February 25 to 28, 2008
Bryan Ehlmann and I visited our friend Roger Danka in Sedgwick County.
February, 25th
Roger took us around to several ranches in the county. It's a treat to have access to the private property.
First at Roger's ranch (i.e. private ranch #1) we found his wintering Harris's Sparrow and White-throated Sparrow. They visit his feeders throughout the day.
At private ranch #5, Roger took us over to see 2 Long-eared Owls. They were buried deep in a windbreak, but figured we couldn't see them. So we got pretty close without seeing any disturbing behavior on their part.
February, 26th
This morning, Roger took introduced us to a ranger in Phillips County. The rancher had called Roger two days earlier and described what sounded like Common Redpolls coming to his feeders. Sure enough, within a 30 minute wait, 2 Common Redpolls appeared. They visited his feeders about every 20 minutes or so.
From there we continued back north to Sedgwick Draw. It was well worth the stop. Bryan found an Eastern Screech-Owl in the few pines around the intersection of CR 30 & CR 11.
A little south of there, we found a male Red-bellied Woodpecker flying around the Sedgwick Cemetery.
Our birding day ended by watching for owls along Sedgwick Draw. Shortly after sunset, Roger pointed out a Short-eared Owl flying down the draw (from north to south, west of CR 11).
February 27, 2008
After searching in the dark for Roger's resident Eastern Screech-Owls (2, private ranch #1) we drove south to be at the Yuma County 45 Lek before sunrise. Two male Greater Prairie-Chickens came to the lek shortly after sunrise.
After seeing them, we quickly rushed over to CR 25 where another Greater Prairie-Chicken was found crossing the road.
On the trip back north, we stopped at DePoorter Lake and walked around the old dump and the South Platte River. A pair of Northern Bobwhite stood on the wood piles at the dump. A Harris's Sparrow fluttered about the willows along the Platte River.
Roger received a call from a friend and we rushed over to private ranch #3. His friend had noticed a dark reddish "House Finch" that looked different than all the others. Sure enough, the guy had a male Purple Finch! While trying to take photos (it was getting dark) a second male Purple Finch visited at the same time.
After sunset, we walked the Riparian Area on Roger's Ranch and found one of the two resident Eastern Screech-Owls looking out his nesting hole.
February 28, 2008
All good things must come to an end. Bryan and I had to return to Denver. We picked a route that took us by Flagler Reservoir (Kit Carson). We hoped to find an uncommon sparrow, Bohemian Waxwings, or perhaps Common Redpolls.
A flock of sparrows flying around the bushes at the northeast corner of the reservoir caught our attention. An adult White-throated Sparrow was among 14 White-crowned Sparrows and 3 Song Sparrows.
Bryan Ehlmann and I visited our friend Roger Danka in Sedgwick County.
February, 25th
Roger took us around to several ranches in the county. It's a treat to have access to the private property.
First at Roger's ranch (i.e. private ranch #1) we found his wintering Harris's Sparrow and White-throated Sparrow. They visit his feeders throughout the day.
At private ranch #5, Roger took us over to see 2 Long-eared Owls. They were buried deep in a windbreak, but figured we couldn't see them. So we got pretty close without seeing any disturbing behavior on their part.
February, 26th
This morning, Roger took introduced us to a ranger in Phillips County. The rancher had called Roger two days earlier and described what sounded like Common Redpolls coming to his feeders. Sure enough, within a 30 minute wait, 2 Common Redpolls appeared. They visited his feeders about every 20 minutes or so.
From there we continued back north to Sedgwick Draw. It was well worth the stop. Bryan found an Eastern Screech-Owl in the few pines around the intersection of CR 30 & CR 11.
A little south of there, we found a male Red-bellied Woodpecker flying around the Sedgwick Cemetery.
Our birding day ended by watching for owls along Sedgwick Draw. Shortly after sunset, Roger pointed out a Short-eared Owl flying down the draw (from north to south, west of CR 11).
February 27, 2008
After searching in the dark for Roger's resident Eastern Screech-Owls (2, private ranch #1) we drove south to be at the Yuma County 45 Lek before sunrise. Two male Greater Prairie-Chickens came to the lek shortly after sunrise.
After seeing them, we quickly rushed over to CR 25 where another Greater Prairie-Chicken was found crossing the road.
On the trip back north, we stopped at DePoorter Lake and walked around the old dump and the South Platte River. A pair of Northern Bobwhite stood on the wood piles at the dump. A Harris's Sparrow fluttered about the willows along the Platte River.
Roger received a call from a friend and we rushed over to private ranch #3. His friend had noticed a dark reddish "House Finch" that looked different than all the others. Sure enough, the guy had a male Purple Finch! While trying to take photos (it was getting dark) a second male Purple Finch visited at the same time.
After sunset, we walked the Riparian Area on Roger's Ranch and found one of the two resident Eastern Screech-Owls looking out his nesting hole.
February 28, 2008
All good things must come to an end. Bryan and I had to return to Denver. We picked a route that took us by Flagler Reservoir (Kit Carson). We hoped to find an uncommon sparrow, Bohemian Waxwings, or perhaps Common Redpolls.
A flock of sparrows flying around the bushes at the northeast corner of the reservoir caught our attention. An adult White-throated Sparrow was among 14 White-crowned Sparrows and 3 Song Sparrows.
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