Common Loon - Barr Lake - Adams County

[JBreitsch - Denver]

Date:  12 April 2014

Time:  2:00 pm

Location - General:  Barr Lake, Adams county

Location - Specific:  Along the west side of the dam

Weather - Overcast, warm

I had several first of year birds today on a quick trip out to Barr Lake.  I decided to use the access by the RMBO office.  On my way up from the parking lot I had my FOY Barn Swallow, which was attacking an American Kestrel in the air.  Once on the dam walkway, I saw half a dozen Horned Grebes in breeding plumage.  Not far from the grebes was a Common Loon also in breeding plumage.  That was another FOY.  To round it out, I had my first Swainson's Hawks of the year, and there were many of them.  At least two were attacking a Red-tailed Hawk.  You'd think that after a multi-thousand mile journey they'd be tuckered out, but all of these new arrivals are just downright feisty.

Another sign of spring was the increase in big life.  At one point it sounded as if someone was driving a remote control car behind me, but it was just a swarm of bugs looking for trouble.  Throughout my time there I had bugs flying at my eyeballs at a completely uncalled for velocity.  It almost made me not mind when I ate one of them....when it decided to fly into my mouth.  You'd think that I'd be disgusted or horrified by all of this, but all my bird brain kept telling me was how wonderful it was to have all this passerine food back.  I look forward to seeing what the storm brings in tomorrow.

John Breitsch

Denver, Colorado

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