Marston, Denver Co, Common Redpoll

[Scott Somershoe]

I chased the reported Red-throated Loon at Marston with Doug Faulkner. We found no red-throated, but 6 common loons.  Not 10 sec after Doug showed up, a COMMON REDPOLL flew over calling! I had been listening to calls in prep for trying to find one. Maybe it'll be a good year for them in the metro! Green Big Year bird #273. Then I picked out a young Ross's Goose amongst the hordes of Cackling for #274.

The redpoll flew east and we didn't relocate it.

Yesterday, at Chatfield, I had 3 Pacific loons (all in Douglas County). Not much else on the water. I did see a NORTHERN SHRIKE trying to take down a Downy Woodpecker! That was AWESOME!  At the N Boat Ramp, I flushed a Lapland Longspur, which called several times as it flew south and didn't appear to come back (Green BYB #272).

Good green birding,

Scott Somershoe

Littleton CO