After receiving a message via Eric DeFonso (thank you) that Nick Komar and his
field trip participants had found a Little Gull at Windsor Lake (thank you), I
trusted the Broncos would win without me (they did), and headed out. I hoped
the bird was an adult and would have dark underwings. In actuality, when
finally located, it was something younger than that and its wings in flight
were distinctly darker on the top side than the underside (showed the dark "M"
across the wings and mantle mentioned in most accounts of young Little Gulls).
As seen from the west side, it was closest to the eastern side near the bridge
that spans the outlet/inlet canal (whichever it is). Just out from this bridge
on the east side is a buoy. The bird mostly foraged in a big circle around
this buoy, picking small gizzard shad from the surface. It's usual routine
after spotting a fish was to circle, plunge, then sit on the water and quickly
eat the fish, before resuming flying. I was there from about 2:30 to 4:30pm
and the lighting from the east side looking west was problematic for
photography but I got some decent shots. There is no easy, legal way to get to
the east side short of parking either at the south end of the lake in the
designated parking lot, or the northwest part of the lake in the designated
parking along SR257, and walking a mile or so (distance from either of the two
parking situations about the same) to the bridge on the east side.
If anyone wants to see the photos, email me. I don't have a site. I would
call the bird in transition from juvenile to 1st cycle. Mostly it resembles a
1st cycle, but the lower back is dark like a juvenile. Cool little creature.
Thanks again to Nick and Eric. I did not really check out the other waterfowl,
but as Nick says, there are thousands of birds (no doubt because of those
little food fish).
I should add that the bird settled briefly at last light with 16 Bonaparte's
Gull in the north part of Windsor Lake, then they all headed off to the
northwest (presumably to the Weld County Landfill on SR14 between FC and Ault).
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
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