Weld County and Barr Lake

October 26, 2018

Richard Stevens:

What a beautiful fall day.  Temperatures reached 69 degrees. Winds were 8-9 mph with gusts to 17 mph.

Jacob Washburn and I had spent the last four days trying to find a Sprague's Pipit lifebird for him.  In that, we did not succeed.  From my view, the Smith's Longspur we relocated on 10/24 at North Sterling Reservoir was a better find. 

On the way home today, we birded in Weld County today.  Banner Lakes Wildlife Area is closed except for hunters on Saturday, Sunday & Monday. 

I should have mentioned earlier.  Terry Michaels and I have hunting licenses and bird as we walk down to the farthest pond to "hunt".  Nothing states that a hunter has to carry a gun! 

Anyway, Jacob and scoped Ireland Reservoir #5.  Six Buffleheads and eight Canada Geese swam in the middle of the lake.  While scoping the cattails we found two Yellow-headed Blackbirds walking at the southwest corner. A Swamp Sparrow popped out of the cattails behind the Yellow-headed Blackbirds.

Ireland Reservoir #1 was slow.  We did see a Great Horned Owl and many Red-winged Blackbirds.

At Hudson Fishing Pond, we saw a Hermit Thrush skulking under the willows and cottonwoods at the northwest corner. 

A flock of White-crowned Sparrows at Memorial Park, east of the Fishing Pond was accompanied by a White-throated Sparrow.

Box Elder Creek crossing Weld CR 4 had only one Song Sparrow today.  On 1/2-1/17/2017, four Rusty Blackbirds wandered along the Creek.

Nearby Horse Creek Reservoir has a low water level.  Most of the trees still have leaves and scoping the lake had limited visibility.

After dropping Jacob off to pick up his car at my house, I drove over to Barr Lake (Adams).  I walked the northern side from mile 6.0 (end of dam) to mile 4.5.

The only shorebirds encountered were eight Killdeer just below the dam.  Highlight was a Common Loon just off shore near mile 4.5.

I did not take the time to walk below the dam.  A Long-eared Owl was found in the windbreak at the southeastern entrance to the Park.

No Short-eared Owls appeared this evening along the DIA Owl Loop (Adams).  No Burrowing Owls were found too.

Raptors included a Rough-legged Hawk, two Red-tailed Hawks, two Ferruginous Hawks, a Prairie Falcon and American Kestrel.  First drive this fall that a Swainson's Hawk was not found.