December 2, 2014
Richard Stevens:
I enjoyed this marvelous day with the 8.7 mile, five hour hike around Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe County). Winds were calm; temperatures reached into the 60s.
Tens of thousands of White-cheeked Geese with half a dozen Snow Geese and two Ross's Geese swan back and forth across the lake. At least one Greater White-fronted Goose defended that species count.
Gulls numbered over 20,000. They were in groups at the swim beach, the cove at mile 3.0, at the scuba beach and the northwest corner of the lake.
Hundreds more were scattered all over the lake. Throughout the day, they would fly over to the nearby DADS (Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site) and return. Exact numbers were difficult to pin down.
Ducks were represented by Mallards, Gadwalls, Ruddy Ducks, American Wigeons, a few Northern Pintails, Green-winged Teal, Canvasbacks, Redheads, Ring-necked Ducks and Common Goldeneyes.
All three mergansers were recorded. Most interesting were a Long-tailed Duck, Surf Scoter (perhaps more than one) and Barrow's Goldeneye.
Uncommon gulls included three Thayer's Gulls, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and an adult Mew Gull. It is quite possible that these gulls move back and forth to nearby Cherry Creek Reservoir (about 8 miles to the west).
Misses: The previously reported Great Black-backed Gull was not found.
Afterwards, I ended by birding day back at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). Winds picked up there (8 mph anemometer reading). The temperature dropped rapidly at sunset.
Uncommon ducks included the two Long-tailed Ducks and a female Barrow's Goldeneye. They were quite difficult to pick out in the large raft of ducks in the western middle of the lake.
Numbers change day to day, Eared Grebe numbers have dropped much in the past week. Hooded Merganser numbers have increased ten fold. Only a few Western Grebes, no Clark's were found today.
Uncommon gulls included a Lesser Black-backed Gull and Thayer's Gull.
Misses: the White-winged Scoter which I last saw yesterday; the Glaucous Gull which has not been reported for seven days now (it was not at Aurora Reservoir either).
Overall, it was quite an enjoyable and pleasant day of birding!
Richard Stevens:
I enjoyed this marvelous day with the 8.7 mile, five hour hike around Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe County). Winds were calm; temperatures reached into the 60s.
Tens of thousands of White-cheeked Geese with half a dozen Snow Geese and two Ross's Geese swan back and forth across the lake. At least one Greater White-fronted Goose defended that species count.
Gulls numbered over 20,000. They were in groups at the swim beach, the cove at mile 3.0, at the scuba beach and the northwest corner of the lake.
Hundreds more were scattered all over the lake. Throughout the day, they would fly over to the nearby DADS (Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site) and return. Exact numbers were difficult to pin down.
Ducks were represented by Mallards, Gadwalls, Ruddy Ducks, American Wigeons, a few Northern Pintails, Green-winged Teal, Canvasbacks, Redheads, Ring-necked Ducks and Common Goldeneyes.
All three mergansers were recorded. Most interesting were a Long-tailed Duck, Surf Scoter (perhaps more than one) and Barrow's Goldeneye.
Uncommon gulls included three Thayer's Gulls, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and an adult Mew Gull. It is quite possible that these gulls move back and forth to nearby Cherry Creek Reservoir (about 8 miles to the west).
Misses: The previously reported Great Black-backed Gull was not found.
Afterwards, I ended by birding day back at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). Winds picked up there (8 mph anemometer reading). The temperature dropped rapidly at sunset.
Uncommon ducks included the two Long-tailed Ducks and a female Barrow's Goldeneye. They were quite difficult to pick out in the large raft of ducks in the western middle of the lake.
Numbers change day to day, Eared Grebe numbers have dropped much in the past week. Hooded Merganser numbers have increased ten fold. Only a few Western Grebes, no Clark's were found today.
Uncommon gulls included a Lesser Black-backed Gull and Thayer's Gull.
Misses: the White-winged Scoter which I last saw yesterday; the Glaucous Gull which has not been reported for seven days now (it was not at Aurora Reservoir either).
Overall, it was quite an enjoyable and pleasant day of birding!
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