Addendum to my prior post: I will admit to a lot of trepidation when posting about a new species that is uncommon to rare for Boulder Co. A search on BirdsEye shows a TRUS sighting at the Rawhide plant 26 days ago and the pair seen in Debeque Canyon near Grand Junction earlier this week. I don't believe these are the domestic swans typically seen across the road at Swede Lakes either (and I think those are Tundra's?). So please let me know if I made made much ado about nothing.
Jay Hutchins Longmont CO On Saturday, October 24, 2020 at 12:07:57 PM UTC-6 [email protected] wrote: > All: > > had a big surprise this at 7:35 am this morning at Lagerman Res in Boulder > Co: 26 Long Billed Dowitchers and 3 Trumpeter Swans. I realize there have > been many sightings of swans there, usually a pair of Tundra's seen at > Swede Lakes, just across the road to the North. Here's my write up from my > checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S75307213 > > Was really surprised to see them, seen at approx 7:35 am. 3 very large, > all white swans in the middle of the reservoir. Have a passing familiarity > with TRUS vs TUSW as I've spent some time in the PAC NW for work and have > seen both. These were absolutely massive birds, dwarfed nearby CAGO's. Got > a good look at the biils: large, straight, smooth, and all black. Not > concave and "lumpy" like a TUSW bill. Was reminiscent of the way a > Canvasback bill is "strong" compared to the shape (not color) of a Redhead > bill. Black bill morphed into a black mask that went to the eyes. Image > search now that I'm home confirms that the eyes were part of the black mask > and did not stand out and appear isolated as TUSW eyes are. They swam to > the south side spit, opposite the shelter, and 2of 3 were on shore and > showed black legs & feet. Random observation also was they have very > bulbous knees. By the time I walked to the spillway on the south side they > had departed, so may still be in Boulder Co (or nearby). > > > > Keep your eyes out for them, maybe they'll stick around with the weather > turning for the worse tonight. > > Also had 2 Red-tails, 2 Balds, 2 Golden's, a Ferrug and a Northern > Harrier. FOS birds were a Hooded Merganser (displaying his full crest) and > an American Tree Sparrow. Dipped on the Sagebrush Sparrow. And for the > record: 22 degrees and a slight breeze makes for a very chilly morning. > > Jay Hutchins > 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 view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/8ada982b-a608-456b-862b-6efe4dbcf438n%40googlegroups.com.
