Rock Foothills
Habitat: Shrub–prairie transition, wind-swept slopes Best window: Afternoon thermals
Look for:
- Red-tailed hawk, golden eagle, turkey vulture, raven
- Western and mountain bluebird (in winter)
- Magpie, spotted towhee
Listen for: Raven croaks, magpie chatter, bluebird warbles
8. Return Corridor to Rocky Flats
Habitat: Open prairie (similar to start) Best window: 4–6 p.m. golden hour
Look for:
- Raptors hunting low, meadowlarks singing
- Blackbird flocks heading to roost
Listen for: Evening meadowlark chorus, prairie wind, distant coyotes
TL;DR – Segment Summary
| Segment | Dominant Birds |
|---|---|
| Rocky Flats | Hawks, larks, meadowlarks |
| Westminster Hills | Sparrows, kestrels |
| Standley Lake / Eagle Blind | Eagles, ducks, blackbirds |
| Clear & Ralston Creeks | Warblers, chickadees, kingfishers |
| Blunn & Leyden | Pelicans, herons, ducks |
| Candelas Ridge | Raptors, ravens, bluebirds |
| Return / Rocky Flats | Hawks, meadowlarks |
Original Bird Art
AI-generated bird illustrations from the bingo cards:
| Birds | Also Birds |
|---|---|
 Red-winged Blackbird |
 Great Blue Heron |
 Swainson’s Hawk |
 Killdeer |
 Black-billed Magpie |
 American Kestrel |
 Mourning Dove |
 Double-crested Cormorant |
 Red-tailed Hawk |
 Northern Harrier |
 Prairie Falcon |
 Canada Goose |
 Mallard |
 American Crow |
 Northern Flicker |
 Common Grackle |
Printable Bingo Card
Refresh the page to get a new randomized card: