December 21, 2009
Richard Stevens: Bryan Ehlmann's report on the Aurora Reservoir CBC:
"We held the 4th "annual" Aurora Reservoir Christmas count today. Participants: 9 birders, 5 feeder watchers and one rancher. The circle encompasses the Aurora Airpark, Aurora Reservoir, Quincy Reservoir and Cherry Creek Reservoir.
Highlights:
Aurora Reservoir: 73,602 White-cheeked Geese; mostly Canada Geese at least 20 Cackling Geese (estimate of course, we tried to be conservative) Wave after wave of White-cheeked Geese flew in about 10:00 AM. Fortunately, we already had counted the geese on the lake and Sue watched from the swim beach area while Rebecca counted from the east end of the dam.
2 Greater White-fronted Geese
3 Ross's Geese
11 Snow Geese
Thayer's Gull (adult & 1st cycle)
Mew Gull
Glaucous Gull
Rich Steven took up the task of walking along Quincy Avenue from Gun Club Road to Powhaton Road and into Aurora Reservoir. Ready for Horned Lark count: 7 He did find a Northern Shrike along Quincy and another in the Arapahoe Race Track.
In the morning, Richard and I counted 2,914 White-cheeked Geese (almost all Canada Geese) and 2 American White Pelicans (only of day) at Cherry Creek Reservoir and Jerry Petrosky counted birds away from lake in the afternoon. Jerry found 2 Northern Shrike (one north of the Campgrounds and one east of the shooting range). Jerry also found 3 Virginia Rails, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, one Wilson's Snipe to name a few.
Quincy Reservoir: 119 Canada Geese, a few Common Goldeneyes, a couple of American Coots.
Before sunrise Rich, Gary and I found 2 Short-eared Owls southeast of Aurora Reservoir. The most numerous ducks were Common Goldeneyes. Another Northern Shrike was added at the southeast corner of Aurora Reservoir. When Rich reached the reservoir after his "walk", he found the Glaucous Gull swimming below the northwest corner of the dam. I found the adult Thayer's Gull on the ice at the northeast ice shelf. Sue found the Mew Gull on the ice shelf by the swim beach. Jacob Washburn and Amy Davenport found the 1st cycle Thayer's Gull at mile marker 4.5.
Best places to look for gulls: northeast corner, swim beach, mile marker 4.5 and mile marker 5.5. The reservoir is about 85-90 percent open water. Six Common Mergansers, four Hooded Mergansers and 2 American Coots. Sparrows were scarce with 5 American Tree Sparrow and 2 Song Sparrows.
Quincy Reservoir is completely iced over as is Cherry Creek Reservoir (except for small water hole near southwest marina). Our one rancher reported a Long-eared Owl, which we went over and saw at sunset. Bald Eagles: 2 at Cherry Creek Reservoir and 1 at Aurora Reservoir.
Guess that's it."
Richard Stevens: Bryan Ehlmann's report on the Aurora Reservoir CBC:
"We held the 4th "annual" Aurora Reservoir Christmas count today. Participants: 9 birders, 5 feeder watchers and one rancher. The circle encompasses the Aurora Airpark, Aurora Reservoir, Quincy Reservoir and Cherry Creek Reservoir.
Highlights:
Aurora Reservoir: 73,602 White-cheeked Geese; mostly Canada Geese at least 20 Cackling Geese (estimate of course, we tried to be conservative) Wave after wave of White-cheeked Geese flew in about 10:00 AM. Fortunately, we already had counted the geese on the lake and Sue watched from the swim beach area while Rebecca counted from the east end of the dam.
2 Greater White-fronted Geese
3 Ross's Geese
11 Snow Geese
Thayer's Gull (adult & 1st cycle)
Mew Gull
Glaucous Gull
Rich Steven took up the task of walking along Quincy Avenue from Gun Club Road to Powhaton Road and into Aurora Reservoir. Ready for Horned Lark count: 7 He did find a Northern Shrike along Quincy and another in the Arapahoe Race Track.
In the morning, Richard and I counted 2,914 White-cheeked Geese (almost all Canada Geese) and 2 American White Pelicans (only of day) at Cherry Creek Reservoir and Jerry Petrosky counted birds away from lake in the afternoon. Jerry found 2 Northern Shrike (one north of the Campgrounds and one east of the shooting range). Jerry also found 3 Virginia Rails, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, one Wilson's Snipe to name a few.
Quincy Reservoir: 119 Canada Geese, a few Common Goldeneyes, a couple of American Coots.
Before sunrise Rich, Gary and I found 2 Short-eared Owls southeast of Aurora Reservoir. The most numerous ducks were Common Goldeneyes. Another Northern Shrike was added at the southeast corner of Aurora Reservoir. When Rich reached the reservoir after his "walk", he found the Glaucous Gull swimming below the northwest corner of the dam. I found the adult Thayer's Gull on the ice at the northeast ice shelf. Sue found the Mew Gull on the ice shelf by the swim beach. Jacob Washburn and Amy Davenport found the 1st cycle Thayer's Gull at mile marker 4.5.
Best places to look for gulls: northeast corner, swim beach, mile marker 4.5 and mile marker 5.5. The reservoir is about 85-90 percent open water. Six Common Mergansers, four Hooded Mergansers and 2 American Coots. Sparrows were scarce with 5 American Tree Sparrow and 2 Song Sparrows.
Quincy Reservoir is completely iced over as is Cherry Creek Reservoir (except for small water hole near southwest marina). Our one rancher reported a Long-eared Owl, which we went over and saw at sunset. Bald Eagles: 2 at Cherry Creek Reservoir and 1 at Aurora Reservoir.
Guess that's it."
1 comment:
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it
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