Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Return to Cherry Creek Reservoir

October 29, 2007

I received a call from Bill Cryder about a strange gull at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County). I detoured my birding trip to Julesburg and headed over.

We watched a small gull in the eastern center of the lake of course, for about an hour. The bird fitted the description of a Bonaparte's Gull or Ross's Gull. The primaries looked fairly light and accounting for any shadows from the afternoon sun, they could have been pale gray like a Ross's Gull. From the distance we were observing, we could not see any contrast between the wings and back. However, after 55 minutes the bird finally took off and we observed a Bonaparte's Gull flying away toward the southwest marina.

Later, we drove over to the Lake Loop and found the Red-throated Loon about 100 yards off the northwest corner. Three Common Loons were in close proximity. Also seen were many Western Grebes (no Clark's Grebes), many Horned Grebe, Eared Grebes, a couple Pied-billed Grebes, dozens of American Coots, a group of Ruddy Ducks, 2 Common Mergansers, many Ring-billed Gulls and California Gulls.

From the hill overlooking the southwest marina, we could see an adult or 4th year Lesser Black-backed Gull on the sandbar to the north and an adult Great Black-backed Gull standing on the poles outlining the marina area.

We did not find any scoters.

Winds were calm; temperatures in the high 50s. Just to stand under the superb fall sunset and listen to the loons, grebes, coots, and arriving Canada Geese makes the trek worthwhile! What a bonus the loons add to the trip!

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