March 11, 2009
Richard Stevens:
I returned to Hale Ponds area (Yuma County) three hours before sunrise and hiked along the Republican River to Yuma County Road LL.5. I eventually found (heard) 4 Eastern Screech-Owls along the trek.
By the time I reached CR LL.5, it was around sunrise and sparrows started to move about CR 4. A Harris's Sparrow flew across CR 4 (near the old restroom area) and dived into the brush. A Northern Shrike was perched on the telephone wires east of the large cottonwood grove.
Temperatures were again in the low 40s; winds however were calm. I headed north to search for Eastern Meadowlarks and other uncommon birds. While I found two possibilities for an Eastern Meadowlark, neither called or sang to confirm that.
While walking along a section of CR 9 a rancher stopped to see what I was doing. He talked about these bright red birds visiting his feeders. The description suggested Purple Finches and he took me back to his ranch. Sure enough, two adult male and a female Purple Finches came by. He believed that the Purple Finches first showed up the day before Christmas.
I continued my tourney by driving the country roads along the eastern border of Colorado. While driving the 2 miles of Yuma CR RR south of Highway 36 a flock of sparrows caught my attention. A Vesper Sparrow appeared among the White-crowned Sparrows popping up from the field.
Sandy Bluff State Trust Land was closed to visitors. I stopped a played an Eastern Screech-Owl recording in an attempt to attract some sparrows. White-crowned and American Tree Sparrows flew up to take a look. An Eastern Screech-Owl answered the playback.
I always enjoy stopping at the historic Beecher Island. Terry Johnston does an interesting take of its history in one of his books. While trying to photograph a Say's Phoebe perched on a branch I heard the familiar song of Northern Cardinal. A bright red male fluttered about the western end of the property.
Simmons Wildlife Area off Yuma CR 22 is a fine example of eastern prairie land. Several dozen sparrows (including another Vesper Sparrow) flew around the property. Forty or so Lapland Longspurs and one male McCown's Longspur were among 200+ Horned Larks.
Back on Yuma CR RRRR, this time 1.6 miles south of CR 23 I found another flock of longspurs among the Horned Larks. Another male McCown's Longspur was picked out of 2 dozen Lapland Longspurs.
I stopped at the end of CR 31 and watched a few White-crowned Sparrows, 1 or 2 McCown's Longspurs, and many Lapland Longspurs fly about.
Just before sunrise I drove to Kevin O'Brien's' Greater Prairie-Chicken lek. No Greater Prairie-Chickens displayed on the lek, but I did see one cross the road. The property owner, a friend I have met on many occasions, came by to catch me up. He has only seen a few Greater Prairie-Chickens on his land in 2008 and 2009. He did give directions to a neighbor's property where he thinks "his" Greater Prairie-Chicken moved. He started running cattle on the land where his lek was located two years ago and thinks that contributed to the Greater Prairie-Chickens move.
I stopped a played an Eastern Screech-Owl recording as I passed Sandsage Wildlife Area. The resident Eastern Screech-Owl answered back nicely!
Richard Stevens:
I returned to Hale Ponds area (Yuma County) three hours before sunrise and hiked along the Republican River to Yuma County Road LL.5. I eventually found (heard) 4 Eastern Screech-Owls along the trek.
By the time I reached CR LL.5, it was around sunrise and sparrows started to move about CR 4. A Harris's Sparrow flew across CR 4 (near the old restroom area) and dived into the brush. A Northern Shrike was perched on the telephone wires east of the large cottonwood grove.
Temperatures were again in the low 40s; winds however were calm. I headed north to search for Eastern Meadowlarks and other uncommon birds. While I found two possibilities for an Eastern Meadowlark, neither called or sang to confirm that.
While walking along a section of CR 9 a rancher stopped to see what I was doing. He talked about these bright red birds visiting his feeders. The description suggested Purple Finches and he took me back to his ranch. Sure enough, two adult male and a female Purple Finches came by. He believed that the Purple Finches first showed up the day before Christmas.
I continued my tourney by driving the country roads along the eastern border of Colorado. While driving the 2 miles of Yuma CR RR south of Highway 36 a flock of sparrows caught my attention. A Vesper Sparrow appeared among the White-crowned Sparrows popping up from the field.
Sandy Bluff State Trust Land was closed to visitors. I stopped a played an Eastern Screech-Owl recording in an attempt to attract some sparrows. White-crowned and American Tree Sparrows flew up to take a look. An Eastern Screech-Owl answered the playback.
I always enjoy stopping at the historic Beecher Island. Terry Johnston does an interesting take of its history in one of his books. While trying to photograph a Say's Phoebe perched on a branch I heard the familiar song of Northern Cardinal. A bright red male fluttered about the western end of the property.
Simmons Wildlife Area off Yuma CR 22 is a fine example of eastern prairie land. Several dozen sparrows (including another Vesper Sparrow) flew around the property. Forty or so Lapland Longspurs and one male McCown's Longspur were among 200+ Horned Larks.
Back on Yuma CR RRRR, this time 1.6 miles south of CR 23 I found another flock of longspurs among the Horned Larks. Another male McCown's Longspur was picked out of 2 dozen Lapland Longspurs.
I stopped at the end of CR 31 and watched a few White-crowned Sparrows, 1 or 2 McCown's Longspurs, and many Lapland Longspurs fly about.
Just before sunrise I drove to Kevin O'Brien's' Greater Prairie-Chicken lek. No Greater Prairie-Chickens displayed on the lek, but I did see one cross the road. The property owner, a friend I have met on many occasions, came by to catch me up. He has only seen a few Greater Prairie-Chickens on his land in 2008 and 2009. He did give directions to a neighbor's property where he thinks "his" Greater Prairie-Chicken moved. He started running cattle on the land where his lek was located two years ago and thinks that contributed to the Greater Prairie-Chickens move.
I stopped a played an Eastern Screech-Owl recording as I passed Sandsage Wildlife Area. The resident Eastern Screech-Owl answered back nicely!
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