This small lake has recently undergone an "improvement" in conjunction with replacement of the 130-year old dam. Completely drained for the past year-and-a half, it is now refilled. Part of the improvement was to remove most of brushy areas along the south side and the shallow east end, including all of the cattails & reeds which used to maintain a nice population of muskrats, and provided good habitat for our local Great Blue Heron and an occasional egret . I heard the first of the singing Red-winged Blackbirds this morning, which I found surprising due to the lack of habitat for them now. A couple of weeks ago a I posted newly arrived waterfowl including Wigeon, Red-heads, Ringnecks. Gadwall, Pintail, Coot, Green-winged Teal, Hooded Merganser, Canada Geese and Mallards, Killdeer and many Crows. These all remain, the Teal are definitely paired-up, the Ring-necks and Redheads sleeping the in middle of the lake.
Today I located a pair of grebes. I think they might be Red-necked Grebes. Definitely larger than the Horned, Eared or Pied-billed, but smaller than the Western. I am pretty familiar with Western Grebe, and usually see a pair in this lake in spring and fall, and also at BCLP. The birds I saw today had a shorter, somewhat thicker neck. The lighting was such that I could not distinguish any color, but I don't think these were Western Grebes.
If anyone is interested in checking out these birds, Harrimann Lake is located at the southwest corner of S. Kipling & Quincy. There is parking on the west side of Kipling, just south of Quincy on the north side of the firehouse. The grebes were diving at the western (deeper) end of the lake. I would appreciate hearing if anyone makes a positive id.
Regina King
Littleton, CO
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