April 22-24, 2014
Richard Stevens:
April 22
I broke another promise to my feet. After the last 9 day birding trip, I promised not to put on hiking boots for two days. The Northern Parula Sinton Pond required a search and I took off for Colorado Springs.
Unfortunately, the bird was not found; I missed it by a day. Neither was the Rusty Blackbird reported a few days earlier.
Eighty miles from home, I decided to search for owls and other birds. A drive up to Green Mountain Falls (Teller County) did not find any Black Swifts. None was expected as they migrant late in spring; someone has to discover the "early date".
Manitou Lake was slow. The Black Phoebe (4/20) and Rusty Blackbird (4/19) were not found. A few common birds were not surprising.
A walk around the Manitou Experimental Forest found one Red-naped Sapsucker, no American Three-toed Woodpeckers, etc.
After dark, I searched my five most successful locations for Flammulated Owls. Three of the spots were quiet. Two locations along Michigan Creek and Michigan Ditch added one Flammulated Owl each to my trip list.
April 23
A walk around Pikes Peak did not find any Rosy Finches or White-tailed Ptarmigan. The rumor is that any White-tailed Ptarmigan on Pikes Peak were hunted to extinction years ago. Other rumors have a few sightings in the past couple of years. Neither was found.
In the afternoon, I hiked up the northwestern side of Pikes Peak (by way of the Crags Campground). Again, no Ptarmigan or Rosy Finches were found.
Two Williamson's Sapsuckers were the highlight of my daylight birding.
After dusk, I managed to find two Northern Pygmy-Owls within a 1/2 mile of the Campgrounds.
April 24
Two additional Flammulated Owl locations were checked a couple of hours before sunrise; without success.
The Flammulated Owl nesting tree at Mueller State Park appeared not to be occupied. A male American Three-toed Woodpecker hunted nearby and turned out to be the highlight of the day.
I should have checked my email. A Little Blue Heron was reported a dozen miles to the east of my trek (at Mallard Pond, El Paso County).
Finally, I made it home and took off my hiking boots (hopefully for all day Friday)!
Richard Stevens:
April 22
I broke another promise to my feet. After the last 9 day birding trip, I promised not to put on hiking boots for two days. The Northern Parula Sinton Pond required a search and I took off for Colorado Springs.
Unfortunately, the bird was not found; I missed it by a day. Neither was the Rusty Blackbird reported a few days earlier.
Eighty miles from home, I decided to search for owls and other birds. A drive up to Green Mountain Falls (Teller County) did not find any Black Swifts. None was expected as they migrant late in spring; someone has to discover the "early date".
Manitou Lake was slow. The Black Phoebe (4/20) and Rusty Blackbird (4/19) were not found. A few common birds were not surprising.
A walk around the Manitou Experimental Forest found one Red-naped Sapsucker, no American Three-toed Woodpeckers, etc.
After dark, I searched my five most successful locations for Flammulated Owls. Three of the spots were quiet. Two locations along Michigan Creek and Michigan Ditch added one Flammulated Owl each to my trip list.
April 23
A walk around Pikes Peak did not find any Rosy Finches or White-tailed Ptarmigan. The rumor is that any White-tailed Ptarmigan on Pikes Peak were hunted to extinction years ago. Other rumors have a few sightings in the past couple of years. Neither was found.
In the afternoon, I hiked up the northwestern side of Pikes Peak (by way of the Crags Campground). Again, no Ptarmigan or Rosy Finches were found.
Two Williamson's Sapsuckers were the highlight of my daylight birding.
After dusk, I managed to find two Northern Pygmy-Owls within a 1/2 mile of the Campgrounds.
April 24
Two additional Flammulated Owl locations were checked a couple of hours before sunrise; without success.
The Flammulated Owl nesting tree at Mueller State Park appeared not to be occupied. A male American Three-toed Woodpecker hunted nearby and turned out to be the highlight of the day.
I should have checked my email. A Little Blue Heron was reported a dozen miles to the east of my trek (at Mallard Pond, El Paso County).
Finally, I made it home and took off my hiking boots (hopefully for all day Friday)!
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