Prothonotary, Weld County Wanderings, Lower Lathum & BB Draw

[Connie Kogler]

Went up yesterday to see the beautiful Prothonotary. Thanks to the one who found it and for the continued reports! Beautiful life bird #530.

I then headed ENE and as I drove by Black Hollow saw a lovely Bald Eagle nest with eaglets. Norma’s Grove on CR100/57 had Starlings, Mourning Doves, Western Meadowlarks and one Robin. (By the way - didn’t there used to be a cool old rock building up at the end of that road? With diamond shaped windows? It’s gone.) 

Pawnee Bird Tour starting at 104/57, had one Swainson’s Hawk, 1 Prairie Falcon, 1 American Kestrel, a dozen or so Mccown’s Longspurs, plenty of Western Meadowlarks and  Horned Lark and maybe one Chestnut-Collared Longspur.

I did a slow loop d loop drive through Crow Valley - no small passerines noted. Robins, Eurasian Collared Doves and two vans of traveling birders. 

Heading South on CR 79 I saw two Great Horned Owls on nests, turning left on CR 74 because of the ROAD CLOSED signs when I tried to turn right yielded a very nice surprise about a half mile down on the north side - FIVE Long-Billed Curlews in a farm field. 

I stopped at the South Platte River - finding 1 Downy Woodpecker and five Wild Turkeys.

Lower Lathum and BB Draw wasn’t hopping but birds were hanging out. Cinnamon, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teals, Gadwalls, Mallards, a Canada Goose. Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, a bunch of Wilson’s Snipe, Yellow-headed and Red-winged Blackbirds. White Pelicans, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk. 

All in all a most enjoyable day!

Connie Kogler

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