Red-throated Loon at Barr Lake State Park

October 20, 2016

Richard Stevens:

Our early return to Denver (skipping Friday) turned out well!

In the afternoon, I rushed to Barr Lake (Adams) to see the Red-throated Loon, which had been reported for the past two days.

When I arrived, the Loon was 15 feet off the shore near the boat ramp (see photos on the Colorado Birding Society's photo library:

http://coloradobirdingsociety.net

A Stilt Sandpiper was with half a dozen Killdeer were the only birds on the northern shore (northeastern end of the dam).

Then I returned to the south side and hiked the shore west of the banding station to the Visitor's Center hoping to see the previously reported possible Iceland Gull(s).

No Iceland Gulls, I did relocate one of the previously reported Sabine's Gulls among hundreds of Franklin's Gulls.  Hundreds of Western Grebes made up the majority bird on the lake.

On the way to the Visitor's Center, few passerines were found.  Only two warblers observed.  The first was a Black-and-white Warbler walking along the limbs of the willows that hang over the main trail at mile 8.9. 

An Orange-crowned Warbler was fluttering about high in a nearby willow.  A Hermit Thrush skulked below the same willow.

I was not able to find the previously reported Field Sparrow and Eastern Bluebirds reported yesterday along the Niedrach trail.

The only owl found along the DIA Owl Loop (after sunset) was a Great Horned Owl perched on the northern DIA fence.