Highlights of today's trip out on the plains east of Fort Collins: Weld CR 31 just north of SR 14 Swainson's Hawk (1 dark phase) FOS
Crom Lake (Weld CR31 s of CR90) Bonaparte's Gull (1 first winter) eating what appeared to be adult midges all around the shore of the water east of CR31, FOS Wilson's Snipe (1) FOS Lesser Yellowlegs (1) Greater Yellowlegs (2) Wood Duck (1 female) Vesper Sparrow (1) FOS Cackling Goose (still several dozen present) lots of other common species Weld CR100 at Coal Creek Ferruginous Hawk (pair on a nest) due south of the creek crossing (this might be a gettable pair for tourists in search of this target species) Weld CR100 w of CR57 Burrowing Owl (1) finally, FOS Weld CR 57/CR100 Loggerhead Shrike (2) FOS, watched one totally consume a small, long-tailed rodent (baby deer mouse, silky pocket-mouse, what?) American Tree Sparrow (1) LOS?, down along the water east of the intersection in what is known as Norma's Grove - this is a fairly late bird not much else of interest GR96 between Weld CR69 and 77 Chestnut-collared Longspur (at least 5) McCown's Longspur (several) [I continue to be impressed by the multi-species grasshopper population along this road!] Jackson Reservoir (Logan County) Red-breasted Merganser (1 pair) Townsend's Solitaire (few) Bonaparte's Gull (at least one adult, way out from the west shore) Bald Eagle (1 subadult) Great-tailed Grackle (1) Yellow-headed Blackbird (at least 6) Western Grebe (1 whole individual) Total of 38 species, but basically very lackluster (I don't have a scope at present, so was unable to check waterfowl far out on the lake. It was my distinct impression there weren't very many, anyway. Be advised, the water level is high, so no shore, to speak of. Also there is heavy activity all around Jackson by a company named Dawson Geophysical, laying out seismic cables across the dirt roads and into the prairie in search of gas and oil - can't be good, can it?) Dave Leatherman Fort Collins --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Join us at the 2009 Convention in Alamosa: http://cfo-link.org/convention/index.php You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.as/group/cobirds?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
