Monday, May 13, 2013

A Day Around Weld County

May 12, 2013

Richard Stevens:

Jerry Petrosky and I birded in Weld County today.  The major flock of migrating birds has not reached this far north yet.

We walked around Crow Valley Campgrounds for about 2.5 hours.  One of the three Gray-cheeked Thrushes reported yesterday was relocated.  We also relocated the Tennessee Warbler reported yesterday by Joe Roller.  New birds for the area included a Black-and-white Warbler and Cassin's Vireo.

A drive along the CR 96 auto tour found half a dozen McCown's Longspurs and one Chestnut-collared Longspur (about 1.2 miles west of CR 77).  No Lark Buntings were found and longspurs appear to be migrating later than average dates.

We did relocate a Mountain Plover at a traditional nesting site!  Unless we find a Mountain Plover off a public road where access to the field is limited, we are not going to reveal nesting sites.

Lower Latham Reservoir was slow.  The same was found at Beebe Draw Ponds.  Yellow-headed Blackbirds were new county birds for 2013 for both of us.

The County Road 59 Ponds did not add uncommon birds to our day list.

Several Red-necked Phalaropes swam around the CR 46/CR 37 Pond.  We walked down the road and found quite a few sparrows (Brewer's, one Clay-colored, White-crowned and Song).

Our birding day ended at the southern ponds of Banner Lakes Wildlife Area.  No uncommon birds were found.

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