Eastern Plains May 22 to 23, 2007

May 22, 2007

Roger Danka had reported a couple of interesting birds and I headed back to the Julesburg area (Logan County). We were not able to relocate the Blue-headed Vireo that Roger had found earlier in the day at the Jumbo Reservoir campgrounds. We also did not relocate the American Woodcock that he saw that morning at the eastern end of Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area.

With plenty of daylight left, we decided to head to Bonny Reservoir (Yuma). A quick stop at Sand Draw Wildlife area added 2 Field Sparrows and a Harris's Sparrow to our trip list.

Once at Bonny Reservoir we had just enough daylight left to relocate 2 of the Northern Cardinals reported by Bob Righter the week before. Three Baltimore Orioles were found along the south shore. We search unsuccessfully for Barn Owls and called in a day.

May 23, 2007

Before sunrise, Roger Danka and I were up searching for owls at Bonny Reservoir (Yuma County). An Eastern Screech-Owl answered our playback tapes as we played them north of the most eastern Hale Ponds. Earlier, a Long-eared Owl had also responded to our tape at the Hale Store windbreak. Two Common Poorwills were also relocated south of Hale Ponds (first found on one of my grouse trips on 5/8).

A hike around the Hale Pond area added a male Chestnut-sided Warbler, pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and a covey of Northern Bobwhite to our trip list. We found a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in the cottonwoods just before CR 4 enters Kansas.

A hike along the Republican River from LL.5 to Hale Ponds was quite successful. While we did not find any additional Yellow-billed Cuckoos or Black-billed Cuckoos (known to nest in the area in past years), we did find a male Magnolia Warbler.

At Bonny Reservoir we once again found a couple of Baltimore Orioles and Northern Cardinals. Shorebird sightings were hard to come by. A pair of Ospreys hunted along the south shore. Several House Wrens and a Great Crested Flycatcher were encountered at Wagon Wheel Campgrounds. One Red-headed Woodpecker was also found.

I needed to get back to Denver, so we headed back to Julesburg and I headed home.

I arrived at Prewitt Reservoir (Washington/Logan) near sunset. A quick walk below the dam did not turn up any uncommon birds. No Eastern Screech-Owls could be found below the dam outlet or the southern parking area.