Saturday, October 29, 2016

Gilpin Owling and Arapahoe County Reservoirs

October 27, 2016

Richard Stevens:

After some owling in Gilpin County, I passed by Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe).  The two Pacific Loons were in the southeast corner of the lake. 

NOTE:  Glenn Walbek and Mark Peterson reported two Red-throated Loons on 10/28.  The loons were quite far away and perhaps my ID is/was wrong.  I do have photos and will check them when time allows.  A Common Loon swam off the eastern side of the Lake Loop.

Nothing uncommon was at Quincy Reservoir (Arapahoe).  The majority grebe was Pied-billed Grebes.  Only a couple of Western Grebes swam among many American Coots.

My next stop was Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe).  The Common Loon was swimming off Lone Tree Cove.  The three scoters swam off Senac Cove, which was a little closer (still far away).

I watched the scoters long enough to see one was a White-winged Scoter, another Surf Scoter and the third left undecided.

Most gulls were quite far away.  A Thayer's Gull did fly by the swim beach parking area.  The majority grebe was hundreds of Western Grebes.  Dozens of Pied-billed Grebes and a few Horned and Eared were also present.

No Burrowing Owls or Short-eared Owls were found along the DIA Owl Loop (Adams/Denver) this evening.

We found two Northern Saw-whet Owls in Gilpin County early this morning.

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