I decided to make a run out to the northeast part of the state yesterday, to see if I could see any stirrings of spring. There were a few, but it took a bit of looking. Migrants in general were few and far between.
Starting at Tamarack, the most notable activity was none. It was very quiet, and I was unable to pick up very few of the regulars, much less migrants. The best birds here included the usual assortment of eastern bluebirds and good numbers of ducks on the scattered ponds. Red Lion/Jumbo was better; the huge flock of snow/Ross's geese continues. In the Red Lion marshes I picked up my FOS greater yellowlegs. Duck numbers were good, with all the usual suspects, including nice numbers of pintail. There were a few greater scaup at Jumbo. Two sub-adult bald eagles did some nice aerobatic claw-grabbing.
Working back to the west, Prewitt was notable for the departure of bald eagles. Two weeks ago I counted around seventy; yesterday there was one. In the outlet canal I had a FOS blue-winged teal. A quick count produced over a hundred AW pelicans. At Jackson it became rainy and windy and I decided to continue west to see if I could find Steve's Eurasian wigeon at 59 Pond. No luck on the wigeon, but there were a lot of ducks there, and I picked up a FOS long-billed dowitcher.
Loloff was packed with all the usual duck suspects, but Latham was relatively empty. I checked for marsh wrens and rails, but turned up none. That was mildly surprising. I was a little early in the day for short-eared owl (5:00), and none were about.
So, there were a few twitchings but no real migration convulsions. Patience is difficult!
Norm Lewis
Lakewood, CO
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