Weld county / Pawnee Highlights

[ronbco]

Yesterday I had a day to enjoy the early summer temps.

Lower Latham: the usuals (stilt, avocets, cin teal and wilsons phalarope) but could not id a red-necked phalarope...sigh...perhaps I am looking for full breeding plumage when the prev seen individuals were not?
But I was surprised to see a common yellow throat.

Grasslands: the grass is beautiful! I did not know it ever got this green, as I usually visit iin April or September. At Crow Valley I tried to convince myself one of the flycatchers was a Cordilleran Flycatcher, but heck, I just don't have the skills to sort our the similar ones.
But I enjoyed a vibrant colored Brown Thrasher. Later I saw another one where I was camping several miles away. In the grasslands there seem to be more Lark Buntings than I have seen in many years (meaning less than a gazillion horned larks). I had lots of good looks at McCowns Longspurs, but saw no Chestnut-collared. Also was glad to see a Golden Eagle.

Oh one more thing. I think I saw an Orchard Oriole at Riverside Park in Evans.

Ron Bolton
Berthoud CO