[cobirds] Yesterday Gulls at Prewitt, Ducks in NE CO

Greetings All,

Yesterday I decided to relive my Washington years and spent a drizzly chilly morning at Prewitt Reservoir (Washington Co) whilst the Front Range and most of CO was basking in warm sun. No passerine migrants were brought down by the rain, alas. Gulls seemed somewhat the same as last weekend, with a GLAUCOUS-WINGED x HERRING GULL (1st year) still present as well as EIGHT GLAUCOUS GULLS (no 3rd year bird, one adult, the remainder 1st/2nd years) and 3 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS (2 second years and an adult). The THAYER'S GULL count was around 10, mostly 1st year birds. I had one utter tweener between ICELAND and THAYER'S GULL. God only knows its identity, and I've not been informed. No sign of "pure" Iceland Gulls nor the Western Gull, but birds were scattered hither and yon, and not concentrated in the cove where good looks were to be had. There were >500 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE in the fields along Washington Co Rd R just off of Colorado Hwy 6.

For the day's hybrid waterfowl, a male N PINTAIL x MALLARD was a at the ponds just sw. of Merino on CO 6.

Akron GC was a birdless paradise.

The ponds around St Vrain SP and Firestone Gravel Pits (Weld) were hopping with a wide assortment of ducks (and warm sunshine!!!!). The Tufty x scaup could not be found, but there were many sleeping scaupoids, and it could easily have been hidden among them. The highlight was a male MEXICAN DUCK (probably same bird as a couple weeks ago) sneaking through some reeds with a female duck that was either a Mexican Duck or a Mexican Duck x Mallard.

This area seems to have an interesting history with returning birds. One must wonder if the Tufted Duck x Lesser Scaup was the progeny of the female in Jan 2011 (Golden Ponds) and likely same female at Firestone Ponds (Dec 2011). As for the Mexican Duck, this bird seems likely the same bird as last year at same spot, and nesting...?

Good Birding

Steven Mlodinow

Longmont CO

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