August 26, 2008
Richard Stevens:
My four friends from New York and I went birding on the Pawnee National Grasslands today. Temperatures returned to normal, high 80s, and it was quite warm on the plains. We stopped briefly at Highway 392 and Weld County Road 67, found no Mountain Plovers, and continued to Crow Valley Campgrounds.
The main attraction at Crow Valley Campgrounds and to avoid was the mosquitoes. While several Empidonax Species (Gray, Cordilleran) were found, there were no uncommon warblers or vireos. Our bird list consisted of a Western Wood-pewee, one House Wren, one Brown Thrasher, one Yellow Warbler, one Orchard Oriole, and an Ash-throated Flycatcher.
It took us quite a while but a Mountain Plover was finally located along the dirt road leading north at Weld County Roads 94 and 63. For those familiar with the area, we searched around the cement drain about a half mile north of the intersection. After 1.5 hours, a Mountain Plover was found walking just below the ridge about 100 yards east of the dirt road. McCown's Longspurs were numerous in the area, requiring no special search for them.
From there, we headed north to CR 114 and Hwy 85. Again our search took longer than average. We had to walk all the way to the windmill in the southeast field. Then return back to our car directly north toward CR 114 before a Chestnut-collared Longspur was found.
Our two searches had taken longer than expected and we had to return to Denver without checking out the wetlands south of Lower Latham Reservoir.
Late in the afternoon, Rebecca Kosten and I drove the DIA Owl Loop. Burrowing Owls were found:
2 just west of 114th avenue and Trussville
9 at 3.4 miles east of Tower Road & 96th avenue
4 at Powhaton Road & 128th avenue
The field just west of 114th avenue and Trussville (south side) was being plowed. Twenty+ Swainson's Hawks circled overhead. Two Ferruginous Hawks hunted over the field at the southeast corner of the south end of Trussville. We also observed several Red-tailed Hawks, 2 American Kestrels, and a Prairie Falcon (at 96th and C470). No Short-eared Owls or Lark Buntings were found.
Richard Stevens:
My four friends from New York and I went birding on the Pawnee National Grasslands today. Temperatures returned to normal, high 80s, and it was quite warm on the plains. We stopped briefly at Highway 392 and Weld County Road 67, found no Mountain Plovers, and continued to Crow Valley Campgrounds.
The main attraction at Crow Valley Campgrounds and to avoid was the mosquitoes. While several Empidonax Species (Gray, Cordilleran) were found, there were no uncommon warblers or vireos. Our bird list consisted of a Western Wood-pewee, one House Wren, one Brown Thrasher, one Yellow Warbler, one Orchard Oriole, and an Ash-throated Flycatcher.
It took us quite a while but a Mountain Plover was finally located along the dirt road leading north at Weld County Roads 94 and 63. For those familiar with the area, we searched around the cement drain about a half mile north of the intersection. After 1.5 hours, a Mountain Plover was found walking just below the ridge about 100 yards east of the dirt road. McCown's Longspurs were numerous in the area, requiring no special search for them.
From there, we headed north to CR 114 and Hwy 85. Again our search took longer than average. We had to walk all the way to the windmill in the southeast field. Then return back to our car directly north toward CR 114 before a Chestnut-collared Longspur was found.
Our two searches had taken longer than expected and we had to return to Denver without checking out the wetlands south of Lower Latham Reservoir.
Late in the afternoon, Rebecca Kosten and I drove the DIA Owl Loop. Burrowing Owls were found:
2 just west of 114th avenue and Trussville
9 at 3.4 miles east of Tower Road & 96th avenue
4 at Powhaton Road & 128th avenue
The field just west of 114th avenue and Trussville (south side) was being plowed. Twenty+ Swainson's Hawks circled overhead. Two Ferruginous Hawks hunted over the field at the southeast corner of the south end of Trussville. We also observed several Red-tailed Hawks, 2 American Kestrels, and a Prairie Falcon (at 96th and C470). No Short-eared Owls or Lark Buntings were found.