Barr Lake Area

Terry Michaels

I scoped Barr Lake for a couple of hours.  Hundreds if not thousands of Common Merganers were out there.  Also, I never saw so many Red breasted Mergansers in one place before.

A Common Loon was very difficult to pick out in the many mergansers.  It has been around for several weeks now.

Highlight was a probable Neotropic Cormorant.  It was with several Double crested Cormorants in the northeast corner of the reservoir.  Before I could walk down to mile 7.0, they flew to the southwest corner.
I was able to watch them flying for a good 20 seconds as they circled overhead.  The "Neotropic" was much smaller than the Double crested.  It appeared to have a small head and a very long tail.  Underside was dark, much darker than the Double crested birds.  I could not see the face well enough to see any white around bill.  Would like confirmation but do not know how often it is close for viewing.

The Barn Owl was back in the owl box at the banding station area.  Great Horned Owls were up the Pioneer Trail.  At least two Long-eared Owl are still in the windbreak near the entrance.

Two Burrowing Owls were at Trussville & 114th avenue this afternoon.  No additional Burrowing Owls were down Gun Club Road or the prairie dog town at 3rd creek.