December 21 & 22, 2008
Bryan Ehlmann:
Rich Stevens and I tested some camping equipment for a friend and combined that with a few nights of owling.
Saturday night we camped out in Pike National Forest at a "cool" 8 degrees. Winds were surprisingly calm. For several hours we walked Forest Road 560, playing Northern Pygmy-Owl tapes, but not getting any response.
Early Sunday morning, we did get a response at nearby Reynolds Park also in Jefferson County. Shortly after one owl responded a second owl also joined in for about 10 minutes along the Oxen Draw Trail.
Returned to Pine Valley Ranch Park after sunrise, but didn't have additional success. A search for American Three-toed Woodpeckers was also not successful.
In the afternoon we received a text message about the Dunlin at Chatfield State Park and shuffled off to southwest Denver. A short 5 minute walk from the dog walking area below the Chatfield Reservoir dam and we saw the Dunlin and a Killdeer. Both were on the mudflats about 200 yards south of the C470 Bridge.
Afterwards we searched for owls in Deer Creek Canyon. Again a Northern Pygmy-Owl answered our recordings!
Sunday night we camped near Golden Gate Canyon State Park. The temperatures only reached 10 degrees, warm?
Monday morning we were up early and searched for owls in Golden Gate Canyon State Park and the White Ranch area. Bingo, we found our fourth and possibly fifth Northern Pygmy-Owls of our excursion!
Monday night my warm bed was heaven! I bet Richard felt the same way!
Bryan Ehlmann:
Rich Stevens and I tested some camping equipment for a friend and combined that with a few nights of owling.
Saturday night we camped out in Pike National Forest at a "cool" 8 degrees. Winds were surprisingly calm. For several hours we walked Forest Road 560, playing Northern Pygmy-Owl tapes, but not getting any response.
Early Sunday morning, we did get a response at nearby Reynolds Park also in Jefferson County. Shortly after one owl responded a second owl also joined in for about 10 minutes along the Oxen Draw Trail.
Returned to Pine Valley Ranch Park after sunrise, but didn't have additional success. A search for American Three-toed Woodpeckers was also not successful.
In the afternoon we received a text message about the Dunlin at Chatfield State Park and shuffled off to southwest Denver. A short 5 minute walk from the dog walking area below the Chatfield Reservoir dam and we saw the Dunlin and a Killdeer. Both were on the mudflats about 200 yards south of the C470 Bridge.
Afterwards we searched for owls in Deer Creek Canyon. Again a Northern Pygmy-Owl answered our recordings!
Sunday night we camped near Golden Gate Canyon State Park. The temperatures only reached 10 degrees, warm?
Monday morning we were up early and searched for owls in Golden Gate Canyon State Park and the White Ranch area. Bingo, we found our fourth and possibly fifth Northern Pygmy-Owls of our excursion!
Monday night my warm bed was heaven! I bet Richard felt the same way!
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