Yesterday in Weld County: Hudsonian Godwit and Lewis's Woodpecker

[Steven Mlodinow]

Greetings All

Yesterday, Kathy Mihm-Dunning, Jon King, and I birded from Crow Valley to Union Reservoir, finishing our day about 6 pm, soggy and chilled. During the course of the day, we stumbled across 145 species. 

The rarest birds included a gorgeous breeding-plumage HUDSONIAN GODWIT (and a Marbled) near Behren's Reservoir. Go to corner of Weld CR 46 and 41, go N of WCR 41 and look at the big pond on your left about 0.5 miles n of 46. 

Hanging out low (like 2 feet off ground) on telephone poles was a LEWIS'S WOODPECKER at the Firestone Gravel Pits. If one goes to the "north gravel pits" (reached by taking frontage road north over St Vrain River, driving up the modest hill, and parking where road birds sharply to left) there were 2 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS and a SANDERLING

Crow Valley definitely required tall boots. The most unusual birds there were LESSER GOLDFINCH, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, BLACKPOLL WARBLER and GH JUNCO.

At Norma's Grove, there was a GH JUNCO and a GRAY FLYCATCHER

Despite solid rain, Glenmere Park was quite birdy, particularly at the west end, which seems the birdiest spot. Highlights, beyond the still present Bushtits, included NASHVILLE WARBLER, BLACKPOLL WARBLER, 2 TENNESSEE WARBLERS, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and a drenched BW HAWK. There are a few BC Night Herons on the island which seem to be considering breeding.

There were no Ruddy Turnstones that we could uncover at Stewarts' Pond but there was an imm BONAPARTE's GULL and a GREATER SCAUP. 

4 SANDHILL CRANES were again along the s. side of Lower Latham.

A pretty spectacular days under somewhat challenging conditions (at least we didn't have too much wind)

Good Birding

Steve Mlodinow