[cobirds] Shorebirding, US-287 corridor, Boulder County

Hello, Birders.

I did a bit of shorebirding reconnaissance yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, July 4th, in the smoke and haze of eastern Boulder County. The following is primarily a report on water levels and birding prospects, and less so a report on actual birds sighted. Here goes:

Terry Reservoir. Good mudflats all around. On the smoke-shrouded distant (east) shore, I could make out at least a dozen non-Killdeer shorebirds: Lesser Yellowlegs, I think, and maybe Baird's Sandpipers. Also, 6 Great Egrets loafing.

Ish Reservoir. Water's down a bit, and there's some shorebird habitat along the near (east) shore. If the water drops a little more, this place could be great. Just Killdeer and Spotted Sandpipers yesterday, though, plus a Great Egret.

Panama Reservoir. Water's down, and mudflats are extensive. Saw some distant mid-size Calidris sandpipers on the far (south) shore, probably Baird's. Lots of loafing pelicans, cormorants, gulls, plus many Aechmophorus grebes. I'm thinking this will be *the* spot this year for Boulder County's jaegers, Laughing Gulls, and Red-necked Stints. OBSERVE ALL ACCESS RESTRICTIONS, which are legion.

Little Gaynor Lake. Water is high, and there are no mudflats. Many ducks, though, and I saw an adult Clark's Grebe paired with an adult Western Grebe; they'd been spending too much time, I suspect, with Mlodinow.

Prince Lake No. 2. Decent, but narrow, mudflats along the west, south, and east shores. Nothing yesterday but many Killdeers, a few Spotted Sandpipers, and a flock of lovely Horned Larks.

Waneka Lake. Extensive mudflats on the north and west shores. Also, many people (especially yesterday!). Keep an eye on this site...

Teller Lake No. 5. Didn't check in yesterday, but the water was low as of a few days ago. This is another site worth watching.

So, not a whole lot of shorebirds--yet. But I imagine the next 10-15 weeks may be reasonably exciting, by local standards anyhow, here in eastern Boulder County.

Oh. One other observation. Dispersing Bullock's Orioles were much in evidence throughout the afternoon.

Ted Floyd
tedfloyd57@hotmail.com
Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado

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