4/8 - Neotropic Cormorant - Arapahoe County, CO

Phil Rusch, Bill Asteriades and I are about to finish up a great week of birding in Colorado. A full trip report is to follow, but a quick post now of photos of a review-list NEOTROPIC CORMORANT we turned up today at Cherry Creek State Park in Arapahoe County.














Neotropic Cormorant (first-year) - note the small size next to DCCO, long tail, dark lores, grayish bill, and the more pointed rear border of the gular pouch (more obtuse angle in DCCO).

I first picked up on a small cormorant among a group of roosting Double-cresteds near the marina, suspecting Neotropic based on size alone. We got a bit closer and noted the structure and plumage details described above to confirm the ID and eliminate a runt DCCO.

Glenn Walbek has posted his great photos HERE.

Another highlight of a fantastic trip so far. We figured it was going to be a good week when within 24 hours of landing we had seen Williamson's Sapsucker, White-tailed Ptarmigan (took all of 5 minutes of searching), Lewis's Woodpecker, Gunnison Sage-Grouse, and all 3 rosy-finches. Details and photos when we return (if we decide to leave...).

- NB

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