Monday, January 26, 2015

Another Fantastic Winter Day Around Denver

January 26, 2015

Richard Stevens:

Monday was even better than yesterday.  Temperatures reached 64 degrees; winds were less than 8 mph.  What a fantastic day for late January!

My first stop today was Crown Hill Park (Jefferson County).  Yesterday's report of a Glaucous Gull and two Mew Gulls was intriguing.  Unfortunately, the only gulls on the ice were Ring-billed.  I checked out nearby Prospect Lake, Bass Lake and Arvada Reservoir; no uncommon gulls.

A quick stop at Red Rocks Park (Jefferson) found the Golden-crowned Sparrow behind the trading post. 

I swung over to Adams County and found no gulls on Lake Ladora or Lower Derby Lake at Rocky Mountain Arsenal.  For information: the Visitor's Center is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Only Ring-billed Gulls flew around the northeast corner of Barr Lake.  I enjoyed good fortune at the southeast corner below the dam (mile 7.0).  A Thayer's Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull stood on the ice; however, no Glaucous Gull could be found.

An hour before sunset, I scoped Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe) from above the fishing parking area along the west side (required a 0.3 mile hike).  Hundreds of gulls stood on the ice (quite far from the shore).

I could pick out one Lesser Black-backed Gull.  A possible Thayer's Gull eventually flew overhead and confirmed it was a Thayer's Gull.

Another Gull in the group was quite interesting.  At 4:30 pm, the gulls started to take off and flew overhead and west.  Of course, the interesting Gull was the very last Gull to leave.  It turned out to be a somewhat strange looking Herring Gull.  No Glaucous Gull found here either.

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