Sunday, March 22, 2009

Mesa to Gunnison County

March 19, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Allyson Marceau and I visited the Colorado National Monument. It was another beautiful spring day. A flock of 24+ called and flew around the campgrounds. Allyson picked up her lifebird Juniper Titmouse in the Junipers north of the overlook.

White-throated Swifts soared below the overlook. It is still early in the season and few other birds were around.

Chukar were missed in Escalante Canyon. The canyon had few birds. Usually I see Mountain Bluebirds with a few Western Bluebirds in the mix. A female Hairy Woodpecker seemed out of place. No Black Phoebes which have nested the past 3 years here were found.

The Ross's Geese were not at Confluence Park. Having time to spare we drove to Paonia and searched for a Northern Pygmy-Owl; without success.

In the middle of the day, no Sandhill Cranes were at Fruitgrower's Reservoir. A birder stopped by and said that several hundred took off early in the morning. Nine Lewis's Woodpeckers were in the two cottonwoods below the dam (west end at E. Horn's home).

We ended our birding day at Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park. In spite of driving up and down the south rim (now open) no Dusky Grouse could be found.

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