July 25-26, 2014
Richard Stevens:
July 25
Bryan Ehlmann and I enjoyed a good start to our birding day.
In Fremont County, we saw the male Scissor-tailed Flycatcher feeding the female who was sitting on the nest; 5:58 am. We parked at the driveway of the ranch for sale, about 0.1 miles north of the nesting tree. One of the Scissor-tailed Flycatchers called constantly from 5:48 am to 5:53 am and flew down to the driveway. Later determined to be the male, it landed less than 10 yards from their car. After a couple of minutes, it flew up to the telephone wires above the car. In order to not disturb the birds, we drove the car farther north and they watched the male fly back to the nesting tree. Clearly the birds are aware of nearby people.
As we drove down Forest Road 386, stops were made at several Aspen Groves. Grace's Warblers were found at two of the stops. American Three-toed Woodpeckers were observed at two locations along hwy 67 between Custer County Line and Hwy 165. Williamson's Sapsuckers at two locations and Red-naped Sapsuckers at three locations.
Then we headed Beulah (Pueblo County) and Pueblo Mountain Park. The two adult Acorn Woodpeckers fed young in a Ponderosa Pine near the parking lot at Pueblo Mountain Park. A Grace's Warbler was within 200 yards of the old tennis courts.
Three large groups of Scaled Quail were observed along Pueblo County Road 201 on the way to Pueblo. We drove northeast though Pueblo and back to Pueblo West where the two Black throated Sparrows were relocated below Liberty Point, Pueblo West. The Sparrows were in and under the two trees 10 yards northwest of the orange marker with #10 on it, along the dirt track off Greenbrier Drive. A good mile from east saddle brook drive. The sparrows moved six trees farther south as the guys left.
A break in afternoon thunderstorms allowed us to search for owls in Fremont County. A Spotted Owl was found in Phantom Canyon (about 2:00 am). We backtracked to Beaver Creek Wildlife Area and found a Northern Pygmy-Owl before getting a few hours of sleep.
July 26
After getting some needed sleep, we walked around Brush Hollow Wildlife Area (Fremont) for several hours. Highlights not only included Juniper Titmice but also a male Ladder-backed Woodpecker.
Nothing uncommon was found in Penrose and we returned to Phantom Canyon. Again, we found a Spotted Owl (most likely the same one discovered last night). No additional Spotted Owls called as we drove to Victor and back.
Just north of Highway 50, we stopped at one of my favorite owl locations and heard a Northern Saw-whet Owl at Oro Juno while walking a section of Phantom Canyon Road. We camped at another of my favorite locations, Hayden Campgrounds south of Coaldale (Fremont County).
No owls called along the road and we hit the sack just about the time the sun rose.
Richard Stevens:
July 25
Bryan Ehlmann and I enjoyed a good start to our birding day.
In Fremont County, we saw the male Scissor-tailed Flycatcher feeding the female who was sitting on the nest; 5:58 am. We parked at the driveway of the ranch for sale, about 0.1 miles north of the nesting tree. One of the Scissor-tailed Flycatchers called constantly from 5:48 am to 5:53 am and flew down to the driveway. Later determined to be the male, it landed less than 10 yards from their car. After a couple of minutes, it flew up to the telephone wires above the car. In order to not disturb the birds, we drove the car farther north and they watched the male fly back to the nesting tree. Clearly the birds are aware of nearby people.
As we drove down Forest Road 386, stops were made at several Aspen Groves. Grace's Warblers were found at two of the stops. American Three-toed Woodpeckers were observed at two locations along hwy 67 between Custer County Line and Hwy 165. Williamson's Sapsuckers at two locations and Red-naped Sapsuckers at three locations.
Then we headed Beulah (Pueblo County) and Pueblo Mountain Park. The two adult Acorn Woodpeckers fed young in a Ponderosa Pine near the parking lot at Pueblo Mountain Park. A Grace's Warbler was within 200 yards of the old tennis courts.
Three large groups of Scaled Quail were observed along Pueblo County Road 201 on the way to Pueblo. We drove northeast though Pueblo and back to Pueblo West where the two Black throated Sparrows were relocated below Liberty Point, Pueblo West. The Sparrows were in and under the two trees 10 yards northwest of the orange marker with #10 on it, along the dirt track off Greenbrier Drive. A good mile from east saddle brook drive. The sparrows moved six trees farther south as the guys left.
A break in afternoon thunderstorms allowed us to search for owls in Fremont County. A Spotted Owl was found in Phantom Canyon (about 2:00 am). We backtracked to Beaver Creek Wildlife Area and found a Northern Pygmy-Owl before getting a few hours of sleep.
July 26
After getting some needed sleep, we walked around Brush Hollow Wildlife Area (Fremont) for several hours. Highlights not only included Juniper Titmice but also a male Ladder-backed Woodpecker.
Nothing uncommon was found in Penrose and we returned to Phantom Canyon. Again, we found a Spotted Owl (most likely the same one discovered last night). No additional Spotted Owls called as we drove to Victor and back.
Just north of Highway 50, we stopped at one of my favorite owl locations and heard a Northern Saw-whet Owl at Oro Juno while walking a section of Phantom Canyon Road. We camped at another of my favorite locations, Hayden Campgrounds south of Coaldale (Fremont County).
No owls called along the road and we hit the sack just about the time the sun rose.
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