[cobirds] Prewitt and Jackson pics, eastern counties

Hello birders,

Today Barb and I tried to duplicate Steve Mlodinow's epic Big Day Labor Day at Prewitt Reservoir and Jackson Lake. Our skills and timing do not match Steve's, so no surprise that our results were a bit thin. However, Jackson Lake was rewarding, lots of fairly approachable and interesting shorebirds. My advice: head directly to the northwest corner of Jackson Lake, where water is draining across the northwest grassy meadow, across the beach, and into the lake. Neat shorebirds here, stopping to refuel on their long way south. Baird's Sandpiper, our common shorebird, breeds in eastern Siberia and is now headed to South America.

Fortunately the previously reported pesky cattle were far up in the northwest meadow today, nowhere near the shore. This is a nice day trip from the Front Range. I would bring a beach chair, a scope, water, and a bird guide to spend some time studying these magnificent shorebirds—hope the show lasts!

Caveats re today's trip:
--101 degree heat, blazing sun. We started our Jackson Lake hike at the west side boat ramp, heading north from there. (Bataan Death March). Better to save energy by starting farther north, per map above.
--At the northwest corner of Jackson Lake the combined odors of rotting carp, cattle urine, and bird poop was almost enough to give my porter, Barb, the dry heaves. She usually likes to swim to cool off, but would not wade into Jackson Lake.
She kept looking toward shore with her binoculars.
"See any good birds over there?"
"No, I'm trying to find the car."
(I bought her ice cream on the way home. All's well that ends well.)

Here's a map to the shorebird area today and where to park: http://tiny.cc/cj2w2w  (Use your mouse wheel to zoom out to get oriented.)
And here's a 2 minute slideshow of some of the birds I photographed today: http://bit.ly/1akUArl  (Let me know if I goofed on any i.d.)

Good birding!
Tom Wilberding
Boulder, Colorado

 

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