Friday, February 14, 2014

Another Trip to Aurora Reservoir

February 13, 2014

Richard Stevens:

It was another mild winter day in Colorado.  Temperatures reached the high 50s.  Winds however were 21 mph with gusts to 36 mph.

I had not learned of any reports from Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe County) in four days and ventured over that way.

Few gulls were below the dam, more anglers than birds.  The few gulls scattered across the ice and snow covered lake were by and large Ring-billed Gulls and a few Herring Gulls.

An adult Thayer's Gull stood on the ice around the swim beach with a California Gull and many Ring-billed Gulls and Herring Gulls.

A small open water area close to the swim beach held a couple of Common Mergansers, many White-cheeked Geese and half a dozen American Coots.

I could see through my scope many additional gulls were at the southeast corner at Senac Cove so I made the 2.5 mile hike over to get a better look.  Three Glaucous Gulls and at least four Thayer's Gulls were among hundreds of Ring-billed, dozens of Herring and another California Gull.

I did not see any dark mantled gulls or the Iceland Gull.

No owls flew around the rolling hills as I drove east of Aurora Reservoir and cut over to the DIA Owl Loop.  Hundreds of Horned Larks were around; no Lapland Longspurs were found.

No comments: