It was time to go back up to Park County this cold day. I looked at the large reservoirs, a few others of lesser size, and some upland habitat along CR 22 (leading to Weston Pass), Pike NF Road 435, and along roads SE of Eleven Mile SP and CR 77 and adjacent roads. There was only a little snow in Park County below 10,500 feet, although all of South Park had a most impressive frost that was like snow on everything but bare ground. Skies were clear most of the day, and winds pleasantly light until late morning when they picked up quite a bit, making birding of my last large reservoir (Eleven Mile) challenging and not so fun. Small lakes were frozen over, but the larger bodies of water just had ice locally along some margins.
Timberline Campground off CR 58 had a female *American Three-toed Woodpecker* quietly working away on a lodgepole pine. A *Rough-legged Hawk* was near Jefferson. CR 22 had three *Am. Tree Sparrows*, a species which seems to be uncommon in Park County, 2 *Gray Jays*, a few *Golden-crowned Kinglets*, and small numbers of both Type 2 and Type 5 *Red Crossbills*. Pike NF Road 435 had about 200 Type 5 *Red Crossbills* in bristlecone pines, and 3 *Pine Grosbeaks*, and more *Gray Jays*. Buffalo Creek Reservoir had 4 *Red-breasted Mergansers* and 2 *Common Loons*. Antero Reservoir had a *Long-tailed Duck* at the northwest margin, a flock of about 190 *Snow Geese* that flew in from the east and looked like they were going to land until a hunter began shooting and off they went, 2 female *Surf Scoters*, 1 *Common Loon*, 1 *Rough-legged Hawk*, 2 *Bald Eagles*, and an estimated total of 19,000 *American Coots*! A *Lapland Longspur* joined a large number of Horned Larks along CR 59 north of Spinney Mountain Reservoir, with a *Merlin* trying its luck with the flock. Highlights at the reservoir itself were 3 *Cackling Geese*, 3 female *Surf Scoters*, 1 each male and female *Black Scoters*, 2 *Barrow’s Goldeneye*, 1 *Red-breasted Merganser*, and an amazing estimated 3,500 *Bufflehead*! Eleven Mile Reservoir had 1 *Surf Scoter*, 8 *Barrow’s Goldeneye*, 1 *Common Loon*, 2 *Lesser Black-backed Gulls*, and a *Bald Eagle*. Stops in Ponderosa dominated forest southeast of Eleven Mile had continued good numbers of Type 2 *Red Crossbills*, some *Evening Grosbeaks*, and 1 adult *Northern Goshawk* (Pike NF Road 393). Stops along CR 77 and adjacent roads had more Type 2 *Red Crossbills*, and Type 5 *Red Crossbills* were numerous along CR 39 north of Tarryall Reservoir (which was still void of waterbirds). A *Northern Shrike* was along CR 77 at 2 miles north of Hwy 24. A *Common Loon* was on a private reservoir north of the “town” of Tarryall. Me, I didn’t tarry at all. David Suddjian, Littleton, 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 cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAGj6RorPyrbg7k81kJD5vz5UH48kd%3D%3DF5bRiifYmaRkQs5MYBg%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
