COBirders,
A quick trip to Big Johnson reservoir produced a Cormorant that I believe is a NEOTROPIC CORMORANT. The bird was on the far shore of course but it was next to some Gadwall to give a size comparison. It stood up and flapped its wings and then gave the "spread-wing" posture. Cormorants are very good at being deceiving in their size but I believe this bird showed me its full size with the things it did. It was barely taller than the drake Gadwall that walked right near it and stood there for a bit. It also showed what appeared to be a very long tail. I was able to get some extremely poor photos, basically useless, but they do show the long tail fairly well. Anyway, I believe the bird was a Neotropic but certainly wanted better looks.
I decided to go back this evening in hopes of seeing the bird closer. Unfortunately, I could not find the bird again, not to say it is gone. While looking though, I came across a RED-NECKED GREBE. The bird is transitioning into alternate plumage. Bob Goycoolea pulled in about two minutes after I found the bird and was able to see it well. The bird moved around a lot going from west to east back to the west. Hopefully it will hang out for a little while. While this is not a county first, this is the first I know of since I moved back which was about 10 years ago.
No other real rarities at the reservoir but there is still at least a single young male COMMON GOLDENEYE, all three species of MERGANSER, still a number of LESSER SCAUP, at least three CANVASBACK, REDHEAD, RING-NECKED DUCK and BUFFLEHEAD to round out the more interesting species. Lots of WILLETS scattered out around the reservoir, 500+ WILSON'S PHALAROPE and 20+ AMERICAN AVOCETS. Still a lot of RING-BILLED GULLs for this location, CALIFORNIA GULL (only a few, should be hundreds in about a month), about a hundred FRANKLIN'S GULL, one BONAPARTE'S GULL and still at least one HERRING GULL. And to round it out, two SNOWY EGRETs.
-----
Mark Peterson
Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
0 comments:
Post a Comment