March 13, 2014
Richard Stevens:
Northern Kansas, Oklahoma and southeastern Colorado enjoyed a beautiful late winter day. Temperatures reached the high 60s; winds were steady 20 mph, gusts to 25 mph.
Bryan Ehlmann and I started our birding day at the eastern Elkhart, Kansas Lesser Prairie-Chicken lek. Last year the number of Lesser Prairie-Chickens visiting the lek went from four early in the season to two by April.
Our fears that this lek has become a satellite lek (secondary for younger birds) may have come true. This morning we only saw two birds. We hope that it is merely early in the season and additional birds will visit later on in spring.
Few birds moved around the area. Later in spring, the entrance road should have half a dozen or more species of sparrows, perhaps some Sage Thrashers and other birds.
We hiked over to the prairie dog town that is south and east of the oil tank road west of the oil tank along the main road. Two Burrowing Owls were already on site there!
On the way back to Colorado, we drove several of the county roads north of highway 56. We hoped for a Lark Bunting or Long-billed Curlew. While neither of them was found, a single Mountain Plover walking around an agricultural field was a nice alternative!
We returned to Colorado by way of the Oklahoma County Roads north of Keyes. We briefly hiked several roads/trails (Oklahoma) along the Cimarron River where owls might be. Unfortunately, none was found and we continued north into Colorado.
From CR 45 and CR 2, we turned west to CR 36. A detour to the Santa Fe Trail Aubrey Cutoff found two Vesper Sparrows flying around.
We then drove north to Baca County Road 36 and turned east toward the old Campo Lesser Prairie-Chicken road (the lek road has been closed for years now due to lack of birds). A Curve-billed Thrasher, a Burrowing Owl and several Vesper Sparrows were along CR 36 between the lek road and CR 36.
The dirt track leading north across from the lek entrance road is a good location for a walk. In a few weeks or so, many sparrows traditionally will be observed in the tall grasses and on the fence line in the area. None was there today.
Our target bird was a Cassin's Sparrow (early date is 4/16). While we could not go up the lek road where they are usually observed performing their ritual mating flight in spring, there is another gravel road not far to the east (approximately 4.0 miles). We hiked about two miles down this track without seeing any different birds (only a few Vesper Sparrows).
In the past, I have found Lesser Prairie-Chickens down this dirt track. It was a good place to camp for the night when desiring to visit the Campo Lesser Prairie-Chicken Lek the next morning.
By the way, a Northern Mockingbird was singing at the Mt. Carmel Cemetery (corner of CR 36 & G).
Our trek continued in a zigzag manner east and north and finally to Highway 160. I have made several friends over the years and stopped at two ranches to say "Hi". A Barn Owl was added to our trip list at one of them.
A White-throated Sparrow was found at Burchfield Wildlife Area (DD & 55.5 Roads).
At Springfield, (we desperately needed gas, which almost turned into a terrible oversight), we drove south to the Washington Work Center. Pasture G, across from the center, is a great location to find later in the year, nesting Burrowing Owls, possible nesting Long-billed Curlews and migrating Mountain Plovers, however not today yet.
Instead of taking the "boring" drive up Highway 285 to Lamar, we detoured back northeast to Turk's Pond. Here we found the first warblers of our trip. Just two Yellow-rumped Warblers, we had to start somewhere. Just a few more weeks (or days) and warblers, vireos and sparrows should be entering southern Colorado.
Our interesting drive along the Baca County Roads took us into Prowers County and Holly. Along the way, we found all three longspurs (mostly Lapland, a dozen McCown's and two Chestnut-collared).
We also added another Barn Owl (private ranch, Baca County) and two Eastern Screech-Owls (another private ranch, Prowers County).
At Holly we detoured east to the Holly Rest Stop (target bird Northern Bobwhite was not found). We stretched our legs along the old Highway 50 road. Our reward was a Field Sparrow about 200 yards west of the rest stop). Misses, Northern Cardinals and Burrowing Owls (which nest in the large prairie dog town north of hwy 50).
After visiting a friend in Granada, we arrived in Lamar after dark.
Richard Stevens:
Northern Kansas, Oklahoma and southeastern Colorado enjoyed a beautiful late winter day. Temperatures reached the high 60s; winds were steady 20 mph, gusts to 25 mph.
Bryan Ehlmann and I started our birding day at the eastern Elkhart, Kansas Lesser Prairie-Chicken lek. Last year the number of Lesser Prairie-Chickens visiting the lek went from four early in the season to two by April.
Our fears that this lek has become a satellite lek (secondary for younger birds) may have come true. This morning we only saw two birds. We hope that it is merely early in the season and additional birds will visit later on in spring.
Few birds moved around the area. Later in spring, the entrance road should have half a dozen or more species of sparrows, perhaps some Sage Thrashers and other birds.
We hiked over to the prairie dog town that is south and east of the oil tank road west of the oil tank along the main road. Two Burrowing Owls were already on site there!
On the way back to Colorado, we drove several of the county roads north of highway 56. We hoped for a Lark Bunting or Long-billed Curlew. While neither of them was found, a single Mountain Plover walking around an agricultural field was a nice alternative!
We returned to Colorado by way of the Oklahoma County Roads north of Keyes. We briefly hiked several roads/trails (Oklahoma) along the Cimarron River where owls might be. Unfortunately, none was found and we continued north into Colorado.
From CR 45 and CR 2, we turned west to CR 36. A detour to the Santa Fe Trail Aubrey Cutoff found two Vesper Sparrows flying around.
We then drove north to Baca County Road 36 and turned east toward the old Campo Lesser Prairie-Chicken road (the lek road has been closed for years now due to lack of birds). A Curve-billed Thrasher, a Burrowing Owl and several Vesper Sparrows were along CR 36 between the lek road and CR 36.
The dirt track leading north across from the lek entrance road is a good location for a walk. In a few weeks or so, many sparrows traditionally will be observed in the tall grasses and on the fence line in the area. None was there today.
Our target bird was a Cassin's Sparrow (early date is 4/16). While we could not go up the lek road where they are usually observed performing their ritual mating flight in spring, there is another gravel road not far to the east (approximately 4.0 miles). We hiked about two miles down this track without seeing any different birds (only a few Vesper Sparrows).
In the past, I have found Lesser Prairie-Chickens down this dirt track. It was a good place to camp for the night when desiring to visit the Campo Lesser Prairie-Chicken Lek the next morning.
By the way, a Northern Mockingbird was singing at the Mt. Carmel Cemetery (corner of CR 36 & G).
Our trek continued in a zigzag manner east and north and finally to Highway 160. I have made several friends over the years and stopped at two ranches to say "Hi". A Barn Owl was added to our trip list at one of them.
A White-throated Sparrow was found at Burchfield Wildlife Area (DD & 55.5 Roads).
At Springfield, (we desperately needed gas, which almost turned into a terrible oversight), we drove south to the Washington Work Center. Pasture G, across from the center, is a great location to find later in the year, nesting Burrowing Owls, possible nesting Long-billed Curlews and migrating Mountain Plovers, however not today yet.
Instead of taking the "boring" drive up Highway 285 to Lamar, we detoured back northeast to Turk's Pond. Here we found the first warblers of our trip. Just two Yellow-rumped Warblers, we had to start somewhere. Just a few more weeks (or days) and warblers, vireos and sparrows should be entering southern Colorado.
Our interesting drive along the Baca County Roads took us into Prowers County and Holly. Along the way, we found all three longspurs (mostly Lapland, a dozen McCown's and two Chestnut-collared).
We also added another Barn Owl (private ranch, Baca County) and two Eastern Screech-Owls (another private ranch, Prowers County).
At Holly we detoured east to the Holly Rest Stop (target bird Northern Bobwhite was not found). We stretched our legs along the old Highway 50 road. Our reward was a Field Sparrow about 200 yards west of the rest stop). Misses, Northern Cardinals and Burrowing Owls (which nest in the large prairie dog town north of hwy 50).
After visiting a friend in Granada, we arrived in Lamar after dark.
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