Unfortunately on this cold cloudy day I had to work in the middle of migration. So, like usual, I took my lunch break to go check out Timnath Reservoir. This was a great idea. As I was pulling up into the park I noticed quite a few Lark Sparrows sitting on the wires, eventually I spotted a Vesper Sparrow and a Lark Bunting (236). Getting closer in the park I noticed there were thousands of swallows on the wires and flying around the area. After scanning the reservoir I realized there was approximately 9,000 Cliff Swallows, 500 Tree Swallows, 360 Violet-green Swallows, 120 Barn Swallows, 12 Bank Swallows, and 8 Northern Rough-winged Swallows. Also while scanning the reservoir I noticed lots of Wilson's Phalaropes with a few Red-necked mixed in. I then saw 5 shorebirds flying around over the reservoir. I noticed they were peeps (not phalaropes) with white rumps. These 5 birds were WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER (237). I then found a large flock of Chipping Sparrows and on the east side of the reservoir I had a single Brewer's Sparrow. In total I saw 50 species of birds on my lunch break.
After work I decided to try to check out what other water-like birds might be around in this fallout.
A stop a Kechter Pit was fairly productive as a Marbled Godwit was standing on one of the small islands. Other birds included a Great Egret, 3 Least Sandpipers, 3 Forster's Terns, and 4 Spotted Sandpipers (2 of which I saw displaying and eventually copulating).
I then hurried over to Duck Lake and it was by far the best stop of the day. I quickly picked up on several SANDERLING (238) and eventually counted 26, which according to ebird is by far the largest flock seen in Larimer County as the previous highest total was 8. These were also the first Sanderling I have ever seen in Larimer County in the spring and according to ebird they were the earliest seen in Larimer County. I then continued to scan the lake as I waited for Cade Cropper to come and see the Sanderling. I then came across a large flock of Long-billed Dowitchers, but quickly realized about half of them were STILT SANDPIPER (139). In total there was about 45 Long-billed Dowitchers and 42 Stilt Sandpipers. Other birds around were 4 Willets, 11 American Avocets, 1 Semipalmated Plover, 212 Wilson's Phalaropes, 35 Red-necked Phalaropes, and most of the regular ducks.
Sanderling
I made a quick stop at the marsh on Timberline south of Carpenter, but nothing of interest.
A stop at the dairy pond on the north side of Horseshoe Lake held 1 Wilson's and 4 Red-necked Phalaropes. There was also 1 American Avocet and 4 Killdeer (2 of which were fledglings).
Red-necked Phalarope
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