Last Few Days - Larimer, Weld and Adams County

[Cathy Sheeter]

I had unknowingly joined in the Long-Spur-A-Paloosa on 4/16. I had to make a trip to Loveland on that day and stopped at Boyd Lake State Park.  I had never birded this park and the snow was of great assistance with well over 100 mtn bluebirds feeding on the side of the roads.  I also had a fly-over of 2 Long-Billed Curlew and 2 Marbled Godwit (not sure where they were headed or came from),  a nice sighting of a Merlin, and a very cooperative McCown's Longspur that let me get SUPER photos.  On down the road toward home in Weld County I had Kildeer in abundance, too many Horned Larks to count, 2 Chestnut Collars and 14 more McCown's and an annoying ammount of traffic that prevented me from looking through many of the flocks!  No Lapland's that I could find.

 

Yesterday around Firsestone in a short hour of 'car birding' I had a late Rough Legged Hawk and two late Rufous Morph Red-Tailed Hawks.  I've had a Harlan's up to last week too.  These guys better get going!

 

Today I headed to Adams County.  Veterans Park (pretty much off of Hwy 7 and Hwy 85) was an area I had seen a few reports from but never birded.  I had 6 Yellow-Rumped Warblers (3 Audubon, 1 Myrtle, 2 Intergrade), 1 Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, 3 Hermit Thrush (one which posed for fabulous photos), and a Mexican Duck.  The ducks on the river where very flighty but I got a good clear look at this fellow briefly on the shore and better in flight!  He is sporting a nice olive-green bill (among all the other typical Mexi-duck traits).  I had a good assortment of other common bird species for 54 total species at this location in about 1 1/2 hour birding session. (ebird list: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13797074)

 

Barr Lake was PACKED with Nothern Shoveler in the thousands.  I had 18 Wilson's Phalarope along the shore and also out in the water.  Juncos, though not hugely abundant (about 25 total), came in every possible variety (Oregon, Pink Sided, Slate, Cassiar, White-Wing, and Gray Headed ALL present).  Had my FOS Chipping Sparrows here.  A good mix of other common land and water birds for a total of 66 species over two hours time.  (ebird list: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13796983)

 

Good Birding!

 

Cathy Sheeter

Fort Lupton, CO