COBirders, Nine of us wandered around Bonny State Park and Hale Ponds today for approximately six hours before heading south to Burlington and on over to Flagler SWA. We started at Foster's Grove where there were not lots of birds but some nice quality birds. The rarest of the bunch being a female PINE GROSBEAK! The bird was right in the campground picking away at seeds from multiple species of tree. We also had brief looks at a pair of NORTHERN CARDINALs as they flew by us and buried themselves deep in the thickets not to be seen or heard again. As usual there were a few RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS around and "eastern race" WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES. Approximately 700 white geese flew over in multiple groups. There ended up being about 1000 white geese on the lake with probably a 100 to 1 ratio of Snow Geese to Ross's Geese. On the water there were mostly just the regular suspects with maybe two exception at least 4 male RED-BREASTED MERGANSERs and a couple GREATER SCAUP. There were also many CACKLING GEESE and ~500 RING-BILLEd GULLs and as far as we could see only 1 HERRING GULL. NORTHERN PINTAILs were in huge numbers, easily into the 1000s. 150 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, 1 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT and we counted at least 91 SANDHILL CRANES flying over and then later heard another group. We also found another Northern Cardinal on the south side of the reservoir. Not much around the bunkhouse but a flock of juncos that included a "CASSIAR" JUNCO. There was also a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE in the junipers. There were many Solitaires around and different locations. On the way to Hale Ponds there was a MERLIN in a stand of trees which ended up being one of very few birds that we saw once going east of the reservoir. There was a SONG SPARROW trying very hard to be a Swamp Sparrow by call but certainly could not pass the looks part of the trick. We also had a total of 32 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDs at various locations, 2 BLACK-BILLED MAGPIEs in Kit Carson County which have been very tough to find out there for a number of years (west nile, drought????) and at least 5 LONG-EARED OWLs at one location where the whole group was able to get very good looks at one very cooperative bird. We also had 3 CABBAGE WHITE butterflies all in CO and 1 MORNING CLOAK that was just over the fence line in KS. When I first rolled into Burlington early this morning I checked the stand of trees that is right by the Phillips 66 on the east end of town and it held 2 roosting adult NORTHERN GOSHAWKS!! Certainly not something I was expecting. I only viewed these birds from the road as this is private property and you must ask for permission before entering the stand of trees. It was a great day, great birds and great company. Hopefully I did not forget too much. Good birding.
----- Mark Peterson Colorado Springs --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
