Unusually large group of Red-breasted Mergansers at Brush Hollow Reservoir

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Yesterday I found 16 Red-breasted Mergansers at Brush Hollow Reservoir which is about 15 miles from where I live. Compared to many reservoirs in southern Colorado this is a fairly small body of water; however there are very few lakes or ponds in my county and it is the largest of them.

We don't get Red-breasted Mergansers often in my area and this is an unusually large number for us. In addition to these mergansers there were a number of other common waterfowl including a nice raft of about 20 Redheaded Ducks. I also had a small flock of Bushtits work their way past me in the junipers on the hill above the reservoir where I was parked.

Since boats are allowed and most are motorized it is difficult for waterfowl to get any rest on this man-made reservoir. Not long after I got there a motorboat put in and the these mergansers were moved around the reservoir. I checked there today on my way to Pueblo and didn't see any mergansers. SeEtta

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