Some Additional 2019 Birds

January 8, 2019

Richard Stevens:

High temperature was in the middle 40s today.  Winds ranged from 8-9 mph with gusts to 20 mph.

Terry Michaels and I headed up to Loveland around 3:00am.  Unfortunately, it requires an early start if one wants to avoid Denver's awful traffic.

A dawn we stopped at Trilby and Taft Roads to see if the Gyrfalcon and was around.  It was not and we continued south.

We heard and later saw the Carolina Wren in the alley between Pierce and Adams streets (almost at Adams).

Later a brief stop at Lake Loveland (Larimer) did not find any uncommon gulls.

We then headed to Frederick Recreation Area.  The Pink-footed Goose, Barnacle Goose and Greater White-fronted Goose were on Milavec Reservoir and the golf course to the north (photos taken of all).  

Then we continued east to Ireland Reservoirs #5 & #1.  The Northern Mockingbird reported earlier at #5 was not relocated.  Nothing uncommon was found at either reservoir.

The rest of our birding day was spent at Banner Lakes Wildlife Area (Weld).  First, we walked the northern sections from Pond 5 to Pond 9.  Highlight was a Long-eared Owl hidden in the Russian Olive trees along the western windbreak.  

The Eastern Bluebird reported yesterday was not relocated.  The Swamp Sparrow we found on 12/14 was not found either.  A Great Horned Owl called from Pond 13.

A hike down the southern sections from Pond 4 to 1 was uneventful.  Two Spotted Towhees, many Robins and Dark-eyed Juncos were just about everything seen.

We held around until dusk, no Short-eared Owls appeared this evening.