[cobirds] Larimer/Weld highlights (including several unusual gulls)

The FCAS field trip today (4 of us) observed 57 species, including the following highlights (mostly viewable thru scopes) in Larimer County, unless denoted Weld County:

 

Hamilton Res:

Locked gate at 7:15 am.

Ferruginous Hawk nearby

 

North Poudre Res. #3, and adjacent cornfields:

"White-cheeked" geese – thousands, mostly Lesser Canada

Snow Goose – 20

Ross's Goose – 12

Gr. White-fronted Goose – 4

hybrid goose – 2

Lapland Longspur – 1 calling overhead

 

Wellington SWA:

Long-eared Owl – 2

 

Windsor Lake (Weld County):

Red-breasted Merganser – 5

Bonaparte's Gull – 9 ad.

Thayer's Gull – 2 ad.

Herring Gull – dozens

Lesser Black-backed Gull – 3 first-cycle

LITTLE GULL – 1 juv, terrible photos at

http://www.pbase.com/quetzal/ligu12022012.

Interesting gull – not seen well but suggestive of something strange, like 1st cycle Heuglin's Gull from Asia. First impression was a small, 1st-cycle Great Black-backed Gull.

 

Lake Loveland (gulls arrived to north shore near swim beach at dusk; best viewed by walking out on dry lake bed from swim beach):

Cackling Goose – hundreds at the duck-feeding area

Thayer's Gull – 1 ad.

Herring Gull – dozens

California Gull – lots, still.

Lesser Black-backed Gull – 1 ad.

Unidentified "black-backed" gull – 1 adult, large-billed, size of Herring Gull, very short winged, with yellow-pink legs. Mostly white head, with smudgy gray line through eye. Suggested Slaty-backed Gull, which should have bright pink legs.

Interesting gull – seen standing only, close to the adult mystery gull. A large (Herring Gull size) first-cycle gull with all dark bill, but blacker at tip. Some fairly pale gray feathers on saddle. Mottled brown wings but more smudgy than crisp. Mostly white head and underparts, with smudgy gray line through eye. Very dark brown tertials, finely tipped pale (with the one highest on the back approaching slate-colored). Jet black primaries with no pale edging. This didn't really fit the usual stereotypes, and reminded me of what first-cycle Slaty-backed Gull could look like.

 

Some of these gulls merit further study, and photographic documentation. My next opportunity to watch gulls will be a week from today. I will probably be at Lake Loveland that day (Sunday afternoon), if anyone wants to join me.

 

I hope that the Little Gull sticks around at Windsor Lake, and that others get to see it. Windsor Lake was hopping with birds, and should be monitored closely for rarities.

 

Nick Komar

Fort Collins CO