January 22-25, 2013
Richard Stevens:
January 22, 2013
Sean Reese and I started a trip to southern Colorado (detour to Gunnison County).
Our first stop was the Sacred Grounds Coffee Shop in Colorado Springs. The Acorn Woodpecker was eventually found at its usual location.
Our next stop was Fountain Creek Regional Park (El Paso). No Harris's Sparrow at the Visitor's Center feeders, we hiked down to mile 18 and back. While no Stub-tailed Wrens were found, the Harris's Sparrow was found. It was with a couple of White-crowned Sparrows and Song Sparrows on the small hills near the gazebo at the Fountain Creek waterfalls.
Several hours were spent at Pueblo Reservoir (Pueblo County). Gulls were not as numerous as my previous visits. We did manage to pick out a Mew Gull, a Thayer's Gull and the Great Black-backed Gull.
From the north side we observed the loon trifecta (Red-throated, Pacific and Common Loons). A Curve-billed Thrasher was found along the north side of the parking area for the North Marina.
Most of the night was spent searching unsuccessfully for Spotted Owls up Phantom Canyon in Fremont County.
January 23, 2013
Under little sleep, Sean Reese and I drove around Gunnison (Gunnison County) in search of Gunnison Sage-Grouse. Two Gunnison Sage-Grouse were found but with great effort. We put on snowshoes and hiked almost a mile into the Miller Ranch Wildlife Area.
Sean has a great story of a flatlander's trek at high altitude, first time on snowshoes and quite cold temperatures. Does not an outstanding effort make a lifebird sighting all the more valuable?
Our trip detoured to Buena Vista in search of Lewis's Woodpeckers and Western Screech-Owls. A flock of 25+ Pinyon Jays stopped us along highway 285 (about 2 miles south of town).
Then we walked along North Pleasant Street, south of West Brookdale Street and found a pair of Lewis's Woodpeckers! The resident Western Screech-Owls were not enticed to appear today.
Afterwards, Sean caught some sleep while I drove to Cottonwood Canyon (Baca County).
We arrive late (after the 300 mile drive). I woke Sean up when two Western Screech-Owls called. Then I caught some greatly needed sleep!
January 24, 2013
A couple of warm sleep bags kept us comfy in a rather cold car. After sunrise and temperatures rising to a "warm" 35 degrees, we hiked several of the draws along Baca County Road 5 (starting at Carrizo Creek).
A male Ladder-backed Woodpecker was up the "old cabin draw' across from the primitive and not well marked 'camping area".
The draw leading south (west of the road up to Carrizo Mountain) was quite birdy. We found a Cooper's Hawk and two Bewick's Wrens (in the evergreens about 0.6 miles from CR 5). Nothing unusual was up the north draw here (sometimes a good spot for Northern Cardinals).
A Steller's Jay was about a mile east of the above "camping area". Area where many bunting sightings are reported in spring, summer & fall (Indigo, Painted and Lazuli).
The rocky hillside at 1.4 miles east of the "camping area" seldom disappoints. A Rufous-crowned Sparrow popped out of the rocks in response to my recordings!
Continuing east to exit the canyon, we found a Say's Phoebe near the lone ranch house along the north side of the road.
A flock of 6-8 Mountain Bluebirds was at the old stone house after climbing out of the canyon. It was a productive and enjoyable trip to one of my favorite canyons in Colorado!
Having missed Greater Roadrunners we took a side trip to Picture Canyon (another great birding location; also has many Indian pictographs). In past years, Greater Roadrunners have been seen on the taller hills along the entrance road heading toward the picnic area; however, none was found today.
We walked from the parking area south to the cliffs with pictographs. Along the way, a Rufous-crowned Sparrow was observed walking along the short cliff (50 feet high) about 300 yards south of the parking area. Another surprise, a Northern Mockingbird fluttered about the leafless trees around the cliffs with pictographs.
Our trek continued south to Elkhart, Kansas where we had planned to search for Lesser Prairie-Chickens the next morning. We arrived about 2 hours before sunset and decided to drive over to the western lek (only 7 or 8 miles outside of town).
A lone Lesser Prairie-Chicken was found along the entrance road to the blind. No Lesser Prairie-Chickens visited the lek (too early in the season and not suspected).
Since we found a Lesser Prairie-Chicken, we got the "wild" idea to drive to Wray and search for Greater Prairie-Chickens the next morning. I have made the long drive from Gunnison to Elkhart to Wray five times now in the past three years. It is a crazy plan but does serve a purpose of saving a day in a week long Lek trip. (From Gunnison, the day requires an additional 400 miles, total 740+ trip).
It is a 340 mile trip from Elkhart, Kansas to Wray, Colorado. For those only interested in going from Elkhart to Wray (no birding stops), the best route is Highway 27 to Haigler, Kansas, then west to Wray. This is much faster than returning to Springfield, CO and heading north along Highway 385 (although, there are few birding stops along the hwy 27 route and is best taken in the dark).
Greater Prairie-Chicken were missed the next morning!
Richard Stevens:
January 22, 2013
Sean Reese and I started a trip to southern Colorado (detour to Gunnison County).
Our first stop was the Sacred Grounds Coffee Shop in Colorado Springs. The Acorn Woodpecker was eventually found at its usual location.
Our next stop was Fountain Creek Regional Park (El Paso). No Harris's Sparrow at the Visitor's Center feeders, we hiked down to mile 18 and back. While no Stub-tailed Wrens were found, the Harris's Sparrow was found. It was with a couple of White-crowned Sparrows and Song Sparrows on the small hills near the gazebo at the Fountain Creek waterfalls.
Several hours were spent at Pueblo Reservoir (Pueblo County). Gulls were not as numerous as my previous visits. We did manage to pick out a Mew Gull, a Thayer's Gull and the Great Black-backed Gull.
From the north side we observed the loon trifecta (Red-throated, Pacific and Common Loons). A Curve-billed Thrasher was found along the north side of the parking area for the North Marina.
Most of the night was spent searching unsuccessfully for Spotted Owls up Phantom Canyon in Fremont County.
January 23, 2013
Under little sleep, Sean Reese and I drove around Gunnison (Gunnison County) in search of Gunnison Sage-Grouse. Two Gunnison Sage-Grouse were found but with great effort. We put on snowshoes and hiked almost a mile into the Miller Ranch Wildlife Area.
Sean has a great story of a flatlander's trek at high altitude, first time on snowshoes and quite cold temperatures. Does not an outstanding effort make a lifebird sighting all the more valuable?
Our trip detoured to Buena Vista in search of Lewis's Woodpeckers and Western Screech-Owls. A flock of 25+ Pinyon Jays stopped us along highway 285 (about 2 miles south of town).
Then we walked along North Pleasant Street, south of West Brookdale Street and found a pair of Lewis's Woodpeckers! The resident Western Screech-Owls were not enticed to appear today.
Afterwards, Sean caught some sleep while I drove to Cottonwood Canyon (Baca County).
We arrive late (after the 300 mile drive). I woke Sean up when two Western Screech-Owls called. Then I caught some greatly needed sleep!
January 24, 2013
A couple of warm sleep bags kept us comfy in a rather cold car. After sunrise and temperatures rising to a "warm" 35 degrees, we hiked several of the draws along Baca County Road 5 (starting at Carrizo Creek).
A male Ladder-backed Woodpecker was up the "old cabin draw' across from the primitive and not well marked 'camping area".
The draw leading south (west of the road up to Carrizo Mountain) was quite birdy. We found a Cooper's Hawk and two Bewick's Wrens (in the evergreens about 0.6 miles from CR 5). Nothing unusual was up the north draw here (sometimes a good spot for Northern Cardinals).
A Steller's Jay was about a mile east of the above "camping area". Area where many bunting sightings are reported in spring, summer & fall (Indigo, Painted and Lazuli).
The rocky hillside at 1.4 miles east of the "camping area" seldom disappoints. A Rufous-crowned Sparrow popped out of the rocks in response to my recordings!
Continuing east to exit the canyon, we found a Say's Phoebe near the lone ranch house along the north side of the road.
A flock of 6-8 Mountain Bluebirds was at the old stone house after climbing out of the canyon. It was a productive and enjoyable trip to one of my favorite canyons in Colorado!
Having missed Greater Roadrunners we took a side trip to Picture Canyon (another great birding location; also has many Indian pictographs). In past years, Greater Roadrunners have been seen on the taller hills along the entrance road heading toward the picnic area; however, none was found today.
We walked from the parking area south to the cliffs with pictographs. Along the way, a Rufous-crowned Sparrow was observed walking along the short cliff (50 feet high) about 300 yards south of the parking area. Another surprise, a Northern Mockingbird fluttered about the leafless trees around the cliffs with pictographs.
Our trek continued south to Elkhart, Kansas where we had planned to search for Lesser Prairie-Chickens the next morning. We arrived about 2 hours before sunset and decided to drive over to the western lek (only 7 or 8 miles outside of town).
A lone Lesser Prairie-Chicken was found along the entrance road to the blind. No Lesser Prairie-Chickens visited the lek (too early in the season and not suspected).
Since we found a Lesser Prairie-Chicken, we got the "wild" idea to drive to Wray and search for Greater Prairie-Chickens the next morning. I have made the long drive from Gunnison to Elkhart to Wray five times now in the past three years. It is a crazy plan but does serve a purpose of saving a day in a week long Lek trip. (From Gunnison, the day requires an additional 400 miles, total 740+ trip).
It is a 340 mile trip from Elkhart, Kansas to Wray, Colorado. For those only interested in going from Elkhart to Wray (no birding stops), the best route is Highway 27 to Haigler, Kansas, then west to Wray. This is much faster than returning to Springfield, CO and heading north along Highway 385 (although, there are few birding stops along the hwy 27 route and is best taken in the dark).
Greater Prairie-Chicken were missed the next morning!
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