Hello CO-BIRDS, Liz and I, at long last, found some time to head up to Chatfield Reservoir and search for the Western Gull. With the usual wall to wall weekend recreationists, it took us a couple of hours and two visits (before and after a great dinner at the Damascus Grill in Littleton), but we at last found the bird around 8 PM, just as the sun was nearing the Front Range. The gull looked as if it had every intention of spending the night right where it was, lying on a tractor or truck tire just NE of where the South Platte enters the reservoir (which I believe put it in Douglas County, but only by a rictal bristle).
There may well have been a closer and less obstructed vantage point, but we spotted it from the overlook deck just W (and very slightly N) of the Heronry picnic area. That overlook can be recognized by a lone pine tree that stands just in front of it and an interpretive sign entitled, "The South Platte River: A History of Change." We had to stand on the SW corner of the viewing platform there and look S. Even then, our view was a bit obscured by tree branches. I snapped a couple of pictures through the scope with my iPhone, one of which I posted to my Facebook wall: http://on.fb.me/mGFl87 I'd like to add our voices to the chorus of congratulations to Glenn and of thanks to him and the many others who have kept tabs on this remarkable bird. Good birding, Jeff Jeffrey Gordon President American Birding Association Colorado Springs, CO [email protected] -- 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.
