Windy Gap Res., Grand County 30 October
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Derek Hill
Oct 31, 2016, 8:25:50 PM10/31/16
to Colorado Birds
COBirds,
Made a quick stop yesterday (somewhere between 4-5 pm) at Windy Gap Reservoir in Grand County, just west of the town of Granby at the intersection of US-40 and 125. Just a brief stop with the family to make time before dark, but the lake was quite birdy. Hundreds of ducks of decent variety, a fair number of Canada/Cackler type Geese, and a few pelicans. Zero Larids, jaeger type birds, or shorebirds. Highlight for me was picking out a dark 'female goldeneye' distant bird, and when I finally got the scope set up and trained in her direction, a handsome male surfaced right next to her. Counted 5 Barrow's Goldeneye total but there certainly could have been more. Was hoping for a scoter but in a brief/incomplete scan I could not detect one.
I've stopped at this lake (again, briefly) a small handful of times in the last 2-3 years and there are always a few things. This was my first stop with a scope and I wish it weren't so brief because it was birdier than usual. Certainly worth stopping if you're passing through the area. Could turn up some goodies.
Canada/Cackling Goose - a few dozen, didn't see any obvious Cacklers, but didn't bother trying
Gadwall - dozens+
American Wigeon - a couple/few dozen
Mallard - couple dozen
?Northern Shoveler - one possible distant bird in brief binoc scan, but didn't see any when I set up the scope
Redhead - 20
Ring-necked Duck - dozens+
scaup sp. - dozens, didn't bother focusing on scaup but thought I had a nice Greater head shape on one close bird
Barrow's Goldeneye - 5 (3 male, 2 female) in what I'd guess to be the middle of the lake
(zero Common Goldeneye detected)
(didn't see any loons)
(zero grebes)
American White Pelican - 5
American Coot - 5
Happy Halloween!
Derek Hill
Fort Collins
king...@yahoo.com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/26102738@N07/
Made a quick stop yesterday (somewhere between 4-5 pm) at Windy Gap Reservoir in Grand County, just west of the town of Granby at the intersection of US-40 and 125. Just a brief stop with the family to make time before dark, but the lake was quite birdy. Hundreds of ducks of decent variety, a fair number of Canada/Cackler type Geese, and a few pelicans. Zero Larids, jaeger type birds, or shorebirds. Highlight for me was picking out a dark 'female goldeneye' distant bird, and when I finally got the scope set up and trained in her direction, a handsome male surfaced right next to her. Counted 5 Barrow's Goldeneye total but there certainly could have been more. Was hoping for a scoter but in a brief/incomplete scan I could not detect one.
I've stopped at this lake (again, briefly) a small handful of times in the last 2-3 years and there are always a few things. This was my first stop with a scope and I wish it weren't so brief because it was birdier than usual. Certainly worth stopping if you're passing through the area. Could turn up some goodies.
Canada/Cackling Goose - a few dozen, didn't see any obvious Cacklers, but didn't bother trying
Gadwall - dozens+
American Wigeon - a couple/few dozen
Mallard - couple dozen
?Northern Shoveler - one possible distant bird in brief binoc scan, but didn't see any when I set up the scope
Redhead - 20
Ring-necked Duck - dozens+
scaup sp. - dozens, didn't bother focusing on scaup but thought I had a nice Greater head shape on one close bird
Barrow's Goldeneye - 5 (3 male, 2 female) in what I'd guess to be the middle of the lake
(zero Common Goldeneye detected)
(didn't see any loons)
(zero grebes)
American White Pelican - 5
American Coot - 5
Happy Halloween!
Derek Hill
Fort Collins
king...@yahoo.com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/26102738@N07/
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