Hello all! Headed out to find some birds on the plains today. Found 8 pairs of Canvasbacks right off the bat at Wellington SWA. It was a good raptor day. Several Golden Eagles (one on nest), Ferruginous Hawks, Rough- legged Hawks, and Red-tailed Hawks. 2 Great Horned Owls on nest. Also, 2 Prairie Falcons, a Merlin, and many American Kestrels. The treat was a Barn Owl at Crow Valley CG. To echo Lefko, there were Mountain Bluebirds everywhere. They certainly painted the drab with an intense blue that reminds me that it won't be long until the Larkspur will be in bloom! I missed the Laplands unfortunately. But after seeing a gabillion Horned Larks per usual, my eyes needed something easier. Headed back to Fort Collins off of Zeigler Rd. to the ponds by the Lafarge plant. There was a male Barrow's Goldeneye with two females. They were hanging with a male Cinnamon Teal that has been there for a week now, several Redheads, Mallards, Gadwall, Common Mergansers, Ring-neck Ducks, and a lone drake Wood Duck. On a pond very near the ELC, there was a pair of Greater Scaup with several Lesser Scaup. Nice to see some turnover as us northerners are finally experiencing a thaw.
For anyone that is nearby, there have been what I estimate to be about 500 gulls hanging out on a small pond on the dirt road portion of Horsetooth before it turns right into Strauss's Cabin Rd. I don't have a scope and I could only pick out a lone California Gull amidst the Ring-bills. It is definitely worth checking out! Good Birding! Josh Bruening Fort Collins -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds". 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?hl=en Visit the CFO Website at: www.cfo-link.org
