A Visit to Weld County & a Long-tailed Duck at Aurora Reservoir

April 25, 2019

Richard Stevens:

It was a cool 63 degrees in Prospect Valley this afternoon.  Winds were 9-10 mph.  Out on the Plains in eastern Weld County gusts reached 38 mph.

I went back to Banner Lakes Wildlife Area and hiked the loop around the southern ponds.  A few uncommon warblers are starting to show up in Pueblo to Denver.  Unfortunately, they were not at the Wildlife Area.

A flock of 48 Yellow-rumped Warblers (40 Myrtle and 8 Audubon's) did not include any females.  A pair of Spotted Towhees searched for food under the evergreens east of Pond 4.

I did not relocate any owls; however, I did not cross to the east side of the canal to bird the large windbreak area.

Afterwards I visited a friend's ranch near Prospect Valley.  We relocated one of the Mountain Plovers found on April 7.  Nesting has been confirmed on his ranch the past three years.

Two Burrowing Owls (4/7) and a pair of resident Long-eared Owls continue on the ranch.

Then I wandered back to Aurora by way of Arapahoe CR 30.  No uncommon birds were encountered.

A stop at Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe) was interesting.  I scoped the Lake from the lower swim beach parking area and found few birds.  

Then I walked to the southwest end of the dam from the western parking area.  The Long-tailed Duck found yesterday by Diane Roberts and David Suddjian  was 20 feet off the dam.  

She looked just like the Long-tailed Duck that hung around nearby Cherry Creek Reservoir for a week.  She also displayed similar behavior.  She circled the fishermen on the dam, just like Cherry Creek Reservoir.

The fantastic spring day ended with a most colorful sunset!