Three Bird Day

Around Town today, but blissfully outside and feeling so much better for it!

An almost-patient Great Blue Heron

I went to look for the Long-tailed Duck at North Shields Ponds today. A fabulous-looking duck. Someday I hope to see an adult male in Summer plumage :) There was more than a little adventure involved in today's search, but I did get to see the bird: (That's him on the left...)

Flying off with some Goldeneyes half a second after I arrive

Not looking too excited about my visit

Safely far away.

My first Winter Wren, at the Environmental Learning Center:

Skullllkeee!!!

And an immature Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Grandview Cemetery:

Really beautiful...another bird I'd like to see in adult plumage.

Also around town today:

American Robin

Black-billed Magpie

Black-capped Chickadee

Brown Creeper

Canada Goose

Dark-eyed Junco

Eurasian-collared Dove

European Starling

Hairy Woodecker

Mallard

Northern Flicker

Red-winged Blackbird

Valmont Reservoir

The Biggest Field Trip Ever.

Not as much confusion as I might have expected for approximately 209 attendees! This was my first visit to the Valmont Reservoir at the Excel Power plant in Boulder. Fantastic weather, though I'm still very excited about the wool long-johns.

The most cooperative Kingfisher I've ever met: Most Belted Kingfishers

flee the moment I turn my camera lens on them. This brave bird allowed a

group of around 100 people to come quite close before flying. Must have 

been wondering what all the excitement was about!

Another photo for the new Birds by Shape project. (see the rest here.)

This one, an immature Black-crowned-night Heron. I have a well-lit

photo of him sitting along the bank but I enjoy this one a lot more.

A pair of Gadwalls. Someday I'll be able to identify them! (Thanks Connie)

A Trip Highlight, a Horned Grebe. Valmont Reservoir was open

to the public especially for our field trip yesterday. I'm beginning to

think some of these birds had never seen bunches of people before 

and didn't have the sense to flee! This Grebe calmly swam

over to check us all out.

We saw two Ferruginous Hawks at Valmont, my first for the year. 

This one, an immature bird watched us calmly as we walked around

one of the lakes.

I didn't get any amazing Gull views at Valmont (the trip is sometimes referred to as "Gullapalooza") but a beautiful day outside with nice looks at some key species. Additional species highlights: My first Hooded Merganser! (I've been hoping to see one for a long time) Red-breasted and Common Mergansers, Bald and Golden Eagles and a Tundra Swan.