Thursday, May 29, 2014

Jackson and Prewitt Reservoirs, Start of an Eastern Plains Trip

May 28, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Bryan Ehlmann and I settled on make a trip to Northeastern Colorado and then south along the Eastern border for the rest of the week.

It was a beautiful late spring day (although temperatures are starting to rise; high was 88 degrees).

Our first stop was Jackson Reservoir (Morgan County).  Highlights included a Blackburnian Warbler at the south end (below the dam).  No Eastern Screech-Owl was enticed to call today.

Along the western side Campgrounds, two Long-eared Owls continue and perhaps are nesting.  A White-throated Sparrow was observed in the trees west of the marina while we searched for additional Long-eared Owls.

The rest of our birding day was spent at Prewitt Reservoir (Logan/Washington).  Warm weather has started to bring out the mosquitoes.  While they were not too bad today, it will not be long before we will be birding in long sleeves.

A superb male Mourning Warbler was found below the dam.  A waterthrush put us in a long pursuit before we could call it a Northern Waterthrush.  Our first look appeared to be a Louisiana Waterthrush.

At the inlet area, we found a Magnolia Warbler and Townsend's Warbler.  Again, we hoped for the second Blackburnian Warbler of our day.  It took 20 minutes to confirm it as a Townsend's.

Other birds found included a Baltimore Oriole, Great Crested Flycatcher, warblers (MacGillivray's, Virginia's, Wilson's, Yellow, and Yellow-rumped), and a Plumbeous Vireo.

After dusk, we relocated Eastern Screech-Owls at the inlet area and below the dam.

No comments: