Greetings All,
Yesterday morning I started at Prewitt Reservoir, getting there before the holiday-crowd had much chance to disturb the shorebird habitat. There was a fair diversity of shorebirds, but not huge numbers, and naught of real interest. Nonetheless, the shorebirds were as follows 1 Semi Plover 79 Killdeer 5 American Avocet 1 Spotted Sandpiper 10 Solitary Sandpiper (all of the buff-spotted western race, cinnomomeus - pls forgive any misspelling!) 2 Greater Yellowlegs 2 Semi Sands 9 Western Sands 11 Least Sands 55 Baird's Sands 15 Stilt Sandpipers 1 Wilson's Phal 1 Wilson's Snipe There were also about 15 mid-size terns, all but one Forster's, the other being a Common. Several of the Forster's were in head-molt, providing a very Common Tern like appearance. Though I managed to get to Prewitt before folks were out and about, a strong north wind was also out and about. I suspect that the recent front "blew" a number of migrants south without depositing much... or perhaps stuff was just hunkered down. Species-wise, I had little of interest, though a MacGillivray's Warbler is verging on rare that far east (and let me tell you, I thought of Mourning and Connecticut). Least Fly and 2 American Redstarts might be of modest interest. I had both eastern and western Willow Flycatchers. Though I've seen intermediate birds in CO in past, these birds were towards extreme ends of phenotype of both tyepes. The Eastern Willow had longer primary extension, markedly contrasting tertial edges, greener back. Unlike Alder, the head lacked green hues, there was no eyering, and the bird gave a crested appearance throughout observation period. The Western Willow just looked dull. Little contrast in wings, dull gray-brown upperparts. Primary extension was short. Also, I had 2 BG Gnatcatchers. Various other bird-nerds, with much more CO experience, have told me that it is uncertain whether gnatsnatchers in NE CO are of the western race (which is expanding its range rapidly) or of the eastern race. These two birds looked quite different. One was quite white beneath, the other more uniform gray overall. This plumage difference does not seem helpful, however, using written or photo sources. However, the bird that was white beneath called, and it called like an "eastern" BG Gnatcatcher. I went to Akron Golf Course next, just s. of the town of Akron. There were lots of sparrowoids there, including a migrant Cassin's Sparrow and a Dickcissel. There were also 3 American Redstarts present (that is 3 of 5 warblers total, the others being singleton Wilson's and Yellow). There was also a Least Flycatcher here. Finally, on my way home, I stopped at the Weld CR 59 Ponds, where there were nearly 50 Lesser Yellowlegs, a couple RN Phalaropes and a singing (one time, but full song) molting male Bobolink. Cheers, Steve Mlodinow Longmont, CO -- 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.
