CURLEW SANDPIPER found at Jackson Lake by Ira Sanders Fri afternoon!

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Joe Roller

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Aug 30, 2013, 5:02:33 PM8/30/13
to Colorado Birds
At about 2:30 Ira Sanders called me to report an adult Curlew Sandpiper in the NW corner
of Jackson Reservoir, Lake whatever you call it, in Morgan County. Directions are on the CFO County Birding Website. Park in the westerly of the two State Wildlife Areas on the north shore.

This site is reached by looking at a map and driving east on I-76 to near Wiggins, then drive north on road 39, aka road 5, which becomes 144. Follow 144 as it bends right, then go north on road 5. Follow 5 as it makes somes bends, then at a T, go west on road CC. Do not stay on CC as it bends north,but rather turn left on to road 4 and drive toward the lake. Follow road 4 as it turns west and go to the large parking lot, with a porta potty. No other services. Bring water. Walk west along the shore. The bird will be located where the scopes of many birders lines of sight converge. At the moment, it is just to the south of the NW corner of the water body.

PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO GET CRIPPLING VIEWS OR CRACKING GOOD PHOTOS BY
APPROACHING THIS BIRD TOO CLOSELY. MANY OF US CANNOT GET THERE UNTIL SATURDAY. 

It's age was based on it's reddish color as it molts out of alternate plumage. Doug Kibbe
was there and confirmed the bird. Congrats to Ira for finding this mega-rarity, one of only a  few
seen in Colorado.

For more details, go up there and ask anyone you see with a telescope.
Joe Roller, 
Denver

Ira Sanders

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Aug 30, 2013, 10:14:24 PM8/30/13
to jrol...@gmail.com, Colorado Birds

The Curlew Sandpiper was still there when a group left at 6:30.  It was about the same place I saw it earlier on the west side maybe a 1/4 to 1/3 of the way to the boat ramp in the state park from the SWA in the NW corner.  Park at the parking lot that is furthest west at the SWA.

The bird is chestnut colored and still has most of it's alternate plumage.  When it fly's with the Baird's and phalaropes (lots of Red-necked) it's easy to pick out as a larger all dark shape.

Also there are at least 1 Buff-breasted Sandpiper remaining and I think there are 2 though I never saw both of them together.  One was in the NE corner and the other in the NW corner.

Other shorebirds were:

Sanderling

Baird's

Least Sandpiper

Semi Sandpiper

Western Sandpiper

LB Dowitcher

SB Dowitcher

Avocet

Wilson's Phalarope

Red-necked Phalarope (the numbers increased exponentially as the day progressed)

Black-bellied Plover

Semi Plover

And John Drummond had 5 Mt. Plover.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

 

Ira Sanders

Golden, CO

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