[cobirds] SE Colorado 4/28 (Dunlin, etc.)

I left Pueblo West on Friday night, as soon as I read about the RUFF in Kiowa County yesterday evening, so I'd be at Upper Queens Reservoir at daybreak.  I was hoping my Colorado Ruff jinx would be over (I've missed three of them in recent years), no such luck.  At Upper Queens Reservoir, Kiowa County, along with Dave Leatherman and Janeal Thompson, we saw a singing male Northern Parula in the trees, a breeding plumage Dunlin, a Black-bellied Plover, and many other shorebirds, including lots of Long-billed Dowitchers, that didn't see to have a Ruff next to them.  The three of us were over to Neenoshe Reservoir, Kiowa County, and saw a Field Sparrow, Piping Plover, and many other shorebirds, lots of Dowitchers and yellowlegs got out hopes up a bit, though again, no such luck with any Ruff.  It was pretty windy, and we couldn't detect any loons, unfortunately on the large lake.  We then tried land birding, and checked out Melody Tempel Grove in Bent County, and saw Red-bellied Woodpecker, and our first Bullock's Oriole of the year (and read my cobirds mail, and saw that Joey had seen a Zone-tailed Hawk, wishing we were also seeing one, or at something as good).  I then headed to over to North Gateway Park in Lamar, hoping to see the staked out Tundra Swan, and did in the alfalfa field to the east.  Since I'm planning to be in SE Colorado next weekend, I decided not to visit any other Lamar places, and start heading west.  I made one more birding spot, at Van's Grove in Bent County, where Norma Verhoeff was, and had just seen a Cassin's Vireo, which we both were able to photograph, we also saw a Field Sparrow there as well.  Since I decided to avoid Hwy 50's towns, Las Animas, La Junta, Swink, and part of Rocky Ford, I went back by Cheraw, Lake Holbrook, and Rocky Ford SWA, didn't stop at any of these places, it was amazing to see how high the water is at both Lake Cheraw and Lake Holbrook.  That's all, over 300 miles of driving in one day, is a little much for me, though I had to at least make an attempt for the Ruff and I saw lots of year birds, and had fun birding with Dave, Janeal, and Norma.  Again, wonderful find and photos by David Dowell, this should become Colorado's 5th State record!  

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Brandon Percival
Pueblo West, CO

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