June 10, 2008
Rebecca Kosten and I drove the DIA Owl Loop late in the afternoon. We counted 11 Burrowing Owls.
June 11, 2008
I left Denver about 2:00am and conducted "hearing" point counts along Foxton Road. The target birds were Northern Pygmy-Owls and Common Poorwills.
A Common Poorwill was finally found singing on the rocks just west of the main parking area for Reynolds Park. A Northern Pygmy-Owl answered my playback recordings at the junction of the Songbird and Oxen Draw Trails! I only hiked about 200 yards up the Oxen Draw Trail in search of Dusky Grouse; none were found.
Just after sunrise, I parked near the South Platte yard where a Painted Bunting had been visiting feeders. By the time the bird appeared, he had tested my patience. I sat from 7:00am to 9:30am. I had set a 3 hour limit so at least he showed before then (if history holds, I probably would have waited longer).
The habitat was fantastic and I counted many species which included: Spotted Towhee, Northern Mockingbird, Gray Catbirds, Pine Siskin, Mountain Chickadee, Black-capped Chickadee, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Yellow Warbler, House Finches, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Afterwards, I drove down North Platte River Road (CR 97) in search of owls and other birds. I finally had success with my second Northern Pygmy-Owl of the day. He was approximately 200 yards north of the junction of CR 97 & 67. I turned back around here and drove to Pine Valley Ranch Park.
I checked the south side of Pine Lake for American Three-toed Woodpeckers; without success. Along the Buck Gulch Trail at 400 yards south of Pine Lake, a male Three-toed Woodpecker crossed the trail from west to east.
From Pine Valley Ranch Park I drove through Pine and around to FR 550. A Northern Goshawk was seen at the intersection of FR 550 & 552!
As dark approached I headed to my favorite camping area in Pike National Forest. It did not disappoint. A Flammulated Owl answered my recordings around 11:00pm.
Rebecca Kosten and I drove the DIA Owl Loop late in the afternoon. We counted 11 Burrowing Owls.
June 11, 2008
I left Denver about 2:00am and conducted "hearing" point counts along Foxton Road. The target birds were Northern Pygmy-Owls and Common Poorwills.
A Common Poorwill was finally found singing on the rocks just west of the main parking area for Reynolds Park. A Northern Pygmy-Owl answered my playback recordings at the junction of the Songbird and Oxen Draw Trails! I only hiked about 200 yards up the Oxen Draw Trail in search of Dusky Grouse; none were found.
Just after sunrise, I parked near the South Platte yard where a Painted Bunting had been visiting feeders. By the time the bird appeared, he had tested my patience. I sat from 7:00am to 9:30am. I had set a 3 hour limit so at least he showed before then (if history holds, I probably would have waited longer).
The habitat was fantastic and I counted many species which included: Spotted Towhee, Northern Mockingbird, Gray Catbirds, Pine Siskin, Mountain Chickadee, Black-capped Chickadee, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Yellow Warbler, House Finches, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Afterwards, I drove down North Platte River Road (CR 97) in search of owls and other birds. I finally had success with my second Northern Pygmy-Owl of the day. He was approximately 200 yards north of the junction of CR 97 & 67. I turned back around here and drove to Pine Valley Ranch Park.
I checked the south side of Pine Lake for American Three-toed Woodpeckers; without success. Along the Buck Gulch Trail at 400 yards south of Pine Lake, a male Three-toed Woodpecker crossed the trail from west to east.
From Pine Valley Ranch Park I drove through Pine and around to FR 550. A Northern Goshawk was seen at the intersection of FR 550 & 552!
As dark approached I headed to my favorite camping area in Pike National Forest. It did not disappoint. A Flammulated Owl answered my recordings around 11:00pm.
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