Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Northeastern Fall Count

August 30 to September 3, 2014

Richard Stevens:

August 30

A group of eight birders headed to northeastern Colorado for a weekend of birding.

We relocated Short-billed Dowitcher (Kellner, 8/22) was relocated at Red Lion Wildlife Area.

Eventually we found at Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area (Logan): found: Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Field Sparrows, an Eastern Towhee, Northern Cardinals and Red-bellied Woodpeckers.

At Jumbo Reservoir: Cassin's Vireo & Red-eyed Vireo and Lesser Black-backed Gull.

At dusk, we found a Greater Prairie-Chicken walking around the southern section of Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area.

Later we enjoyed a fantastic barbecue at Roger Danka's ranch!  Cholesterol tastes good!

August 31

Our group wandered around Sedgwick County in an unsuccessful search for Sprague's Pipits and Eastern Meadowlarks.

A Northern Cardinal was found across the street from the Julesburg Elementary School.

September 1
 
Most of our friends went home after yesterday's barbecue.  Bryan and I continued to wander northeastern Colorado.

The highlights today were two Baird's Sparrows on a private ranch in Logan County and another two or three at a private ranch in Sedgwick County.  Most I have observed in one day in Colorado.

Both Sprague's Pipits and Eastern Meadowlarks were missed; however, we did not care!

September 2

We returned to Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area (Logan) today.  Many interesting birds moved about.  These included: Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Great Crested Flycatcher, Northern Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Black-and-white Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Cassin's Vireo, Field Sparrows and an Eastern Screech-Owl.

Sedgwick Bar Wildlife Area was good to us also.  Birds found included: Cassin's Vireo, Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-bellied Woodpeckers and two Eastern Bluebirds.

A stop at the Ovid Woods added a Blue-headed Vireo, Tennessee Warbler and Baltimore Oriole.

September 3

Bryan and I headed back to Denver at 3:00 am by way of Highway 385 to I70 to Hwy 71 to Hwy 24.  We managed to find one of the Baird's Sparrows along Drennan Road (El Paso) for our fifth Baird's Sparrow of the trip (spread over three counties)!

We scoped Big Johnson Reservoir (El Paso) and found a Pectoral Sandpiper and Burrowing Owls (along the Blue Stem Trail).  Missed loon and Lesser Black-backed Gull.

At dusk, we passed through Castlewood Canyon State Park (Douglas).  A Northern Saw-whet Owl responded to our recordings played near the old falls area.

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