Sunday, July 2, 2017

CoBus Western Slope Bird Breeding Surveys (cont)

June 28 to June 30, 2017

See previous reports for beginning trip.

June 28

Group B (jwas, rsim, bmar) went to Lake City by way of Highway 149, then drove west on Cinnamon Pass Road, Hinsdale County.

Grace's Warblers and a Rufous Hummingbird were found at Mill Creek Campgrounds.  At Burrows Park Town Site they found an American Three-toed Woodpecker.  American Basin added a flyby Prairie Falcon.  Is this out of place?  Two Brown-capped Rosy Finches flew around Cinnamon Pass.  They spent the night around Animas Forks Ghost Town.  No owls were recorded today.

Group A (tmit, dkin) entered Hinsdale by way of Gunnison CR 27.  They did not find the reported Acorn Woodpecker.  Then they drove Engineer Pass, Hinsdale.  They counted American Three-toed Woodpeckers, two each at two locations.  At North Fork Cutoff they reported American Three-toed Woodpecker (Burrows Creek Road), Brown-capped Rosy Finches and a Northern Pygmy-Owl in San Juan County.  In Hinsdale County they reported an American Three-toed Woodpecker and a Boreal Owl (both groups). A 4-wheel drive vehicle is a must for this trip.

Group C (rste, rkos, sehl) went down I25 to Hwy 160, then west.  One Black Swift was a flyover at Zapata Falls, Saguache.  Found eight Pinyon Jays and Hepatic Tanager at Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Saguache County.  Western Screech-Owls called after sunset.

June 29
Group B found an American Three-toed Woodpecker, Pine Grosbeaks, Evening Grosbeaks and a Rufous Hummingbird at Animas Forks Ghost Town.  They took the southern route to Silverton.  Forest Road 586 in Hinsdale, Forest Road 210 in Ouray County.

Highlight of the day was a White-tailed Ptarmigan up Minnie Gulch Road (long hike).

Group A took the northern route over California Pass.  They relocated a Northern Saw-whet Owl (last year's gps waypoint at Poughkeepsie Gulch, San Juan County).  The day was windy and cold.  No owls reported.

Group C relocated two Dickcissels previously reported at Alamosa/Conejos Counties; CC Road; east of 109 S, Rawinksi.  A Sagebrush Sparrow was relocated at John James Canyon, Conejos County.  A Black Swift was seen flying around Treasure Falls, Mineral County.  After dark a Boreal Owl was found at Wolf Creek Pass, Mineral County.

June 30

Group C found a Black Phoebe and Cassin's Sparrow at the Navajo Watchable Wildlife Area.  Four Pinyon Jays, Lewis's Woodpeckers and Cassin's Kingbirds seen at Navajo reservoir.

Group A (tmit, dkin): A drive toward Sneffels found two American Three-toed Woodpeckers, two Black Swift and two Brown-capped Rosy Finches.  They found four Black Swifts up Black Bear Pass at Bridal Veil Falls, San Miguel County.

Group B (jwas, rsim, bmar): Along Ophir Pass Road toward hwy 149, they counted Black Swifts (3, over 2 locations), a Dusky Grouse and MacGillivray's Warbler.  Highlight was a Calliope Hummingbird at Ophir.  This is early for this hummingbird in Colorado (photographed). Early Ouray/San Miguel records: 6/13-6/23/2008 in Silverton; 6/30/2012 at Lake Lenore, Ouray.

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