May 12, 2011
Richard Stevens:
Our birding day started at the eastern Lesser Prairie-Chicken Lek near Elkhart, Kansas. Eight male Lesser Prairie-Chickens displayed for one female.
We reentered Colorado by way of Kansas Highway 12 to Colorado Baca County Road M. Several Burrowing Owls, Curve-billed Thrashers, and sparrows (Clay-colored, Brewer's, Lark, Chipping, and more Cassin's) were found.
A stop at one of my favorite locations for Eastern Screech-Owls in Baca County did not turn up any owls. Many times an Eastern Screech-Owl will answer a recording in the middle of the morning. However, none did this morning. No Barn Owls were at several locations of previous sightings (also along the eastern border of Colorado).
Our trek continued north to Turk's Pond (Baca). No uncommon ducks were on the property. The highlight was our second Northern Parula of the trip! A couple of Bullock's Orioles added some additional color to the greening trees.
We continued north and stopped Two Buttes Reservoir (Baca). Our birdy day continued. A lone Northern Waterthrush and a Barn Owl were at the east end. There was a "meeting of vireos" below the dam. We observed a Blue-headed Vireo, Cassin's Vireo and Plumbeous Vireo. The Plumbeous Vireo was probably the least expected.
In the bushes below the southern cliffs, we found a Worm-eating Warbler!
Our only stop in Lamar was a quick one at Lamar Community College (Prowers). We enjoyed some success, found a pair of Northern Cardinals, a male Red-bellied Woodpecker, and another Northern Waterthrush. The highlights were a Black-throated Green Warbler and Summer Tanager.
Mississippi Kites and Chimney Swift flew overhead. Another Red-bellied Woodpecker was across the street at Willow Creek Park.
From Lamar, we hurried to Yuma County to bird Bonny Reservoir the last few hours of daylight. We did make a quick stop at Kit Carson (Cheyenne) in case the Brown Pelican found by Bill Kaempfer on 5/11 was still around; it was not.
We drove into the State Park area by way of Yuma County Road 2. No uncommon birds were found along CR 2 and we stopped at the first sharp bend to the south. This area is usually good for migrating birds and it did not disappoint. A male Chestnut-sided Warbler was with 2 Yellow Warblers and a few Yellow-rumped Warblers.
Having spent many miles sitting in a car, we were eager to get in some walking. We walked the Hopper Ponds area looking for stray sparrows (Baird's Sparrows have been reported in the area in the past). While we did not find any uncommon sparrows, a male Black-throated Green Warbler and male Hooded Warbler were nice consolation prizes.
A pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers flew around Hale Ponds. After sunset, I was able to entice a Common Poorwill to answer a recording (south of the most eastern Hale Pond; south of CR 4).
Thirty minutes later, an Eastern Screech-Owl responded to another recording (northwest of the same most eastern Hale Pond).
No Eastern Screech-Owls responded back east of the old cattail ponds along the Yuma County Road 3 entrance.
Richard Stevens:
Our birding day started at the eastern Lesser Prairie-Chicken Lek near Elkhart, Kansas. Eight male Lesser Prairie-Chickens displayed for one female.
We reentered Colorado by way of Kansas Highway 12 to Colorado Baca County Road M. Several Burrowing Owls, Curve-billed Thrashers, and sparrows (Clay-colored, Brewer's, Lark, Chipping, and more Cassin's) were found.
A stop at one of my favorite locations for Eastern Screech-Owls in Baca County did not turn up any owls. Many times an Eastern Screech-Owl will answer a recording in the middle of the morning. However, none did this morning. No Barn Owls were at several locations of previous sightings (also along the eastern border of Colorado).
Our trek continued north to Turk's Pond (Baca). No uncommon ducks were on the property. The highlight was our second Northern Parula of the trip! A couple of Bullock's Orioles added some additional color to the greening trees.
We continued north and stopped Two Buttes Reservoir (Baca). Our birdy day continued. A lone Northern Waterthrush and a Barn Owl were at the east end. There was a "meeting of vireos" below the dam. We observed a Blue-headed Vireo, Cassin's Vireo and Plumbeous Vireo. The Plumbeous Vireo was probably the least expected.
In the bushes below the southern cliffs, we found a Worm-eating Warbler!
Our only stop in Lamar was a quick one at Lamar Community College (Prowers). We enjoyed some success, found a pair of Northern Cardinals, a male Red-bellied Woodpecker, and another Northern Waterthrush. The highlights were a Black-throated Green Warbler and Summer Tanager.
Mississippi Kites and Chimney Swift flew overhead. Another Red-bellied Woodpecker was across the street at Willow Creek Park.
From Lamar, we hurried to Yuma County to bird Bonny Reservoir the last few hours of daylight. We did make a quick stop at Kit Carson (Cheyenne) in case the Brown Pelican found by Bill Kaempfer on 5/11 was still around; it was not.
We drove into the State Park area by way of Yuma County Road 2. No uncommon birds were found along CR 2 and we stopped at the first sharp bend to the south. This area is usually good for migrating birds and it did not disappoint. A male Chestnut-sided Warbler was with 2 Yellow Warblers and a few Yellow-rumped Warblers.
Having spent many miles sitting in a car, we were eager to get in some walking. We walked the Hopper Ponds area looking for stray sparrows (Baird's Sparrows have been reported in the area in the past). While we did not find any uncommon sparrows, a male Black-throated Green Warbler and male Hooded Warbler were nice consolation prizes.
A pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers flew around Hale Ponds. After sunset, I was able to entice a Common Poorwill to answer a recording (south of the most eastern Hale Pond; south of CR 4).
Thirty minutes later, an Eastern Screech-Owl responded to another recording (northwest of the same most eastern Hale Pond).
No Eastern Screech-Owls responded back east of the old cattail ponds along the Yuma County Road 3 entrance.
No comments:
Post a Comment