Monday, January 9, 2012

Search for Woodpeckers and Owls

January 5, 2012

Richard Stevens:

Bryan Ehlmann and I were at Reynolds Park (Jefferson County) about an hour before sunrise. We listened for Northern Pygmy-Owls (or any owls); without success.

A quick hike up to the Oxen Draw, Raven's Roost & Eagle's View Trails intersection did not find any American Three-toed Woodpeckers.

Then we headed over to Pine Valley Ranch Park (Jefferson) to search for the Northern Pygmy-Owl found there yesterday by Merlynn Brown (along the Narrow Gauge Trail, 30 yards west of the 2nd bridge). Again, we enjoyed no success. In my experience, when the owls are not nesting, they are seldom found in the same location two days in a row.

We hiked up the Buck Gulch Trail and the Strawberry Jack Trail (this intersection has been successful for Northern Pygmy-Owl sightings in the past, however not today. Then our trek continued to the Parkview Trail.

An adult male American Three-toed Woodpecker was fluttering about below the Strawberry Jack Trail switchbacks (on our trip back to the car). No Three-toed Woodpeckers were found near the Strawberry Jack/Parkview intersection today (another good location for them).

We then headed south to Cheesman Canyon to search for woodpeckers and owls. In the past, Red-headed, Lewis's, and Three-toed Woodpeckers have been recorded near and west of the Cheesman Canyon Trailhead. None was found today.

A hike up the Cheesman Canyon Trail to the reservoir did find two American Three-toed Woodpeckers. When we returned to our car, a Great Horned Owl was heard on the north side of highway 126.

No Northern Pygmy-Owls were found along Highway 67 as we returned to Denver.

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