Fw: [cobirds] County Road 124 Pond Update [Weld]

All,

Not sure why this never went to COBIRDS as intended but thanks to Rachel for pointing out that it didn't.  Maybe now my post today mentioning this and the misspelling makes more sense. 

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins

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From: DAVID A LEATHERMAN <daleatherman@msn.com>
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2019 4:32 PM
Subject: Re: [cobirds] County Road 124 Pond Update [Weld]

 

In response to Gary Lefko's post about A&B Res #1 on Weld CR124 west of CR77, Nina Routh, Mike Serruto and I visited this res on 9/28 and basically found the same set of birds.  We also had a flyover Pine Siskin, both Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, a Blue-winged Teal and a Yellow-rumped Warbler (in the cattails).  Snipe and dowitchers were fun to see up close but there should have been more in the way of shorebirds, mixed waterfowl and interesting landbirds.  The muck at the bottom of this res, especially n of CR124 is rich with leaches and is a source of food for the shorebirds, especially yellowlegs.  It is much better to visit during weekend days vs weekdays because oil field traffic is reduced. 

                                                                 

FYI, earlier in the day we visited the Wyoming Hereford Ranch area in eastern Cheyenne, WY just s of I-80.  Wyoming Hereford Ranch Reservoir #1 (e of E. College Drive and s out S. Industrial Road) had extensive mudflats: Black-bellied Plover (1), lots of American Pipits, a few Baird's and Least Sandpipers, one Franklin's Gull, assorted common ducks, and Clay-colored and Vesper Sparrows.

At nearby Wyoming Hereford Ranch proper we had a Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, "Solitary" Vireo I strongly suspect was Cassin's, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, an apparently "pure" yellow-shafted Northern Flicker (note one yellow tail feather in photo below), a few late Bank Swallows, several Barn Swallows, several Turkey Vultures overhead, several Yellow-rumped Warblers mostly in pines, one Wilson's Warbler, a couple juncos, one Song Sparrow, one White-crowned Sparrow, two Townsend's Solitaires, Lori Pivonka, Fawn Simonds, no empids or other flycatchers, no Orange-crowned Warblers or more unusual warblers, no thrushes besides robins, no Lincoln's Sparrows or towhees.  Where are the birds?

                                                                     

Drive the speed limits in Cheyenne.  We almost got nailed but for a sacrificial pickup behind us going the same speed as us that caused an officer to turn around in pursuit.

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins

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From: 'The "Nunn Guy"' via Colorado Birds <cobirds@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2019 2:23 PM
To: Colorado Birds <cobirds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [cobirds] County Road 124 Pond Update [Weld]

 

Hi all

The Weld CR 124 pond is drawing down and offers nice shorebird habitat--and birds!  Did not walk into Weld CR 122 (.5m west of Weld CR 75/122) but suspect same conditions there. Weld CR 116 playa is full of water, no shoreline and two shovelers.

• Wilson's Snipe - 7
• Long-billed Dowitcher - 15
• Greater Yellowlegs - 6+
• Least Sandpiper - 2
• Loads of ducks, some geese

I did most of travel on county roads north of Pawnee Buttes to WY border ...

• Ferruginous Hawk - 3
• Swainson's Hawk - 6
• Red-tailed Hawk - 2
• Prairie Falcon - 3
• Tons of Vesper Sparrow, meadowlarks and horned larks
• Some Lark, White-crowned, and Chipping Sparrow
  
• Other interesting bird was Yellow-headed Blackbird - 2 hanging out with flock of Red-wingeds in the "middle of nowhere"

Other odd novelties were a small, looks to be a working, Zion Church on Weld CRs 124/111 in the "middle of nowhere" with houses/ranches not to be found in vicinity. Also, nearby was a four-story what looked to be a fire lookout perched in middle of prairie.

Beautiful drive ...

Thanks, Gary Lefko, Nunn

http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org/

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