I went birding this morning with a friend at Timnath Reservoir, originally expecting to see only migration shorebirds, but along the northern shore where there are clusters of dense trees, we were pleasantly surprised to discover some early fall warbler migrants!
We started at the east bay, walked down the mudflats to double check an ID for a Pectoral Sandpiper, Wilson's Phalarope, and Greater Yellowlegs. The Franklin's Gulls numbers are higher than I remember last week here too. Before the sun rose, four Virginia Rails were very active in the reeds near the flowing water. A mammal highlight was seeing a family of racoons (momma with two kiddos) watch us quietly before going back into the reeds.
At the north shore, there were plenty of Lesser Yellowlegs, Baird's Sandpipers, and Solitary Sandpipers. But the most exciting part was the unexpected miniature fallout in one patch of forest: Yellow Warblers, Orange-crowned Warblers, a Common Yellowthroat, a Palm Warbler, and a rare Hooded Warbler! The Palm Warbler was an eastern PAWA, and the rufous crown was visible. The Hooded Warbler called twice and it hunted for a few minutes before I lost it. Per usual, the wading birds, gulls, and cormorants are abundant. (For those of you curious, here's the whole checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S72312813)
The Hooded Warbler looked to be either a juvenile or female type, and I couldn't help but speculate, given the conditions that an adult male and female were reported within miles of each other earlier this spring in the county. Anyways, those reports are probably unrelated, but it's fun to imagine on occasion ;)
The birds are happy, and so am I
~Caleb Alons, Larimer County
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