Friday, November 18, 2016

Another Trip to Aurora Reservoir

November 18, 2016

Richard Stevens:

I was out early this morning and searched for Murrelets at Chatfield State Park, Bear Creek Lake Park and Soda Lakes (Jefferson/Douglas Counties).  Almost all Murrelet sightings in Colorado have been during or the morning after a snowstorm like yesterdays.  None was found today.

Winds were 4-5 mph; temperature only reached 34 degrees.

On the way home, I stopped at Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe) and walked to the bench at mile 2.5.

Five Surf Scoters and a Black Scoter were well south of the Senac Cove.  They eventually swam toward the mouth when I pointed them out to another birder.

Two Common Loons were off mile 4.0.  While looking at them a Greater Scaup came into my view!  The Red-necked Grebe I found on 11/1 & 11/15 was deep in the 4.0 cove; I did not feel like added three miles to my hike today and skipped that search.

The two White-winged Scoters were at the mouth of the cove at 1.5 mile.  If the sun had not shone on their white wing patches I would not have been able to distinguish them from Surf Scoters.

I scoped Quincy Reservoir (Arapahoe) briefly and found no loons or scoters.  Yesterdays Wild Turkey that walked around the Campgrounds was not found today.  Whether this was an escaped bird or wild, we will never know.

Next stop, Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe) where nothing uncommon was found.  Common Merganser numbers were up over 500, many Western Grebes (no Red-necked) and many American Coots also swam around the lake.

No owls appeared along the DIA Owl Loop this evening.

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