I headed out east of Fort Collins yesterday. Crom Lake on Weld CR31 is frozen. A small contingent of mixed Cackling and Canada Geese slept/stood on the ice.
Crow Valley Campground was still open for vehicles but was very slow birdwise. I suppose the incessant winds suppressed detection somewhat but I was only able to find 12 species in CVCG and Briggsdale combined! Best bird was a Hairy Woodpecker in the campground that I didn't see. I didn't walk way out north of the Group Area gate due to the winds coming from that direction. Jackson Reservoir is full of waterfowl. I had a total of 46 species including some of the peripheral county roads. Highlights were a Harris's Sparrow feeding with a Chipping Sparrow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, a couple White-crowned Sparrows and juncos on a sand bar below a bridge over a ditch at the north end of the north access road to the res (roughly just s of where n-s Morgan CR4 bends e-w and becomes CC Road). On the res I had all three mergansers, a couple for-sure Greater Scaup just off the boat launch ramp north of the west side VC. A loon seen from the north beach disappeared forever when I moved my scope for a better light angle. It was big, so assume it was a Common, but it held its bill distinctly upward like a Yellow-billed does at times. Drat. Could not find any scoters or unusual gulls. I did not work the trees along the west side, since the light was fading. A Gray Catbird was near the houses in the southwest corner and an adult Northern Shrike was on a wire overlooking wetlands along the county road that goes west from the west entrance to the Park and connects with CR2. Straight north of Jackson Res on Weld CR105 between SR14 and the Morgan county line (where 105 becomes Morgan Road 4) were dozens, if not hundreds, of Lapland Longspurs mixed in with big flocks of Horned Larks, mostly working wheat fields where the snow had been blown clean exposing brown earth. Dave Leatherman Fort Collins -- 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 view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CY4PR0601MB360341BEB448859A94C88C67C17C0%40CY4PR0601MB3603.namprd06.prod.outlook.com.
