[cobirds] Sawhill Ponds - Pelicans, a few Ibis and a Long-Eared Owl

Well, the weather forecast was for snow showers in the afternoon and into the weekend, so I thought I would bird Walden Ponds while the sun was still out.  There was a cold breeze from the Northeast, but it was sunny to start the day, so it looked like fine spring birding weather.  There were lots of Pelicans about, around 25 or so on Cottonwood Marsh, and several flocks flying about from time to time.  I counted 60, but there were probably more than that.  There seemed to be quite a number of Great Blue Herons as well, I kept seeing them regularly.  There were a few White-Faced Ibis dabbling in the mud on the Duck Pond.
The highlight of the day for me was a Long-Eared Owl.  I was working along the edge of some brush on the south side of Sawhill Pond #1 when I came across it sitting in a tree about five feet off the ground.  It had it's back to me with it's head turned around to watch me, so it looked a little unusual.  It didn't move a speck while I was watching it.  I wasn't sure what it was at first, and didn't want to chase it out of it's little spot, so I took a long look, took a few quick pictures, and moved on.  After reviewing the pictures, I realized what it was, a life bird for me.  I should have taken a couple more looks through the binoculars. 
After that, I saw a couple of coyotes working through the low areas (normally swampy, but just dried reed grasses this year).  One had a pretty thick coat and a bushy tail, the other one looked kind of scraggly, with a thin-looking tail.  They didn't stick around very long once they saw me.
Other highlights were a Lincoln's Sparrow, a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, and six Wood Duck. 

Good Birding --

Jeff Parks
Boulder

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