[cobirds] Brant and Red Phalarope (Larimer/Adams) 10/26

Hi Everyone—

 

I saw the Red Phalarope at MP 99 on Tower Road this afternoon 10/26 first in the large pond on the east side, then in the small pond on the west side, which is where it was when I left. I counted 14 Long-billed Dowitchers, which kindly vocalized for me. A Ferruginous Hawk was soaring over the field northeast of the east pond. I also saw the Houts Lake Brant today. Not knowing any better, I got there by going north on Rocky Mountain Av past the hospital, and parking in the lot at the west end of CR 24. A bike path takes you to the south end of Houts Lake and the north end of Equalizer Lake. I watched the Brant eat lawn grass (the next best thing to eelgrass, I suppose) along the jogging path on the west side of Houts Lake. When a jogger came too close, the Brant retreated into the water, but came back readily. When the Brant was walking on land, I could easily see that its belly was completely pale (some Black Brant have minimal black on the belly, so it was worth looking). Besides the Brant, I saw two Bonaparte’s Gulls and Horned and Eared Grebes on Houts Lake, and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull on Equalizer Lake.

 

Mark Miller

Longmont, CO