Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Davenport on Grouse Trips

March 21, 2011

It has been decided that instead of waiting a week for a grouse trip to finish and getting reports, I will transcribe telephone reports of current grouse trips. I will do my best. Amy Davenport

The Weston group left Denver on 3/20. Birders arrived from various parts of the US and the group got a late start. They only searched 30 minutes for White-tailed Ptarmigan at Loveland Pass, Clear Creek County and left without finding any.

They did find 6+ Greater Sage-Grouse along Jackson County Road 26, west of Highway 14.

The Weston group found 6+ Sharp-tailed Grouse at the 20 Road Lek south of Hayden, Routt County. They did not find any Sage Sparrows or Pinyon Jays at the Oxbow Wildlife Area, Moffat County.

The Eurasian Wigeon was not found in Rifle, Garfield County. They hiked around the north end of Coal Canyon (aka Cameo) for 3 hours without finding any Chukar.

The group opted to not drive up the Grand Mesa. High winds and snow were predicted.

The Stevens group left Denver early 3/21. They quickly found one White-tailed Ptarmigan on the east side of Loveland Pass and continued west. A couple of Barrow's Goldeneyes were still at the Blue River Water Treatment Plant, Summit County.

Sharp-tailed Grouse were found at a private home in Routt County. On the way to Jackson County Road 26, they found a female American Three-toed Woodpecker on Rabbit Ears Pass, Grand County. She was up the CDOT maintenance shed road.

They ended their day by watching 5 Greater Sage-Grouse along CR 26. It was snowing rapidly and the birds did not dance.

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