Sunday, June 23, 2013

Birding North of Gunnison

June 22, 2013

Rebecca Kosten: transcript of telephone call:

Richard Stevens and Bryan Ehlmann's Gunnison Valley birding was hindered today by 30 mph winds with gusts to 48 mph!  The high winds changed their route as open fields and riparian areas were quiet, bird-wise.

They started their day with a trip up Schofield Pass in Gunnison County.  Snowdrifts prevented travel over the pass.  No White-tailed Ptarmigan were found along the part of the road they searched.  A pair of Pine Grosbeak and a Fox Sparrow turned out to be the highlights.

Winds continued so they drove up Kebler Pass, Gunnison County hoping the thick forest would protect their route from the wind.  This only partly worked.

They found an American Three-toed Woodpecker just west of the old Cemetery.  A male Purple Martin was found farther west of the cemetery.

Misses today included Dusky Grouse and Northern Pygmy-Owls (usually found at the Campgrounds).

They set up two "owl listening stations" neither of which captured any owl sounds.  The high winds challenged their audio software; in other words, there was much extraneous noise.

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