Drove down to John Martin Reservoir Monday and camped out. Nice afternoon, but snow on the ground. Hoping to see some Bald Eagles. No BE's there. Lots of Owl hoots during the night. About dawn I woke up to the strangest sound. Like a huge hissing noise. I thought the dam was breaking or something. Then I realize it was a cacophony of geese chatter up over the dam on the res. Maybe ten minutes later, wave after wave of Snow Geese flew over. Just amazing. Waves of them! Isn't it amazing how they talk to each other about they going to do? "Hey, Jake, let's go over to that field over by Las Animas. Whday think, fellow gooses?'" Scoping Lake Hasty in the AM saw quite a few Hooded Mergansers and Golden Eye, and a nice size fish flopping out next to a hole in the ice???
Stopped by Bent's Old Fort. Had never really stopped there. Cool place. Got to talking to a local who shows up most days dressed in old garb. Said he'd seen BE's over at Holbrook Res. I drove over there and sure enough there was a BE out on the ice with flocks of CG, Gulls and assorted ducks. Grabbed the long glass and started hiking thru the brush hoping to get close enough for a good shot. It was gone when I got in position. Saw it way up high sailing around. Lit in a tree by the dike, but again gone when I got over there. Driving back to the highway I spotted another BE sitting in a tree along the river, but a good piece off on private property. On the drive home back up 71 - gorgeous views of the Spanish Peaks, Pike's Peak, and the Front Range - saw lots of hawks. Many scattered before I could stop and get the glasses out, but dark Red Tails for the most part. Waves of Horned Larks south of Karval. Bill -- William Bond -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds". 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.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en Visit the CFO Website at: www.cfo-link.org