Saturday, March 28, 2009

Jumbo Reservoir

March 22, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Allyson Marceau and I spent the night on the west side of Denver. We woke up to snow and wet roads. The plan was to search for American Three-toed Woodpeckers in Pike National Forest. However we though the snowy trails and wet habitat would not be all that inviting for us or the woodpeckers.

Instead we headed northeast 180 miles to Jumbo Reservoir and a chance at the juvenile Black-legged Kittiwake. When we arrived at Jumbo Reservoir winds were 40+ mph with gusts to 58 mph. Waves were stronger and higher than I had ever seen there.

With the help of Cole Wild the Black-legged Kittiwake was found trying to fight the winds at the southeast corner of the lake. We watched the Kittiwake for 30 minutes and then continued around the reservoir.

Few additional gulls were found. We did add at least one each Ring-billed, Herring, and California Gulls to our day list.

Quite a few ducks were holding their own in the rough waves. The previously reported male Barrow's Goldeneye was west of the dam. Also seen were: Redheads, Canvasbacks, Mallards, Gadwalls, Northern Pintail Ducks, American Wigeons, Northern Shovelers, Common Goldeneyes, Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaups, Buffleheads, Hooded Mergansers, Common Mergansers, and Green-winged Teal.

One Tree Swallow turned out to be our only swallow sighting. Winds definitely kept down the number of birds we could find.

Our plan was to continue west to Pawnee National Grasslands for a search of longspurs. When we reached Sterling the general prediction was that the area could be hit with 4-6 inches of snow. We turned southwest and returned to Denver.

No comments: