Sunday, November 20, 2011

Saturday Birding Continued at Chatfield Reservoir

November 19, 2011

Richard Stevens:

In the afternoon, I drove south to Chatfield Reservoir (Jefferson/Douglas). While scoping the lake from above the dam, the Pomarine Jaeger was observed chasing gulls in the middle of the lake.

I walked down to the Dam Tower and observed the Pomarine Jaeger fly over the south marina sand spit harassing gulls six or seven times. The Jaeger then flew to the north edge of the lake, and then continued west directly underneath me.

The 1st cycle Glaucous Gull also circled along the shore and eventually also flew directly below me. A Common Loon was 5-10 feet off the shore (at the opening the north marina bay).

Bob Spencer was here and got good looks at the Pomarine Jaeger! He informed me of Eastern Bluebirds along the old Plum Creek Road. I was able to relocate a male Eastern Bluebird! Thanks Bob!

On the trip home, I stopped at Fort Logan National Cemetery (Denver). No Greater Scaup or Lesser Scaup for that matter were found on Memorial or Veteran's Lakes.

Thousands of White-cheeked Geese were in the cemetery, no Greater White-fronted Geese among them.

A lone white goose loomed over the White-cheeked Geese. At first, I thought it had to be a domestic goose as it was so much larger than the White-cheeked Geese. On closer inspection, it was a Snow Goose. The White-cheeked Geese had to be various subspecies of Cackling Geese (they were exceedingly smaller than the Snow Goose).

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