Hey, all. Some odds and ends from these past few days in eastern Boulder Co. All reports from within a proverbial stone's throw of US-287, which runs north–south near the county's eastern border.
Thurs., Oct. 26. Greenlee Wildlife Preserve & Waneka Lake. A flyover *evening grosbeak* and several flyover *red crossbills.* The latter are uncommon in eastern Boulder Co., the former rare. I didn't get audio of either, but I believe the grosbeak was a Type 4 and the crossbills Type 2s. Also that evening, overflying Waneka Lake, a late *Baird sandpiper,* and possibly more than just the one. Fri., Oct. 27. Hecla Pond. 6 *long-billed dowitchers,* a *Wilson snipe *and an* American White Pelican,* 4 *hooded mergansers,* and the last singing orthopteran of the year: an Allard ground cricket, *Allonemobius allardi*. Way up there: 3 *sandhill cranes,* barely visible, but delectably audible. Also up there: *cackling geese* by the hundreds, many of which had put down by mid-afternoon on nearby Waneka Lake. Sat., Oct. 28. McIntosh Lake. I arrived there just as the morning snow squall was intensifying, and a nice little fallout was in progress. Strange for the date were no fewer than 9 *barn swallows.* Shorebirds, apparently disoriented, were flying around the lakeshore—definitely 2 *greater yellowlegs* and 20+ *killdeer,* along with a *Pluvialis* plover that sounded better for American golden-plover than for black-bellied plover; and a *spuh,* heard-only, that I thought might have been a sanderling. FOSes included 3 *horned grebes* and 8 *red-breasted mergansers.* And a dark-morph eastern fox squirrel, *Sciurus niger*, and an *Audubon warbler.* Sat., Oct. 28. Prince Lake No. 2 and adjoining Schofield Open Space. 6 *long-billed dowitchers,* a late *Say phoebe,* a flyover *American pipit,* and gulls. Among the 61 *ring-billed gulls* were an adult *herring gull,* a bit early, and a *Franklin gull,* rather tardy. Or, at least, I think it was a Franklin gull. Genus *Leucophaeus* for sure. If anybody wants to sneak a peek at my eBird checklist and make sure it's just a Frankie, be my guest. Sat., Oct. 28. "Raptor Alley" area around 95th & Lookout. 500+ *cackling geese;* 5 *bald eagles* (all adults) and 2 FOS *ferruginous hawks.* And at a little pond south of 95th & Lookout, 3 drake *hooded mergansers* and an unexpected garamond of 11 *double-crested cormorants,* mostly hatch-years. Sat., Oct. 28. Stearns Lake. The *bald eagles* at their nest. Also a trio of 3 frosty-tailed *American tree sparrows,* FOSes. And in the parking lot cattails, a chatterbox *marsh wren* and 2 *swamp sparrows.* Ted Floyd Lafayette, Boulder 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] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ --- 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/CAGk944fteEv-8YLciPJWWKyFrapzBfDnngcgCZENn7XSZzp8kw%40mail.gmail.com.
