As a public service to Boulder County birders, Hannah and Andrew and I earlier this evening, Friday, July 5th, "trap-lined"--as we like to say--various reservoirs in northern Boulder County. The things we do for you people.
We have established that there is a strong inverse relationship between water level and birding quality.
Here's our summary:
Ish Reservoir is down a bit. We saw and heard 9 Willets. Also 7 Snowy Egrets, 3 Great Egrets, and a Bald Eagle.
McIntosh Reservoir is high, but with a bit of shoreline on the north side. Scattered American Avocets, a Wood Duck, pellys aplenty, and both Aechmophorus grebes. Also a persistently "singing" Bushtit--you know, giving that short trill that they give on the breeding grounds. Cool that they're perhaps nesting so far east in the county.
Jim Hamm Reservoir is getting low, it seems. 10 scattered American Avocets.
Terry Lake and nearby Clark Reservoir are extremely high. Terry had both Aechmophori, and Clark had nothing.
Burch and McCall lakes, viewed only as we drove along Route 66, had high water and cormorants.
Clover Basin Reservoir is up from the spring, but still with some shoreline on the west side. We saw a Great Egret there.
Lagerman is down a bit, with some shoreline on the west side. Lots of corms and pellys.
Boulder Rez is ridiculously high. Driving along the western perimeter, we heard 2 Dickcissels, a Wilson's Snipe, and a Virginia Rail.
I'd keep an eye, these next few weeks, on Ish and maybe Jim Hamm, Lagerman, McIntosh, and Clover Basin. I wouldn't bother with Terry, Clark, Burch, McCall, and The Rez. But just you watch: Ish will have nothing, and The Rez will get a Large-billed Tern. That's the greatest thing about birding; you never know.
Ted Floyd
tedfloyd57@hotmail.com
Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado
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