Bird-filled Eastern Plains Trip

September 5-7, 2017

Terry Michaels and I enjoyed a bird-filled trip to the eastern plains.  Migration has hit Colorado's eastern border.

September 5

We headed east along Interstate 70 and stopped at Flagler Reservoir (Kit Carson County).  The stop was quite eventful.  Most birds were along the southern and southeast end of the reservoir.  Eventually we ran into a Blue-headed Vireo (with nice contrast between its bluish-gray head and whitish throat), a Red-eyed Vireo, Great Crested Flycatcher, Ovenbird and American Redstart.  A Red-headed Woodpecker was farther north at the northeast line of cottonwood trees.

A couple of House Wrens, a female type Burrowing Owl,  Spotted Towhee, many sparrows (Clay-colored, Brewer's (3), Lark (many), Song (4), White-crowned (6), Lincoln's (1), Chipping (many), Savannah (2), Grasshopper (1), Vesper (many), and Dark-eyed Juncos), and one female type Lark Bunting were also observed.

Fairview Cemetery in Burlington was a bust and we continued to Bonny Reservoir (Yuma).

Our birding day ended nicely with a focus on owls.  We found a Long-eared Owl near Foster's Grove Campgrounds then headed to the open fields south of Hale.  A Short-eared Owl flew across the field shortly after sunset.  Then we returned to the Republican River (looks more like a creek) and found three Eastern Screech-Owls.  Afterwards another Eastern Screech-Owl was found at Hale.

Misses: We hear a Common Poorwill call.  No Whip-poor-will responded to a recording, which would have been a fantasy find, someday perhaps.

September 6

We woke to an Eastern Screech-Owl calling northeast of Hale Ponds and then spent the rest of the day walking Bonny Reservoir (from Hwy 385) to Hale Ponds (to Kansas).

Our bird count for the day included:

Bonny Reservoir: Blue-headed Vireo, two Cassin's Vireos, American Redstart, Red-headed Woodpeckers (2), Red-bellied Woodpeckers (3), Northern Cardinal

Hale: Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-bellied Woodpeckers (2), House Wren (2), brief calling Yellow-billed Cuckoo (not seen), Eastern Bluebirds (7)

Hale Ponds: Magnolia Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Red-bellied Woodpeckers (4), Red-headed Woodpecker (1), Baltimore Oriole, Field Sparrow

Misses: While probably too early, we stopped several times at Pipit Hill, found no Sprague's Pipits or American Pipits.  Four Eastern Bluebirds were there.

September 7

Our day was spent around the Wray area.

An hour before sunrise we drove Yuma County Road 45.  A Short-eared Owl flew over the field at CR 45/CR PP.  Two Greater Prairie-Chickens walked along CR 45 between the Greater Prairie-Chicken Lek and Hwy 385.

A look at the cottonwoods at the east end of the Sandhiller Motel parking area added another Blue-headed Vireo to our trip list!

Wray Fishing Unit added an Olive-sided Flycatcher, a male Northern Cardinal, House Wren and two Chimney Swifts circling overhead.

Nearby Stalker Pond added two additional male Northern Cardinals a Northern Waterthrush, Marsh Wren (darn not a Sedge Wren), and common sparrows.

An adult Red-headed Woodpecker was found at Wray City Park.  The highlight of the day was a Bell's Vireo in the thickets at Sandsage Wildlife Area.  Another Red-headed Woodpecker was in the tall cottonwoods; many common sparrows fluttered about the brush.

Misses: no Harris's and Field Sparrows, phoebes, owls.

On the way out of town, we said hi at two friends.  One yard had a pair of Northern Cardinals and a Spotted Towhee (darn not Eastern Towhee).  The other yard had a White-throated Sparrow, male Northern Cardinal and Common Poorwill.