Monday, November 10, 2014

Again on the Colorado Eastern Plains

November 4-5, 2014

Richard Stevens:

Bryan Ehlmann and I made another brief trip to northeastern Colorado.  Our friend Roger Danka had a couple of nice surprises for us.

November 4

We stopped at Jackson Reservoir and walked the western and southern sides (Morgan County).  The highlight was a fall plumage Bay-breasted Warbler between Pelican and Cove Campgrounds!  (late dates are 11/7 (Boulder County) & 11/18 (Yuma County)

Two Long-eared Owls and one of the resident Eastern Screech-Owls were also relocated.

On our trip to Julesburg, we stopped at six Walk-In-Areas north of Snyder (Morgan).  Nothing uncommon was found.  The trend this fall continued.  Few birds were moving about.  One Lincoln's Sparrow (WIA: 28:BB), a late Vesper Sparrow (WIA: 32:JJ), a dozen White-crowned Sparrows and a dozen or so Lapland Longspurs were just about it.

We spent the night at Roger Danka's ranch in Sedgwick County.  An Eastern Screech-Owl called shortly after sunset!

November 5

Roger surprised us this morning.  An adult male Purple Finch had been visiting his feeders since 11/3.  It made an early appearance this morning.  The second surprise event was a red form (eastern) Fox Sparrow.  Roger had been seeing it since 11/1.

The three of us wandered around Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area (Logan) most of the morning and early afternoon.

The highlight was a Palm Warbler in the Russian Olive Trees in section 7 East windbreak.

Other nice sightings included a Harris's Sparrow, five Red-bellied Woodpeckers, a Northern Cardinal (section 1-2 West), two Field Sparrows (section 6 East) and an Eastern Screech-Owl (6-7 East).

On the way back to Denver, we stopped at six Walk-In-Areas in Morgan County (mostly around Gary, CO).  Again, nothing uncommon stood out.  Lapland Longspurs were the most numerous bird of the drive.  We did find one McCown's Longspur (WIA: 30:F)

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