Weld wanderings

[Norm Lewis]

Had a museum group out today, and we managed a few sightings of interest.  We began at Norma's Grove in the rising wind and didn't find much except one warbling vireo.  At Crow Valley we began with a Roller sighting, followed by the previously reported herd of Swainson's thrushes.  We didn't rack up 150 like Steve, but I'd say 75 is realistic.  Couldn't pull a single hermit or gray-cheeked out of the crowd either.  In fact, migrants (of the "moving through" variety) were pretty much absent.  Good looks at Orchard orioles (one of which was hanging on to a treetop twig for dear life as the wind whipped it wildly about.  Can't say much for the bird's judgment.....one warbler species- yellow.  Very few sparrows in areas that are usually thick with them.  The wind?  Maybe.  A turn around Murphy's Pasture produced some great looks at McCown's longspurs (which uncharacteristically almost refused to get off the road in front of us) and nothing else.  Well, quite a few lark buntings.

 

Road 59 Pond had a few of the usual suspects, but things improved greatly at Loloff.  Here there were a few lingering white-rumps along with lots of stilts and avocets, semipalmated and stilt sandpipers. Wilson's and red-necked phals and long-billed dowitchers.  There seem to be a lot of shorebirds hanging around as we approach the first of June.

 

Latham had the usual suspects including a couple of Virginia rails.  Beebe Draw had its own white-rumps and a couple of burrowing owls.  All in all, not a bad day considering conditions.

Norm Lewis

Lakewood, CO