Brant, Lake Beckwith

[David Chartier]

I was at Lake Beckwith in Colorado City today between 1:00 and 3:00, but no Brant.  Took a look at fields in the vicinity, but no geese in the fields.

David Chartier

Colorado Springs, CO

[Gloria Nikolai]

Hello all,

I had a few hours to meander away while I was waiting for my car to get fixed today, so I spent 4 hours wandering about Fountain Creek Nature Center and the trail area in the snow and cold (Colorado Springs). A thorough perusal of the area around mile marker 18 failed to turn up either the Winter Wren or Chestnut-sided Warbler (not to say they aren't there) but I was rewarded with a large group of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, many Bushtits, Black-capped Chickadees, and at least 4 Brown Creepers. Woodpeckers were well represented today with Downy, Hairy and Northern Flickers. Some of the smaller ponds are frozen but the expected ducks were all present.

Many large groups of Canada geese were flying south (I used estimates of groups going over and submitted over 600 to ebird); lakes up north must be freezing with this cold spell. My favorite bird of the day was a Hermit Thrush hanging out south of mile marker 18 by the open water.

Happy birding,

Gloria Nikolai

El Paso County