I checked 3 reservoirs in Boulder County this morning. McIntosh and Lagerman Reservoirs had expected species in low numbers. The highlight was 4 Bonaparte's Gulls at McIntosh. I could not find the Long-tailed Duck at Lagerman.
Sixmile Reservoir (the private lake south of Boulder Reservoir) had a very active feeding group of gulls, mergansers, and goldeneyes, including a pale gull that looked perfect for first-year ICELAND GULL, according to the typical criteria for identification. In general, this one is a uniformly pale, dark-billed gull that is smaller than a Herring Gull and larger than a Ring-billed Gull. Sixmile Reservoir can be viewed from inside the gates (currently open 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, birders and others allowed access) on the south side of Boulder Reservoir. The problem is that views are mostly toward the south, and lighting is harsh unless it is cloudy or the bird of interest happens to be at a unusually favorable viewing angle. The Iceland Gull left before I did, perhaps in a group of mergansers and gulls that flew to Boulder Reservoir, or perhaps to one of the other local lakes. David Dowell Longmont, CO -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/105cac47-42f7-40d7-85d2-6eaf1bd86e11%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
