For our November bird walk, we traveled to Milavec Reservoir and a nearby gravel pond. The first birds that we spotted were a bunch of ducks! Upon closer inspection, these ducks included Northern Shovelers, Mallards, Ruddy Ducks, and a rogue Surf Scoter who decided to pack its whole life up and visit this particular reservoir in Colorado. Oh, and some Ring-Billed Gulls of course.
Surf Scoters are sea birds that breed in the boreal forests of northern Canada and Alaska and they spend the winter, or non-breeding season, along the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf Coasts of North America. So…. they aren’t really an expected visitor in Colorado. Though, my boss Jamie told me that a rogue Surf Scoter has tended to pop up in Colorado for more winters than one would expect. What’s wrong with a little migration detour along the Rockies?!
Moving on from the Surf Scoter along the south side of the reservoir, we saw what I can only describe as possibly the biggest Mallard known to mankind. I mean, it was twice the size of its female counterpart. Nearby, American Tree Sparrows were flitting from some brush, across the path, and over to the rocky edge of the reservoir to have a drink. Somehow, in that same spot, Jamie spotted a Cooper’s Hawk flying very far in the distance. It was barely a speck to the visible eye! We debated back and forth about Cooper’s Hawk vs Sharp-Shinned Hawk and ultimately Jamie let one detail be the deciding factor. Cooper’s Hawks’ heads stick out further past the wings than Sharp-Shinned Hawks whose heads are closer to the body. I am unsure whether I could currently use that difference to decipher between the two, but I am still learning and practice makes perfect!
A Bald Eagle graced us with two flyovers and perched in a tree on the other side of the reservoir as we were making our way around. Despite the Eagle not being there when we reached the other side, we were graced with a surprise visit from a very well camouflaged Northern Shrike, aka the “Butcher Bird”. According to the National Wildlife Federation, Shrikes are the only songbird species in America that regularly prey on other adult songbirds. Shrikes are such cool birds, and I had never seen a Northern one before, so this was one of my favorite birds of the day along with the Bald Eagle and Surf Scoter.
Once we made a full loop around the reservoir and admired a surprise Killdeer, we headed out to a gravel pond to see if we could spot a few more birds. My favorite was the Red-Tailed Hawk we spotted waaaaaay out in the distance sitting in a tree. The Cormorants, Buffleheads, and Hooded Mergansers also made for a good trip!
Do you look for nests when you bird? I absolutely love finding nests and right below the Northern Shrike there was an old Bullock’s Oriole nest hanging from a branch. Oriole nests are some of my favorites. At the gravel pond, we found an old osprey nest on top of a telephone pole. There was also a Great Blue Heron Rookery full of old nests off in the distance past the Red-Tailed Hawk.
The great part about birding as a group is that I always learn something new. Especially when Jamie is around. I feel like I’m a better birder after every bird walk! We host a bird walk in a different location on the second Saturday of every month. Sign up to our newsletter to see where we’ll head next!
Happy Birding!
Frederick Lake (Milavec Reservoir) & Recreation Area, Weld, Colorado, US
17 species
Northern Shoveler 6
Mallard 2
Surf Scoter 1 She’s still there chillin’ with the Ruddys.
Ruddy Duck 26
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 15
Killdeer 1
Ring-billed Gull 8
Cooper’s Hawk 1
Bald Eagle 1
Northern Shrike 1
Black-capped Chickadee 1
American Pipit 1
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 1
American Tree Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 3
Western Meadowlark 1
stakeout hotspot Pink-footed Goose, Weld CR 7 gravel pits, 2018, Weld, Colorado, US
6 species
Bufflehead 2
Hooded Merganser 31
Ring-billed Gull 4
Double-crested Cormorant 9
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Northern Flicker 1
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