Kay & I visited the "dry" counties in search of waterfowl this weekend. As always Cheyenne County was frustrating but we had pretty good luck elsewhere. Lincoln CR32 south of Hugo: Kinny Lake - Common Mergansers Farm pond on Rd 2G east of CR32 - 8 species of dabblers and divers Hugo SWA - fishermen Rd 2G east of Hugo SWA - 2 Mountain Plovers and 2 Ferruginous Hawks at a nest Karval Res - Buffleheads Evilsizer Lakes - DRY Shafer Reservoir - Almost dry, 2 Lesser Yellowlegs Cheyenne County: CR2 between Hwy 94 and US40 - 1 Mountain Plover Rd X Pond - DRY Kit Carson Sewer Pond - 4 Blue-Winged Teal East of Kit Carson along US40 - lots of Burrowing Owls Cheyenne Wells Sewer pond - 2 mallards We had only a dozen water birds in all of Cheyenne County this time. Even the ponds east and north of Cheyenne Wells were either dry or desserted. Kit Carson County: Burlington sewer pond - Gadwalls, Shovelers, and Lesser Scaups Seibert Sewer Pond - Buffleheads and 2 Wood Ducks Flagler Res - Double-crested Cormorant Farm Pond next to Flagler res - 7 species dabblers and divers Ponds around Flagler - more of the same 7 species, we looked hard for Burrowing Owls in the area but found no Prairie Dogs and no owls. There were lots of Thirteen lined Ground-Squirrels that probably have burrows too small for the owls. Lincoln County on Sunday Morning: Ponds on Hwy 71 north of Limon - Green-winged Teal and Wigeon that I missed in Lincoln Saturday CR21 Hills - Rock Wren and Mountain Bluebirds Elbert County: Ball Reservoir at Agate and "The" farm pond on Hwy 86 - Both DRY CR166 east of Ridge Road - 2 Burrowing owls Tree Swallows and both bluebirds along Ridge Road There were still two Rough-legged Hawks around and Swainson's Hawks have returned in big numbers. Many first of year birds also. We found many occupied raptor nests, mostly Red-tailed Hawks and three great Horned Owl nests. I guess the lesson to be learned from this trip is that in Cheyenne County, if the roads are passable there is no water or waterbirds. Tom McConnell Glenwood Springs
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