Sunday, March 24, 2019

Arapahoe County Search for the Glaucous Gull

March 24, 2019

Richard Stevens:

High temperature reached 57 degrees.  Winds were 12-13 mph with gusts to 19 mph.

I had encountered a Glaucous Gull at Aurora Reservoir than Cherry Creek Reservoir (both Arapahoe County) in the past week.  Another birder relocated the Glaucous Gull on Friday while another birder found one at Chatfield State Park (Jefferson/Douglas Counties) on Saturday.  It is likely that this is the same Gull flying between the three reservoirs.

Today I hope to relocate the Glaucous Gull back in Arapahoe County.  That did not happen.  Few gulls were at Cherry Creek Reservoir.  Few birds were on the lake at all.  I did relocate the Rusty Blackbird back at the western stream that flows into Augie's Pond (northwest of the swim beach).

Thousands of Gulls stood on the southern ice shelf at Aurora Reservoir.  I was able to get quite close to half the gulls (several thousand) by scoping from the handicapped fisher person parking area.

The gulls were shoulder to shoulder and separating them was a challenge.  I was able to pick out two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and two Iceland Gulls (both Thayer's subspecies).

High waves on the Lake made finding waterfowl on the lake close to impossible.  Nothing uncommon was discovered.

Again, no owls were found along the DIA Owl Loop (Adams/Denver Counties).

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