Monday, May 16, 2011

Grouse Trip Day 5

May 11, 2011

Richard Stevens:

Our trip continued today by way of Highway 160 to Cottonwood Canyon (Baca County). We looked briefly for the Summer Tanager reported by Bill Kaempfer. Unfortunately, we could not find it.

Cassin's Sparrows were found near Kim (Baca). A few McCown's Longspurs and a Chestnut-collared Longspur also!

We took the back way into Cottonwood Canyon and stopped at Carrizo Mountain to look for nighthawks. None was found or expected, as it is a little early. However, Lesser Nighthawks historically appear before the Common Nighthawk migration, just not today.

In Cottonwood Canyon we found the usual suspects, Eastern Phoebes, a Lewis's Woodpecker, Mississippi Kites, Canyon Towhees, Chihuahuan Ravens, a Cooper's Hawk, Great Horned Owl and always my favorites, Rufous-crowned Sparrows.

The highlight was a Northern Parula found at 1.2 miles east of the primitive camping area at CR M and Carrizo Creek. We were looking for a Painted Bunting that was reported a few days early; without success.

While searching for owls at sunset, we found a Gray Vireo up the draw that runs south from the old stone house and west of the fork in the road (CR M back to hwy 287 and the road to Carrizo Mountain).

After dark, we heard two Western Screech-Owls back at the "primitive camping area".

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