[cobirds] A warm day in the Park - Nov 29

A late November day with temperatures reaching in the low 60s in Park County must be fairly rare. I'm glad I was there to enjoy it. 

Eleven Mile Reservoir was essentially ice free except for the upper end near the South Platte inlet. There were 18 Tundra Swans loafing at the edge of the ice there. Waterfowl variety was much reduced from earlier in the month, with most of the birds in two main flocks. These included nearly 2000 Common Goldeneyes as the most numerous duck. Uncommon to rare species for Park Co were 2 Long-tailed Ducks, a male and female White-winged Scoter only seen flying by, 4 Barrow's Goldeneyes, 12 Greater Scaup, and two Hooded Mergansers. Also noted at Eleven Mile were an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Am. Tree Sparrows and 2 Bald Eagles.

Spinney Mountain Reservoir was also open water, but the gate has been closed so I could not approach to check waterbirds there. But a group of 9 Bald Eagles was on the shore ice closest to the gate closure.

Didn't check Antero Reservoir since Joey Kellner reported it as frozen earlier in the month, and Lake George is frozen.

Spent some time along various roads at the southeast corner of Park County, checking mostly Ponderosa forest and some Douglas-fir, spruce/fir and varied combos of those. Red Crossbills were at 75% of my stops, with Type 2 birds being most widespread and numerous, but also Type 4 and Type 5 birds noted. Evening Grosbeaks were at a handful of stops in Ponderosa forest. Pinyon Jays were at the north end of county road 61, and at a number of spots along CR 71. A Northern Shrike was along CR 71, and a Mountain Bluebird along CR 71 close to CR 102 was the first I'd seen in Park Co in several weeks. A Ferruginous Hawk was along CR 102 near Witcher Mountain Road. A Pine Grosbeak was at CR 59 south of Eleven Mile Reservoir. American Tree Sparrows were at CR 71 and CR 59 at the crossing of the South Platte. A Rough-legged Hawk was near Jefferson, and Kenosha Pass East Campground had Gray Jays and an Am. Three-toed Woodpecker.

David Suddjian

Littleton, CO

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