Nick What are the boundaries of the southside park? Can you walk all the way around the reservoir on shore? If not, where are the boundaries for us, if you know?
Thanks Gary Lefko, Nunn hhtp://coloradobirder.ning.com/ On Oct 5, 11:42 am, "Nick Komar" <[email protected]> wrote: > At about 8:15 am I viewed a small number of shorebirds along the northeast > shore of Timnath Reservoir. I viewed the birds through a 60x Kowa telescope > with the rising sun almost directly behind me, so the birds were in excellent > light. The distance was great (perhaps 0.3 mi.) but there were no heat waves. > I identified a Baird’s Sandpiper, 2 Killdeer, 3 Sanderlings and a mystery > bird (possible Ruff in adult female or immature plumage). The mystery bird > was close to the sanderlings, and was noted to be larger (approximately > Killdeer-sized), slightly dumpier than the Sanderlings, browner on the > upperparts, buffier (or pale brown) on the throat and chest, with slightly > longer and thicker yellowish legs. The bill was similar in size and shape > (slight decurve) to that of the Sanderlings. I only viewed it briefly, giving > a chance to Brad Biggerstaff to also view it through the telescope. After > about 2-3 minutes of viewing, it flew by itself to the right, and I never > could refind it, in spite of later walking out onto the mudflats to get a > closer and more complete view of the shorebirds. Prior to attempting to get > closer, I thoroughly searched the visible shoreline and mudflats and found > the following: > Greater Yellowlegs – 1 > Lesser Yellowlegs – 1 > American Avocet – 9 > Long-billed Dowitcher – 35 > Stiilt Sandpiper – 2 > Baird’s Sandpiper – 6 > Least Sandpiper – 2 > Killdeer – 30 > Semipalmated Plover – 1 > > The water is very low, and the mudflats are extensive. Prior to walking out > on the flats, I was joined by Katrina Stowasser, her friend Megan, and > eventually Cole Wild. Even after walking a ways out towards the shoreline > (hoping to refind the possible Ruff within photography range), we never got > close enough to the shore to identify the closest birds using only > binoculars. A powerful telescope is definitely required here. At one point a > large flock of shorebirds took flight (mostly dowitchers from the far shore > of the northeast inlet) and flew out of sight to the north. These birds left > the northeast inlet entirely. I don’t believe our birding group flushed these > birds as the nearby peeps and Killdeer stayed put, as well as a sizeable > group of Ring-billed Gulls on the close shore. These birds may have been > spooked by a kestrel or a harrier that were hanging around. Perhaps the > possible ruff was with them, because I could never refind the bird in the > northeast inlet in spite of searching for about an hour. > > Update: At 11:30 am, Cole WIld called to say he spotted a bird that matches > my description (he described it as slightly larger than Killdeer, which would > be right for Ruff), viewed at a great distance from the park on the west > side. He could see most of the field marks I described above. The bird was in > the same location where it was originally spotted. He is headed back to the > northeast corner to hopefully refind it closer. Hopefully someone with a > powerful camera can get out there and document this bird and confirm its > identity as a Ruff. > > Nick Komar > Fort Collins 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.
