Sunday, November 8, 2009

Trek to the Northwest Mountains

November 1 to 4, 2009

Bryan Ehlmann:

November 1

Gary Weston, Richard Stevens and I left Denver early in the afternoon. We searched unsuccessfully for the Red-necked Grebe and Red-throated Loon at Union Reservoir. All that was found was a Common Loon. No unusual gulls were among the hundreds scattered across the huge lake.

After finding a couple of Gray-crowned and one Brown-capped Rosy Finches at the Colorado State Forest Visitor's Center's feeders we headed up Michigan Creek Road to do some snow shoeing in the Colorado State Forest.

After dark, we found 3 Boreal Owls, albeit all only heard. Two owls were up the Ruby Jewell Road within a mile of Michigan Creek Road. The third was found about 0.7 miles north of the west end of Michigan Creek Road. We enjoyed a pleasant night, as winds were calm. The nightly forest noises were only dimmed by our breathing along the strenuous trek.

November 2

We had a late start after last night's long one. Our hike of about 4 miles along Rabbit Ears Pass did not find any White-winged Crossbills. An American Three-toed Woodpecker was found up the road to the Maintenance Shed (Grand County).

In the afternoon, we relocated the 2 Pectoral Sandpipers reported yesterday by Craig Dodson at Stagecoach State Recreation Area. We also found 3 Sharp-tailed Grouse near Steamboat Springs.

We drove as far as we could north of Steamboat Springs and then snow shoed into the area where White-winged Crossbills and Dusky Grouse have been reported in the past. However, neither species was found.

After dark, we searched unsuccessfully for Boreal Owls around the Steamboat Springs Ski Area and Fish Creek.

November 3

We stayed in Craig and at first light went over to the Moffat County Maintenance Pond. The two Dunlin reported several times by Forrest Luke were still there! A drive around Craig didn't find any Bohemian Waxwings, so we headed south toward Rifle and the Grand Mesa.

The three Tundra Swans again reported by Forrest Luke were still at Perch Pond (Moffat County).

A Peregrine Falcon was in the large cottonwoods on the west side of highway 13 just before entering Rifle. No birds were around the Rifle Rest Stop; we continued west on I70.

Our plan was to drive to the Visitor's Center and a little farther south while there was plenty of light. A quick stop at the Powderhorn Ski Area found a Three-toed Woodpecker west and below the parking lot.

At the Visitor's Center, we walked farther down the road for about a mile. Gary found a male White-winged Crossbill at 0.2 miles south of the Visitor's Center.

After dark, we turned back north and stopped at about a dozen pullovers. Boreal Owls were heard at 3 of them. All three of us have seen Boreal Owls in the past, so we only stopped to here the owls not to try to draw them out of the woods and see them. We marked the spots with GPS waypoints.

Our last stop of the night was again the Powderhorn Ski Area. One or two Northern Pygmy-Owls responded to our recordings.

November 4

We drove through the Colorado National Monument and found few birds. Two Pinyon Jays were seen at the Campgrounds. Attempts to get up the Uncompahgre Plateau (Mesa County) were turned back by muddy roads.

Our trek went as far as Escalante Canyon in Delta County. No Chukar were found and we returned to Grand Junction for an early dinner.

After dinner, we continued our search for Northern Saw-whet Owls at BLM land south of Fruita (sorry I can't remember the name). In any case, no owls were found.

We returned to the Grand Mesa and stopped at three places where Northern Saw-whet Owls have been heard and seen in the past. Unfortunately, we missed them again. A Boreal Owl was heard at the Spruce Grove Campground. Going no farther south, we started the drive back to Denver.

Richard knew several places near DeBeque to search for Northern Saw-whet Owls. One of the stops at Sunnyside Road rewarded our persistence with a Northern Saw-whet Owl. Mostly it was only heard, but it did fly across our heads twice. We settled for a silhouette and headed back to Denver.

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