Another Search for Owls

August 31, 2007

I returned to Reynolds Park (Jefferson) with Roger and Randy Danka. While the hike is not difficult, it is strenuous enough to require some effort especially in the summer heat. The all night owling trips were starting to take their toll; I need a rest.

Roger found a Townsend's Warbler when we were about 0.2 miles west of the Eagle’s View Trail (on the way back to our car). We did not find any at the top of the trail today. We did find a female American Three-toed Woodpecker on the trip up (about 20 yards south of the junction of the Oxen Draw, Eagle’s View, & Raven’s Roost trails).

The usual suspects were also seen on the trek (see 8/28/2007).

August 30, 2007

We had planned on hiking around Wearyman Creek and Shrine Pass (Eagle County) for a couple of days. However, circumstances required that we return to Denver. We did make a quick hike up Wearyman Creek about 4:00am. Again a Northern Pygmy-Owl answered our playback. After sunrise, we searched briefly for White-winged Crossbills (reported several weeks ago); without success.

In the afternoon, I walked around Wheat Ridge Greenbelt at Prospect Park in search of the Mourning Warbler reported earlier in the day. The bushes here have become quite thick, almost to the point of not being penetrable. I did not find the warbler (reported as 200 feet east of the chain link fence and 100 feet south of the ditch, south side of Clear Creek).

Birds were few and far between. I did find a vireo along the stream east of the old scout corral. Closer inspection showed it to be a Cassin's Vireo! While trying to identify the vireo, I heard a Northern Waterthrush. Again the thick bushes did not allow me to see the bird.

Later I walked down to the “Jack’s Place” picnic table to see if the resident Eastern Screech-Owls were out; they were not. I returned by way of the south side of the scout corral and worked my way through the thickets east of the corral. From here I could see the stream (north of an old white plastic bench) and there was the Northern Waterthrush walking along it!

It was getting to be 5:00pm. Mosquitoes were coming out in force and I departed.

August 29, 2007

Before sunrise, Gary Weston and I hiked the Twin Cone Peaks trail. A Flammulated Owl answered our recordings when played 40 yards south of where the trail crosses Kenosha Creek. A pair of Williamson's Sapsuckers was in the Aspen grove east of where the trail turns from north-south to west-east. Several dozen hummingbirds (Broad-tailed) all but one Rufous zipped around the willows and cabins.

On the trip back to our car, 2 Dusky Grouse crossed the road (about 0.2 miles east of Highway 285). Wilson's Warblers flew in and out of the willows along and below the road. Near sunrise we had heard a Hermit Thrush singing.

A quick stop at Antero Reservoir did not find much. The highlight was a singing Dickcissel halfway between the reservoir and Hwy 24. A Rufous Hummingbird also flew by and checked our red car.

We looked for Mountain Plover at their traditional nesting grounds north of the reservoir; without success. A quick walk through Buffalo Creek Campgrounds found another male Williamson's Sapsucker. Four or five dozen American Robins were in the shade. A lone male Black-headed Grosbeak sang briefly.

In the late afternoon, we hiked around the old burn area up Georgia Pass (Park County). We heard the drumming of an American Three-toed Woodpecker. Again it took over 20 minutes to locate the bird in the thick forest. After dark we listened for Northern Pygmy-Owl (have been found across the road from the burn area in past years). After about an hour, we finally heard a Northern Pygmy-Owl about 200 yards east of the burn area. The night was quiet and windless so we hiked up Georgia Pass to the summit (about 2 miles). On the way back down, we heard a Flammulated Owl we guess about a mile west of the burn area (estimated from a GPS reading). Both owl sightings were after midnight (8/30).

August 28, 2007

Gary Weston and I searched for Common Poorwills and Northern Pygmy-Owls along Foxton Road early this morning; without success.

A late Virginia's Warbler was fluttering about in the thick willows west of the main parking area for Reynolds Park (Jefferson County).

Near sunrise, we started our hike up the Oxen Draw Trail. On some trips, Northern Pygmy-Owls can be found hunting along this ditch (but not today). Gary pointed out a Dusky Grouse scurrying along 20 feet east of the trail (when we were about 80 yards south of the Songbird Trail).

We continued to the junction with the Eagle’s View and Raven’s Roost trails. As we approached the junction we heard a woodpecker. It took about 15 minutes to locate a female American Three-toed Woodpecker. She was about 15 yards south of the Oxen Draw trail and 20 yards east of the above junction.

Our hike continued east and south up the Eagle’s View trail as we wanted to check the new addition mentioned by Merlynn Brown just a few days ago. Just below reaching the clearing at the top of the trail (great view by the way) we found a Townsend's Warbler. This could have been one of the two reported by Merlynn?

We circled back to the Raven’s Roost trail and continued to our car. Along the way we ran into all three nuthatches (White-breasted, Red-breasted, and Pygmy), 2 Brown Creepers, Hairy Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, Pine Siskins, and Dark-eyed Juncos.

A brief check for Three-toed Woodpeckers was made at Pine Valley Ranch Park. We only hiked along the south side of Pine Lake and several hundred yards up the Buck Gulch Trail; without seeing any woodpeckers.