Hello, Birders. Some odds and ends from around northeastern Boulder County, early yesterday morning, Sunday, March 4th:
1. Along the St. Vrain River east of US-287. Not much, birdwise, but it was cool to get caught in a staring contest between a coyote and a most cooperative American mink. Back to the birds: 2 or 3 loudly singing American Dippers, and, truly, not much else to report. An oldtimer's lament: Remember when the habitat was great in there, with wintering Palm Warblers and White-winged Doves and whatnot? Alas, now it's been all trashed, I mean, greened, or enhanced, or restored, or whatever they did to it. Oh well. 2. Jim Hamm Nature Study Area. 1 Killdeer migrating over. Also a singing Horned Lark and 2 singing Western Meadowlarks. And a Bald Eagle flying in from verboten Union Reservoir. 3. Panama Reservoir. Loaded with birds. I was greeted by 18 Bald Eagles perched in the dead trees on the south shore. Also 1 Snow Goose with the many Canada Geese. Many ducks, including several small groups of Northern Pintails, at least 475 Common Mergansers, and 1 Red-breasted Merganser. Gulls were numerous, too, and the main flock was conveniently on the near (north) shore; a pale first-cycle Thayer's Gull was nice. Finally, I note that a White-crowned Sparrow was at the end of its first plumage cycle, with many of the contour feathers already first-alternate. 4. Little Gaynor Lake. 1 Northern Harrier, and a great throng of white-cheeked geese. One looked to be a Taverner's Cackling Goose, and 1 had characters of Dusky Canada Goose. Quick! Get the phone! Where's Mlodinow when you need him?? 5. Municipality of Lafayette Aquatic Purification & Filtration Facility. 131 Common Mergansers, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, and 1 molting Horned Grebe. 6. Prince Lake No. 2. Not much, but nice to see 5 Pink Ring-billed Gulls and 2 HOT PINK Ring-billed Gulls amid 60-70 "normal" Ring-billed Gulls. And more Common Mergansers. Seems as though Common Mergansers are very much on the move right now. 7. Erie Reservoir. Terrible glare and Aythya ducks. 8. Prince Lake No. 1. Looked birdless as I drove past. Ted Floyd [email protected] Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado -- 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.
