Red-necked Grebe, Park County

[Nathan Pieplow]

Andrew Spencer and I got in some decent birding in Park County before the rain started this morning. The highlight was a breeding-plumaged Red-necked Grebe at Antero Reservoir. We also saw a trio of Hooded Mergansers at Eleven Mile Reservoir.

On the way home we headed north from Woodland Park. In Douglas County we found a large flock of dozens of Evening Grosbeaks -- family groups with adults and lots of begging young. It was really interesting to see how the juvenile plumage of males differs from the juvenile plumage of females -- it was quite easy to tell them apart. Neither of us had ever heard or recorded the begging calls of the species before. Most renditions sound like a lower, softer, finer version of the trill call of adults.

Happy birding,

Nathan Pieplow

Boulder