Friday, April 17, 2009

Grouse Trip Day 1

April 17, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Bob Bucci, Mary Ewing, & I had to head east today because of the snowstorm. Roads up to Loveland Pass were closed when we started out.

Just east of Orchard (Morgan County) we found many hawks including a dark morph Swainson's Hawk and a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk!

In the pond south of Jackson Reservoir (Morgan) were 2 pairs of Greater Scaup along with Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, and one female Canvasback.

Other highlights included 2 Loggerhead Shrike and Long-eared Owls.

At Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area another Loggerhead Shrike, Vesper Sparrows, Brewer's Sparrows, and a Golden Eagle were found. We could not find any Northern Cardinals or Red-bellied Woodpeckers today.

At Red Lion Wildlife Area were many Blue-winged Teal as well as a male Cinnamon Teal and male Green-winged Teal. A flock of about 60 white geese included Snow Geese and Ross's Geese.

Jumbo Reservoir was quite slow. The only gulls were 2 Ring-billed Gulls. Swallows included Tree, one Violet-green, Cliff Swallows, and Northern Rough-winged Swallows.

There were plenty of Canvasbacks, Northern Shovelers, Buffleheads, and American Coots. About 80 Western Grebes did not include any Clark's Grebes. Several Horned Grebes in alternate plumage added some color to the drab day. Again the rain continued to pour.

Rain continued most of the day, at least we missed seeing snow after driving east of DIA.

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