[cobirds] Glaucous-winged Gull, Union Res., Weld Co.

Sorry I didn’t get this out last night, but just getting to my computer this morning.  Anyway, after a relatively fruitless shorebirding run along one of my old routes in Northeastern Colorado (basically Prospect Res out to Jackson Res, Weld & Morgan Cos.) yesterday (Sat., 29 Apr 17), decided to swing back by Union Reservoir (Weld Co.) as I knew it had some shoreline; everything else is chockablock, but paradoxically many old farm ponds were dry.

 

Glad I made that choice as while there were a few fun shorebirds, the bird of the day was a fist year GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL which swept through the northwest corner of the lake and gave a good view.  Decent sized, very uniformly tan gull, with translucent primaries, and good sized all black bill.  Definitely a nice surprise.  In terms of the shorebirds, the “fun” ones included three (3) BLACK-NECKED STILTS, two (2) AMERICAN AVOCETS, a MARBLED GODWIT, a couple of WILLETS, and a SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, amongst others.  So, if you are hankering for shorebirds before the main push of passerines make their showing, I’d recommend hitting Union.

 

Good Birding,

Doug Ward

 

PS – As this is my first regular post here to Cobirds, I’m bringing my posting etiquette from another listserve, so if you think the CAPITALIZED species  of interest reporting, not just rarities, is too much like yelling here, just let me know and I’ll adapt.  Plus I need to get into checking and reporting to the rare bird alert posting as well (suppose I should be reading those too).

 

29 April 2017  Union Reservoir, Weld Co., CO

Canada Goose – 2

Mallard – 6

Blue-winged Teal – 4m 4f

Cinnamon Teal – 1m 1f

Northern Shoveler – 4m

Green-winged Teal – 2m 2f

Western Grebe – 30

Double-crested Cormorant – 10

Great Blue Heron – 1

Bald Eagle – 1 ad

Red-tailed Hawk – 1

American Avocet – 2

Black-necked Stilt - 3

Semipalmated Plover – 1

Killdeer – 15

Marbled Godwit – 1

Least Sandpiper – 1

Semipalmated Sandpiper – 5

Wilson’s Snipe – 1

Willet – 2

Lesser Yellowlegs – 1

Bonaparte’s Gull – 2ad 1-1^st

Franklin’s Gull – 4ad

Ring-billed Gull – 1ad

GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL – 1-1^st

Eurasian Collared-Dove – 4

Mourning Dove – 6

American Kestrel – 1

Say’s Pheobe – 2 (out on mudflats feeding with peeps & Semi Plover – weird)

Black-billed Magpie – 2

Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 2

Tree Swallow – 50

Violet-green Swallow – 10

Barn Swallow – 20

swallow sp. – 150

American Robin – 3

European Starling – 20

Yellow-rumped Warbler – 10 “Myrtle”

Song Sparrow – 1

Red-winged Blackbird – 15

Western Meadowlark – 3

Yellow-headed Blackbird – 10

Common Grackle – 5

House Finch – 1