To All of you intrepid observers,
-- It has been too long... What a day!?! I left Fort Collins at 1pm with a heading that could be construed as having a serious eastern bent hoping that I might run in to a few shorebirds...Shorebirds that would at least measure to my knees. So on that note, I didn't see a Curlew or a Whimbrel or even Upland Sandpiper. Bummer. However, this trip was not a total waste. The temp was between the 37-39 degree range no matter where I was. The wind was liberally blowing from the northwest.
Crom Lake: This is one of the few "lakes" in the northern part of the state that just doesn't get it's due. It is a great body of water with a shoreline that attracts them all. Frankly, its a gem. I had a Dunlin here last year. I have literally had every expected shorebird in Colorado here, save a Buff-breasted Sandpiper or Red Phalarope, over the last ten years. And the turnover, even within a few hours today, was impressive. I showed up there at approximately 130pm. There were several Willet, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Phalarope (FOS) and Semi-palmated Sandpiper(FOS). There was one Baird's Sandpiper(FOS).
I left. I headed straight to Weld County Road 79 and 14. This had been the most reliable spot for Mountain Plover for me over the last 3 years even with Winter Wheat growing like crazy. I had two males today calling their heads off. I stopped at Crow Valley long enough to see that it was Boy Scout weekend once again. I relieved myself and headed on. I moved north on CR77 all of the way to CR 124, aka practically Wyoming to check out Potter Lake. I had about 18 Willet and 3 Marbled Godwit.
Heading back to CR 96 on the bird route, it took me some time to find any McCown's Longspur of which I finally found a flock of 9 on County Road 96. I took a right on County Road 69 and found 3 male Chestnut-collared Longspur within the first 4 miles headed north toward 104.. Sparrows were sparce for the most part. I had one Clay-colored Sparrow. 3 Chipping Sparrows. 37 Brewer's Sparrows that I could count. 1-White-Crowned Sparrow. Not one Lark Bunting as of yet. Horned Larks and Vesper Sparrows were ubiquitous.
I headed back to Crom Lake on to find that the Baird's Sandpiper and Wilson's Phalarope had move on. However they were replaced with two Solitary Sandpiper and more Willet. The Dowitcher were being harassed by a Peregrine Falcon.
I saw sooooo many cool things today. I saw my first dark-morph Swainson's Hawk ever. I saw White-tailed deer mixed with Mule-deer. I saw Antelope and a Swift fox. Snow was non-existent east of I-85. I saw on set of Burrowing Owl eyes. They seemed to be quite content with their choice of their subterranean dwellings.What I lacked in Owls I enjoyed in just being out there. That for me these days, is a monumental feat. I didn't see a Say's Phoebe until I got back to Larimer County.
Best Bird: Prairie Merlin-CR77 and 118 LATE!!!
82 species total
Josh Bruening
Fort Collins
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