Friends Tom and Mary France found 4 unidentified swans last Friday (3/8) in a
little temporary pond along the Little Owl Creek drainage north of Weld CR108
between CR31 and CR33 (basically about 4.5 miles due north of Nunn). Because
of the way US85 angles nw from Nunn, the pond is about 1.5 miles e of this
highway. The pond is owned by Jerry Rouse. I talked to Mrs. Rouse and she
says the pond has no name, so maybe it could be "Rouse Pond" until it dries up?
Gary Lefko reported 10 unidentified swans at this location and then posted an
update from Cole Wild from 3/11 indicating 15 Tundra and 1 Trumpeter. Today I
twice looked over these swans at noon and then 1pm, admittedly from a fairly
long distance with accompanying heat waves, but would call the group of 16 all
Tundra on the basis of many showing yellow lore marks and all appearing to
have the same rounded profile to the interface between the forecrown and upper
bill. Swan ID is tough, to be sure, especially from 100 yards away, but that
would be my report. Regardless of the species mix, 16 swans in one place in CO
is pretty remarkable, particularly since 4 of them have stayed put for at least
5 days (those swans lingering for months in Boulder have to be decoys).
Also seen today during a big loop that went from US 85 at 108 e to 45 n to 122
w to US85 and back to Wellington SWA:
4 Sandhill Cranes at Crom Lake w of Pierce (Weld)
1 Killdeer at Crom Lake w of Pierce
Very few raptors, except for Weld CR27 that runs n-s under the high tension
lines on either side of Weld CR100 (discovered 30+ years ago and put on the map
by a Gyrfalcon, both by Joe Himmel, since adopted by others and dubbed "Raptor
Alley". Along CR27 were kestrels, a Prairie Falcon, a Rough-leg, two
Red-tails, and a Golden Eagle - a paltry list by its standards, but compared to
the rest of the Pawnee, it was well-stocked.
Lapland Longspurs heard while viewing the swans on CR108 e of CR31.
Two flocks numbering about 30 individuals each of Mountain Bluebirds.
I struck out (and froze) waiting for the Short-eared Owl show at Wellington
SWA. At least 5 Northern Harriers were working the same fields where the owls
usually fly at dusk north of the hunter parking lot along Larimer CR64 (aka
Weld CR100 a few miles east). The harriers hunted right up until it was too
dark to make things out. Those two species scream "convergent evolution". I
think it was Dr. Ron Ryder who first mentioned to me Short-ears being at
Wellington SWA, probably in the mid-1970's and I think Harold Holt put it in
that first guide to Colorado Bird-Finding. The fact owls (and harriers) have
persisted at this location all these years is a testament to the Division of
Parks & Wildlife, and to a lesser extent, other groups who have contributed to
its habitat management, like Pheasants Forever. My consolation prizes in lieu
of the owls were a Merlin, a Golden Eagle (probably going to nest in the trees
at Wellington SWA near the intersection of 64 & 3 like they have for many
years), and hearing the breeding song of American Tree Sparrow a few times as a
big group moved thru the rabbitbrush on their way to a roosting spot.
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
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