Eastern Meadowlark - Frederick - Saddleback Golf Club

[Cathy Sheeter]

At the Saddleback Golf Club (across the street from the Frederic Rec Area Reservoir near Safeway) I fist heard singing and then saw an Eastern Meadowlark at about 10:30 AM.  I was able to snap off a quick photo which you can see at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aphelionart/8645529361/in/photostream before the bird flew off the fence and into one of the fields.  I, admittedly, have not been exposed to many Eastern Meadowlark having lived in the West my whole life, however when I heard it singing I knew the song was wrong for a Western, so went back to my car and played the song for Eastern and it matched what I had heard.  While I know physical differences between Eastern and Western are pretty minor, this bird does appear to have a mostly white malar stripe, also supporting Eastern.  There was also a Says Phoebe fly catching along the fence, and a myriad of ducks including 2 Blue-Winged and 3 Cinnamon Teal.

 

I did not see the loon or the long-tailed duck at the Reservoir today, but admittedly did not spend an extensive amount of time looking, but I am pretty sure that the loon, at least, is gone from there.

 

Good Birding-

 

Cathy Sheeter

Fort Lupton, CO