Saturday, December 11, 2010

Eastern Plains

December 5-9, 2010

Richard Stevens:

Sunday, 12/5

We headed east toward Bonny Reservoir (Yuma County). Our first stop was Flagler Reservoir (Kit Carson).

Two Common Redpolls were among a large flock of sparrows at the northeast corner of the reservoir. The Redpolls eventually flew south along the tree line. However, later we saw them back at the windbreak northeast of the dam.

A male Red-bellied Woodpecker worked the trees along the south end of the reservoir. Two Bald Eagles perched in the southeast corner.

At Bonny Reservoir (Yuma), we checked Wagon Wheel Campgrounds and found few birds.

From the Bonny Reservoir dam, we could see a Trumpeter Swan at the northeast corner. A group of gulls here included a Mew Gull and adult and first cycle Thayer's Gulls.

A Northern Cardinal was found when we walked around Foster's Grove Campgrounds. Five Wild Turkeys walked the open field just west of the Campgrounds.

A flock of 20+ Cedar Waxwings flew around the yard next to the Hale Store. At least 2 Long-eared Owls were found in their usual location in the Hale Windbreak. The windbreak looks like it had a bad year; it has been thinned out much.

A pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers was just west of the most eastern Hale Ponds. No Winter Wrens were lurking around the ponds this trip. A flock of 11 Eastern Bluebirds was just east across the border in Kansas. They never entered Colorado while we watched them.

After sunset, I was able to get an Eastern Screech-Owl to respond to my recordings (played north of Hale Ponds)!

As we rolled into Wray, we made a quick detour to the Wray Fishing Unit and Sandsage Wildlife Area (Yuma). No Barn Owls at the Fishing Unit, however we did hear an Eastern Screech-Owl at Sandsage.

Monday, 12/6

An hour before sunrise, I decided to drive Yuma County Road 45. Nothing unusual was seen when I drove 3 miles east of Highway 385. However, on the return trip, a Greater Prairie-Chicken was seen crossing the road about 1.4 miles east of hwy 385!

We visited two friend's homes in Wray. At the first home, two male and a female Northern Cardinal feeders her feeders. At the second, we got to see an eastern race Fox Sparrow and 2 Harris's Sparrows that have visited my friend's yard for the past 3 days! The highlight was finding a Varied Thrush, which perhaps only showed up today!

Enjoyed a great barbeque and decided to stay around town for the night!

Tuesday, 12/7

We wandered around the Colorado/Kansas border hoping to find a stray Eastern Meadowlark; without success. Stopped at five "Colorado walk-in" properties just to explore what they looked like. No uncommon birds were found. I "got into" these properties two years ago. It offers about 100 new birding opportunities if one is willing to fulfill their entrance requirements (write me if you are interested in knowing them).

After sitting in a car most of the day, we took a long walk around the Sand Draw Wildlife Area (Logan). Two Sharp-shinned Hawks were in the windbreak along Sedgwick County Road 49. Two Field Sparrows were along the eastern fence.

The most surprising find was 4 Red Crossbills. However, not too surprising as I have found Red Crossbills here on at least three other occasions. A flock of 9 Cedar Waxwings was also at the southwest corner of the Wildlife Area.

We leisurely wandered again around the Colorado border searching for Eastern Meadowlarks; without success. According to Nebraska bird books, Eastern Meadowlarks do wander south along the border in November and December. I have yet to find one; perhaps next time.

We rolled into my friend's ranch near Julesburg just about sunset. Again, we enjoyed a fattening but tasty barbecue.

Wednesday, 12/8

Roger Danka and I went out owling two hours before sunrise. Eventually Eastern Screech-Owls were found near Sedgwick Draw and the north side of Jumbo Reservoir (Sedgwick County).

Hundreds of geese and ducks were on Jumbo Reservoir. There included many Ross's Geese and at least 3 Greater White-fronted Geese.

Gulls included a Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Bonaparte's Gull. The highlight was a Yellow-billed Loon that Roger had been seeing since 12/6. A Common Loon was also on the lake.

In the afternoon, we visited three area ranches and friends of Roger. Long-eared Owls as expected were found at two of the ranches.

An hour before sunset, we hiked the northern section of Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area (Logan). No Greater Prairie-Chickens or Short-eared Owls appeared this evening.

Thursday, 12/9

We left our friends early in the morning. I wanted to stop and see if I could get a better photo of the Yellow-billed Loon at Jumbo Reservoir. Unfortunately, we could not find the loon. Neither was the Common Loon found?

As we drove along Interstate 76, we made several detours. At Brush Wildlife Area (Morgan), we found one Red-bellied Woodpecker but could not get the resident Eastern Screech-Owl to come out of his tree.

Riverside Park and Fort Morgan Ponds were slow. The only sparrows found were White-crowned Sparrows. The only geese, White-cheeked Geese.

When we got home, I had a message about the Iceland Gull at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe) and had to head over that way.

There were hundreds of gulls flying around just off the southwest marina. I sat on one of the benches and scope the horde until sunset.

The Iceland Gull was easy to pick out because of its light color. A Mew Gull stood on the telephone poles floating around the marina. Two Lesser Black-backed Gulls stood on the sandbar north of the marina. It was not a bad way to end my birding day!

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