Monday, June 29, 2009

Birding Colorado's Northeastern Plains

June 20 to 24, 2009

Richard Stevens:

June 20
Roger Danka and I headed northeast. Our first stop was Prewitt Reservoir (Logan/Washington Counties). We did not find any uncommon birds on the reservoir. However, we found a Yellow-throated Vireo and Yellow-breasted Chat below the dam. No screech owls answered our recordings (during the mid afternoon).

The riparian areas around Jumbo Reservoir and Red Lion Wildlife Area were checked. The only uncommon bird found was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in the northern woods. The Barn Owl found by Roger a few days earlier was nowhere to be found.

A quick stop at Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area added a Bell's Vireo, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and a Northern Cardinal to our trip list.

At Roger's ranch we found a pair of Eastern Screech-Owls. We visited two of Roger's neighbors but could not locate any Long-eared Owls (seen earlier in the year at both locations).

June 21
Roger and I walked around Julesburg Wildlife Area in search of the cuckoos Roger had found a couple of days earlier. We heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo (never seen). The Black-billed Cuckoo was not relocated.

A male Northern Cardinal was observed in the southwest corner of town. A walk through Ovid Woods (along Lodgepole Creek) and the Ovid Sewage Ponds proved to be uneventful.

The rest of our day was spent driving around Sedgwick County searching for Dickcissels and Mountain Plover. We found a couple of Dickcissels on a private ranch, but none with public access. Cassin's Sparrows were found at 2 locations. A Red-bellied Woodpecker was at the Sedgwick Cemetery.

June 22
Today Roger and I birded several less visited wildlife areas.

We missed any Upland Sandpipers at Sedgwick Bar Wildlife Area. The consolation prizes were a Great Crested Flycatcher and a pair of Eastern Bluebirds. An Upland Sandpiper was later added to our day list at a nearby private ranch (one of Dan Bridges old favorite birding locations).

A male Red-bellied Woodpecker drumming away at the Pony Express Wildlife Area. Julesburg Wayside Rest Stop was pretty quiet. A male Baltimore Oriole was west of the parking area. A couple of Chimney Swifts flew high over the river.

Our birding day ended at DePoorter Lake. The weedy fields around the lake are usually good for a sparrow or two. We found White-crowned Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Lark Sparrows, and a couple of Chipping Sparrows. We thought the Chipping Sparrows should be farther west in the foothills or mountains? The highlight was a Field Sparrow along the southern fence line. As hard as we tried, no Northern Bobwhites could be found.

June 23
Today Roger and I birded Bonny Reservoir at first light. We did not find any Eastern Screech-Owls (probably due to a late arrival). Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Eastern Bluebirds, and a Common Poorwill were around Hale Ponds.

The highlight was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo sighting and a second heard along the Republican River (north of Hale Ponds).

We did not spend a long time but did search for Long-eared Owls at Hale; without success. We briefly checked Wagon Wheel Campgrounds and Foster's Grove without finding any uncommon birds.

At Flagler Reservoir, a few Song Sparrows, Lark Sparrows, and White-crowned Sparrows fluttered about the eastern side.

A Red-bellied Woodpecker was at the southeast corner. While a Ladder-backed Woodpecker was along the southern end of the reservoir. This is quite far north for a Ladder-backed Woodpecker and a good find!

June 24
Today, Roger and I counted birds at Hugoo, Karval, and Kinney Lake Wildlife Areas. Birding was pretty slow most of the day. We did find Cassin's Sparrows (difficult in past years, but not this year).

The usual nesting birds of the eastern plains were found (such as Western Kingbird, Eastern Kingbird, Song Sparrow, an occasional Say's Phoebe, White-breasted Nuthatch, and blackbirds).

The only uncommon bird was a Short-eared Owl flying around the southwest corner of Karval Reservoir Wildlife Area (where we ended our birding day).

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