[cobirds] Mew Gull and probable Mexican Duck, Larimer County

I checked a few southeast Larimer County hotspots this afternoon. Gull and waterfowl numbers are awesome right now in a few spots.

Fossil Creek Reservoir - Half frozen but still supports hundreds of lingering Western Grebes, a few Clark's Grebes, 2 dozen cormorants, and 10 pelicans, plus numerous new arrivals (3 species of mergansers, goldeneye, scaup, etc.). The grebe flock experienced some mortality (at least 2 carcasses evident), and Bald Eagle numbers are increasing.

Boyd Lake - dozens of Western Grebes, hundreds of gulls, and a Common Loon in the northern half of the lake. Gulls have also been roosting in large numbers at the swim beach.

Horseshoe Reservoir - more than a thousand gulls (mostly Ring-bills) and hundreds of ducks of several species. I got there too late to pick out everything. There has to be some goodies in there.

Horseshoe Lake North - this is the farm pond of the A&A Dairy, across the street just north of Horseshoe Reservoir. About 1000 birds (Ring-billed Gulls and Mallards) took turns resting on the ice and feeding at the grain piles on the east side of the pond. An adult Mew Gull posed close to the road (digiscoped photo at http://www.pbase.com/quetzal/image/158262013), and a probable Mexican Duck was among the mallards (see photos at http://www.pbase.com/quetzal/duck11162014).

 

Nick Komar

Fort Collins CO