September 22, 2007
The following is an experiment in sending a post by way of my cell phone to my blog. I probably will not use the method much as vocabulary and sentences have to remain simplistic for it to work.
Joe Sizemore and I went to Mt. Falcon Park early this morning. We walked to the old Castle about half a mile east of the parking area. Joe flushed a Dusky Grouse along the West side of the Castle. However, we were not able to relocate it. Joe didn't get a very good look at the bird. We looked around for another bird so Joe could get a better look. About 30 minutes later, I managed to find in other Dusky Grouse near the bench along the trail heading east and about 200 yards from the old Castle.
On the way back to the parking area we ran into a flock of Red Crossbills. A flock included five males and three female birds. A dozen Pine Siskins and two Mountain Bluebirds were feeding on the thistles in the open field to the East of the Main trail.
A pair of Downy Woodpecker was around the restrooms. A Hairy Woodpecker was near the parking lot.
Next, we then headed over to Pine Valley Ranch Park in Jefferson County. An American dipper was below the bridge west of the parking area. We then walked the south side of Pine Lake. We could hear a Three Toed Woodpecker drumming up the hill to the South of the Lake. With a 20 minute effort, we were able to finally see the woodpecker.
We continued to Buck Gulch trail. A flock of 11 Pygmy Nuthatches fluttered about the firs 200 yards south of pine Lake. We also found a pair of White breasted Nuthatches and one Red breasted Nuthatch.
About 300 yards further South we heard the drumming of another Three Toed Woodpecker. This one was more cooperative and it only took five minutes to find it. It was an adult male drumming on one of his favorite trees.
We had spent enough time there and returned to our car. We continued South to Grant, and then turned west on Guanella pass road. At the top of Guanella pass, we walked around for about two hours looking for White tailed Ptarmigan. We were not having any success and started back toward our car when a White-tailed Ptarmigan jumped onto a rock about 100 yards south of the junction of the Rosalie and 603 trails. Shortly afterwards, a second Ptarmigan was spotted below the first.
Continuing north, we searched for birds around Georgetown. We were not able to find any Evening Grosbeaks or Pine Grosbeaks today at the city park or nearby feeders.
Our last stop of the day was Genesee Mountain Park. As we pulled into the group picnic area parking lot a male Williamson's Sapsucker flew in front of the car. We watched him for about 15 minutes and then drove to the top of the mountain. We walked around here for 10 minutes and found another male Williamson's Sapsucker and a pair of mountain chickadees.
As we looked towards the east and Denver, Joe pointed out a Clark's Nutcracker flying in the distance. That was all it time that Joe had so we headed back to Denver.
After dropping Joe off, I drove over to Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). It was quite windy and I expected to see few birds on the lake. At least 3 Sabine's Gulls were about 200 yards southeast of the southwest marina. From the Lake Loop I could make out 3 or 4 phalaropes to the east. The high waves made Identifying them impossible; still there are a few still around.
The following is an experiment in sending a post by way of my cell phone to my blog. I probably will not use the method much as vocabulary and sentences have to remain simplistic for it to work.
Joe Sizemore and I went to Mt. Falcon Park early this morning. We walked to the old Castle about half a mile east of the parking area. Joe flushed a Dusky Grouse along the West side of the Castle. However, we were not able to relocate it. Joe didn't get a very good look at the bird. We looked around for another bird so Joe could get a better look. About 30 minutes later, I managed to find in other Dusky Grouse near the bench along the trail heading east and about 200 yards from the old Castle.
On the way back to the parking area we ran into a flock of Red Crossbills. A flock included five males and three female birds. A dozen Pine Siskins and two Mountain Bluebirds were feeding on the thistles in the open field to the East of the Main trail.
A pair of Downy Woodpecker was around the restrooms. A Hairy Woodpecker was near the parking lot.
Next, we then headed over to Pine Valley Ranch Park in Jefferson County. An American dipper was below the bridge west of the parking area. We then walked the south side of Pine Lake. We could hear a Three Toed Woodpecker drumming up the hill to the South of the Lake. With a 20 minute effort, we were able to finally see the woodpecker.
We continued to Buck Gulch trail. A flock of 11 Pygmy Nuthatches fluttered about the firs 200 yards south of pine Lake. We also found a pair of White breasted Nuthatches and one Red breasted Nuthatch.
About 300 yards further South we heard the drumming of another Three Toed Woodpecker. This one was more cooperative and it only took five minutes to find it. It was an adult male drumming on one of his favorite trees.
We had spent enough time there and returned to our car. We continued South to Grant, and then turned west on Guanella pass road. At the top of Guanella pass, we walked around for about two hours looking for White tailed Ptarmigan. We were not having any success and started back toward our car when a White-tailed Ptarmigan jumped onto a rock about 100 yards south of the junction of the Rosalie and 603 trails. Shortly afterwards, a second Ptarmigan was spotted below the first.
Continuing north, we searched for birds around Georgetown. We were not able to find any Evening Grosbeaks or Pine Grosbeaks today at the city park or nearby feeders.
Our last stop of the day was Genesee Mountain Park. As we pulled into the group picnic area parking lot a male Williamson's Sapsucker flew in front of the car. We watched him for about 15 minutes and then drove to the top of the mountain. We walked around here for 10 minutes and found another male Williamson's Sapsucker and a pair of mountain chickadees.
As we looked towards the east and Denver, Joe pointed out a Clark's Nutcracker flying in the distance. That was all it time that Joe had so we headed back to Denver.
After dropping Joe off, I drove over to Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). It was quite windy and I expected to see few birds on the lake. At least 3 Sabine's Gulls were about 200 yards southeast of the southwest marina. From the Lake Loop I could make out 3 or 4 phalaropes to the east. The high waves made Identifying them impossible; still there are a few still around.
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