[cobirds] Re: S Platte River, Adams County, 68th to 88th

Greetings

My brother Greg and I also strolled the S. Platte River between 88th and 68th yesterday midday in 25 degree weather (sorry for the late post but was busy today) and saw most of the birds reported by Steven Mlodinow on December 29th.  The Barrow's Goldeneyes were still present as were the American Pipits.  

We did not bother to count all of the myriad water fowl mentioned before but had the following additions:

25+ Ring-billed Gulls

5 Ring-necked Ducks

3 Lesser Scaup

4 Hooded Merganser pair

2 Common Merganser pair

4 Double-crested Cormorants

2 Great Blue Herron

2 Bald Eagles

5 Red-tailed Hawks

1 Northern Harrier

3 American Kestrels

3 Rusty Blackbirds (under the railroad trestle on the west side)

Missing, of course, were the smattering of land birds scattered along the way (the most interesting of which were 3 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS under the west side of the railroad trestle).  In total, we observed 34 species.  Being relatively new birders, Greg nabbed four life birds and I added two.  Not bad for a cold last day of 2012.

We look forward to meeting up with some of you regulars in 2013,

Gary Witt                                          Greg Witt

Greenwood Village, CO                      Arvada, CO

On Saturday, December 29, 2012 9:31:47 PM UTC-7, Steven Mlodinow wrote:

Greetings All

Today Cathy Sheeter and I strolled along the S Platte River from about 68th to 88th (street?). The number of ducks along the river was staggering. Some totals:

1445 N Shoveler

910 Gadwall

505 N Pintail

240 GW Teal

175 C Goldeneye

155 Mallard

130 Bufflehead

Other highlights included

3 male and 1 female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE (with one male seemingly paired with a female Common)

3 MALLARD X GADWALL (one was the same bird photographed at the same place by Bill Schmoker and I last year. The other were pretty typical Brewer's Ducks: Gadwall body except brownish chest, green head with russet on cheek, black bill with yellow edges)

1 MALLARD x N PINTAIL

We also had a stunning 81 or so American Pipits, mostly between 74th and 68th.

Good Birding

Steven Mlodinow

Longmont CO

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