January 16-18, 2014
Richard Stevens:
January 16
Bryan and I set off for a couple of days of owling and winter camping in the mountains west of Denver. Eventually we planned to camp out on Guanella Pass and hoped for weaker winds than the attempt last week.
On the trip up, we found a Northern Pygmy-Owl along highway 67 (Douglas County). This perhaps was the same owl found a few days earlier by Glenn Walbek and company.
We camped at Handcart Campgrounds along Guanella Pass Road (Park County). The first three Campgrounds west of Grant are good places to search for Northern Saw-whet Owls (probably in spring through late fall is better time).
We set up our three "owl listening stations" (none of which caught any sounds). We did hear a Great Horned Owl calling after civil twilight.
Richard Stevens:
January 16
Bryan and I set off for a couple of days of owling and winter camping in the mountains west of Denver. Eventually we planned to camp out on Guanella Pass and hoped for weaker winds than the attempt last week.
On the trip up, we found a Northern Pygmy-Owl along highway 67 (Douglas County). This perhaps was the same owl found a few days earlier by Glenn Walbek and company.
We camped at Handcart Campgrounds along Guanella Pass Road (Park County). The first three Campgrounds west of Grant are good places to search for Northern Saw-whet Owls (probably in spring through late fall is better time).
We set up our three "owl listening stations" (none of which caught any sounds). We did hear a Great Horned Owl calling after civil twilight.
January 17
Today Bryan and I made the long hike from the Guanella Pass trailhead toward the top of the pass (Park County). There are shorter routes to the top of Mt. Bierstadt. However, our goal was searching for wintering owls and not a summit.
Therefore, we chose to snowshoe the Scott Gomer Pack Trail from 5 miles south of the summit (through the forest). This offers an 8 mile trail around Geneva Mountain that ends at the Guanella Pass parking area.
While we did not expect any Northern Saw-whet Owls, a Northern Pygmy-Owl or perhaps a Boreal Owl was a possibility (slim).
The morning was bright with sunshine and winds 18 mph (weak for this part of Colorado). Warmer temperatures offered low 40 degrees during the day and double digit temperatures at night. In preparation, we carry Mt Everest type mountain gear and avalanche beacons (although from experience, I know that this route offers little danger of avalanches).
Our biggest concern is keeping equipment (owl listening stations and cameras) from any low temperature damage. We made the trek without any alarming incident.
Highlights were several flocks of Red Crossbills (unfortunately, no White-winged Crossbills), six Pine Grosbeaks, several flocks of Pine Siskins, Mountain Chickadees and a male American Three-toed Woodpecker.
We set up camp, using one of the restrooms as a windbreak. Winds measured 18 mph, gusts to 31 mph (last week winds blew off the 66 mph range of my anemometer.
Today Bryan and I made the long hike from the Guanella Pass trailhead toward the top of the pass (Park County). There are shorter routes to the top of Mt. Bierstadt. However, our goal was searching for wintering owls and not a summit.
Therefore, we chose to snowshoe the Scott Gomer Pack Trail from 5 miles south of the summit (through the forest). This offers an 8 mile trail around Geneva Mountain that ends at the Guanella Pass parking area.
While we did not expect any Northern Saw-whet Owls, a Northern Pygmy-Owl or perhaps a Boreal Owl was a possibility (slim).
The morning was bright with sunshine and winds 18 mph (weak for this part of Colorado). Warmer temperatures offered low 40 degrees during the day and double digit temperatures at night. In preparation, we carry Mt Everest type mountain gear and avalanche beacons (although from experience, I know that this route offers little danger of avalanches).
Our biggest concern is keeping equipment (owl listening stations and cameras) from any low temperature damage. We made the trek without any alarming incident.
Highlights were several flocks of Red Crossbills (unfortunately, no White-winged Crossbills), six Pine Grosbeaks, several flocks of Pine Siskins, Mountain Chickadees and a male American Three-toed Woodpecker.
We set up camp, using one of the restrooms as a windbreak. Winds measured 18 mph, gusts to 31 mph (last week winds blew off the 66 mph range of my anemometer.
January 18
We again woke up to sunny skies and winds less than 20 mph. As we circled back around Geneva Mountain, a flock of 31 White-tailed Ptarmigan was found above us on the south-southeast side of Geneva Mountain!
I had to look it up; my high count for White-tailed Ptarmigan here was 74 birds in 2001 and 66 birds in 2006.
We enjoyed the snowshoe trip back to our jeep (mostly downhill). Again, Red Crossbills, Pine Grosbeaks and a lone male American Three-toed Woodpecker kept our interest.
No owls were found during the last two days.
Our plan to go owling once back at Grand (Highway 285) was aborted when high winds with much snow was predicted in the afternoon (this did happen, 40+ mph winds and almost a foot of snow fell late afternoon into the next day).
We again woke up to sunny skies and winds less than 20 mph. As we circled back around Geneva Mountain, a flock of 31 White-tailed Ptarmigan was found above us on the south-southeast side of Geneva Mountain!
I had to look it up; my high count for White-tailed Ptarmigan here was 74 birds in 2001 and 66 birds in 2006.
We enjoyed the snowshoe trip back to our jeep (mostly downhill). Again, Red Crossbills, Pine Grosbeaks and a lone male American Three-toed Woodpecker kept our interest.
No owls were found during the last two days.
Our plan to go owling once back at Grand (Highway 285) was aborted when high winds with much snow was predicted in the afternoon (this did happen, 40+ mph winds and almost a foot of snow fell late afternoon into the next day).
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