I spent the afternoon visiting several lakes in southeast Larimer County. Lots of birds everywhere. Notably, the following:
Lake Loveland (from Northwest shore) – 5 species of gulls including plenty of Franklin’s Gulls, 7+ Bonaparte’s Gulls, a Herring Gull. One breeding plumage Ring-billed Gull was adorned with pink body feathers where normally they are white. Not just on the breast, but the entire underparts and the entire head. Horseshoe Lake (from west side neighborhood) – 6 species of gulls including 4 Bonaparte’s Gulls, and 4 subadult Lesser Black-backed Gulls (2 first-cycle, 1 second-cycle and 1 4th cycle with a black ring around its yellow bill). Also 1 American Avocet, 100 American White Pelicans. Fossil Creek Reservoir (from viewing platform nearest the parking lot, joined by Cole Wild and Cade Cropper hereafter) – 10 Bonaparte’s Gulls, dozens of Horned Grebes in various stages of molt into alternate plumage (great close range photo opportunities), 1 female Greater Scaup, hundreds of Lesser Scaup and other ducks. Active Great Blue Heron nesting colony. Kechter Pit Wetland (from west side, on CR 9) – 3 Cinnamon Teal, another active Great Blue Heron nesting colony. Timnath Reservoir (viewed mostly from west side public park) – Caspian Tern, Lesser Black-backed Gull (1st cycle), Thayer’s Gull (3rd cycle), Barrow’s Goldeneye (adult female), 3 American Avocet, hundreds of ducks and grebes of many species, 100 American White Pelicans, 400 Double-crested Cormorants, 50+ Yellow-headed Blackbirds. I will post some photos (mainly gulls) later this weekend at www.pbase.com/quetzal. Nick Komar Fort Collins 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. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
