[cobirds] Weld County Shorebirds

Folks- my dad Jim & I enjoyed the cool weather today, birding around Lower Latham/ Loloff/ Beebe Draw area in Weld County SE of Greeley.  Like many who were out today we had scads of first-of-year birds but I think both of us especially enjoyed the 14 species of shorebirds that we found.

A brood of young Killdeer tried to fool us as rarer small plovers but their attendant parent and off-kilter proportions turned us to the proper conclusion- another case of the earlies this spring?  Plenty of Black-necked Stilts and American Avocets were to be found but only a few Greater Yellowlegs and one Lesser turned up.  One Willet at Loloff was eclipsed by 19 at WCR 40 ponds in Beebe Draw.  Tops were two Whimbrels at the WCR 42 pond.  Peeps were limited to a smattering of Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers in a handful of locations.  Two Short-billed Dowitchers kept to themselves at WCR 59 ponds (1 continuing from Steve Mlodinow's 3 May sighting?) while 8 Long-billed Dowitchers did what dowitchers do in another part of the marsh.  A few Wilson's Snipe were heard with one viewed.  Phalaropes stole the show, with Red-necked Phalaropes outnumbering Wilson's about 3-to-1 on the day.  Our two best gatherings of phalaropes were at Loloff Res & WCR 59 ponds.  The former had around 40 birds total, perhaps 25 Red-necked, while the latter had about 150(!) Red-necked to about 50 Wilson's.

Enjoy- Bill Schmoker, Longmont

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           • Bill Schmoker •

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