[cobirds] San Luis Valley Birding

Hi all, 

This past weekend, my brother and I birded around the San Luis Valley and found a nice assortment of birds. Saturday evening, Blanca had Blue Grosbeaks and a Bullocks Oriole along a county road outside of town. Smith Reservoir was stunning in the evening light, and produced birds such as Sandhill Cranes, Lesser Yellowlegs, a Bufflehead, and many migrants in the willows surrounding the lake. We were unable to thoroughly check the large duck flocks due to the fading light, so we may have missed some. 

Sunday morning we tramped around the disc golf course in Alamosa and found a good number of migrants. In the marshes there were five Sora, an American Bittern, six night-herons, 15+ Cinnamon Teal, and the first eBird county record of a Northern Waterthrush. Jack also had a Clay-colored Sparrow. Moving on, we stopped at several playas near Monte Vista. Snipes were found in abundance (at least 25), and Lesser Yellowlegs, Killdeer, Least and Western Sandpipers, and an out-of-place Stilt Sandpiper also made an appearance. Next, we viewed the Monte Vista WTP and found a good array of waterfowl including 56 American Wigeon, 88 Gadwall, and some Wilson's Phalaropes. There was even a large migrant flock in the deciduous trees along the edges. We then checked out Blanca Wetlands where the only birds of note were a Peregrine Falcon and a secretive Virginia Rail. Other than a lone avocet, no shorebirds were observed. So much for the peeps! San Luis Lakes also had very few shorebirds, although there were a dozen Red-necked Phalaropes. The main lake did produce a Mexican Duck on the far shore, a bird that is likely more prevalent in mountain counties than many realize. Other than that, Franklin's Gulls, a bittern, Forster's Tern, and a late Northern Rough-winged Swallow were found. Driving back to the Front Range, we visited a small pond outside of Buena Vista and had Cinnamon Teal, which is rare for the area. Antero Reservoir had a few Western Sandpipers and a couple Ferruginous Hawks, but the reservoir itself was largely birdless.

Looks like migration is picking up a bit!

Good birding, 

Ryan Bushong

Louisville, CO

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