With a collective shriek, hundreds of Cackling Geese rose from the surface of Barr Lake, wings beating frantically as they flew over the water.
Our birding group wondered what had caused their alarm. Then we spotted an adult Bald Eagle on the wing, following the geese like an airborne border collie herding sheep.
Eagles generally feed on fish and prairie dogs, explained walk leader Sarah Doxon, education manager at Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. But on occasion an eagle will take down old, sick, or injured waterfowl.
The geese were taking no chances.
Bird club members who joined the January 3 walk at Barr Lake State Park saw more than a dozen adult and juvenile eagles. Open water on the park’s large, manmade reservoir, along with tall trees and plentiful food sources, make Barr Lake a popular wintering spot for our national bird.
In some years, 40 or more Bald Eagles will travel from the Pacific Northwest, joining the two pairs of resident eagles that regularly nest at the park.
Eagles aren’t the only avian attraction at Barr Lake, a wildlife refuge that attracts “a greater variety and number of birds than anywhere else in Colorado,” according to the park’s website.
Our group focused on waterfowl, watching large flocks of Northern Pintails, American Wigeons, Mallards, and Northern Shovelers, as well as the ever-present Cackling and Canada Geese. A few Common Mergansers, Snow Geese, and Common Goldeneyes also made an appearance.
At more than 2,000 acres, the state park encompasses a wide variety of habitats. On our hike to and from the lakeside viewing gazebo, we spotted Northern Harriers soaring low over open grassland. American Kestrels and a variety of songbirds perched on tall grasses or in woodland trees. A herd of mule deer grazed on open ground near the reservoir’s shore.
Doxon and other Bird Conservancy staff lead regular Eagle Outings at the park in winter, suspending the walks to protect the birds once nesting season begins. The state park’s annual Eagle Festival on February 7 includes live raptor demonstrations, guided walks, and shuttles to the gazebo boardwalk.
Most of the eagles our group spotted were perched high in the trees on the far side of the reservoir, but several flew close to the viewing area or perched in trees not far from the state park’s educational (and kid-friendly) Nature Center.
No matter how many you’ve seen, a Bald Eagle is always a magnificent sight. And no matter how many times you’ve been there, Barr Lake State Park is always a prime location for birding.
Text by Christine Kindl
Photos by Steve Horace
