Western Half of Grouse Trip

February 26-March 1, 2018

Richard Stevens:

February 26

Terry Michaels and I started the western half of the CoBus Grouse Tour.  High temperature today was 21 degrees.  Winds were 33 mph with gusts to 44 mph.  We considered ourselves fortunate to find any birds.

We found one White-tailed Ptarmigan hunkered under a pine tree east of Hwy 9, across from the first pullover west of the road and south of the Pass's Summit.

Next, we visited a friend's yard and observed many mountain species including three species of Rosy Finches, Mountain Chickadees, Pine Siskins, Clark's Nutcrackers, Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Grosbeaks, Downy & Hairy Woodpeckers and White-breasted & Pygmy Nuthatches.

Our birding day ended at the Jackson CR 26b leks.  Two male Greater Sage-Grouse were observed crossing the road.  They did not display; no females appeared.

February 27

Temperatures reached 36 degrees in Hayden.  Winds were 7-8 mph with gusts to 16 mph.

We sat at the Hayden Twenty Road Leks for a couple of cold hours at sunrise.  Eventually two Sharp-tailed Grouse flew from the east side of the road over to the grassy hillside.  They looked around, however never did they mating dance.

We drove to Oxbow Wildlife Area (Moffat).  No Sagebrush Sparrows have arrived yet.  Not much was moving around.

A Great-tailed Grackle was encountered at the Rifle Rest Stop (Garfield).

No Chukars were found at Cameo (Coal Canyon) and we headed up the Grand Mesa (Mesa County). 

We found a Northern Saw-whet Owl close to where one was the last two years.  A Northern Pygmy-Owl called at the Powderhorn Ski Area.  No American Three-toed Woodpeckers were found this evening.

A drive to the Visitor's Center and back, unfortunately did not find any Boreal Owls this night.  Anemometer reading was 32 mph.

February 28

We enjoyed the warmer day with high temperatures of 55 degrees in Grand Junction.  Winds were 6-7 mph with gusts to 16 mph.

A return to Coal Canyon (Mesa) found a male Chukar calling from the steep hillside across from the parking area at the second pipe gate.  It called a good twenty minutes before Terry spotted it under the rocks.

We returned to Grand Junction and continued west to Mack, then north on Mesa County Road 4.  A Sagebrush Sparrow was found at one of my favorite spots about seven miles north of S Road.  They have been found here the past six years.  On the return trip, a stop at Bar X Wash added a Long-eared Owl to our trip list.

A detour over to Mesa CR 2 relocated two of the Sagebrush Sparrows reported by Denise & Mark Vollmar on 2/18.  Our target bird a Northern Mockingbird was not found.  The area is good for Scott's Orioles in May.

The Western Screech-Owl was out of its favorite tree at Connected Lakes State Park.  A drive through Colorado National Monument added two Juniper Titmice and five Pinyon Jays to our day list.  Both were flying around the Campgrounds.  It was too early to expect any Black-throated Gray Warblers, Gray Flycatchers and Gray Vireos.

A detour to Fruitgrower's Reservoir (Delta) found a lone Lewis's Woodpecker.  We were told that one of the homeowners along M50 Road enjoys shooting the woodpeckers.

Our birding day ended at the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park (Montrose).  The south rim drive is closed at the Visitor's Center.  While enjoying the view at the Visitor's Center overlook, we saw a lone Brown-capped Rosy Finch fly by below us.

Thirty minutes before sunset, we parked at the turnoff between the Entrance Kiosk and the Campgrounds.  The technique worked as a male Dusky Grouse was observed crossing the road!

March 1, 2018

Temperatures reached a comfortable 63 degrees in Pueblo today.  Winds were 5-6 mph with gusts to 20 mph.

Thirty minutes before sunrise, we drove Gunnison 887 Road.  A Gunnison Sage-Grouse was observed crossing the road a good 1/2 mile north of the Waunita Hot Springs Lek.  Local residents travel up and down the road most mornings; we saw no reason to think our drive would affect the birds.  The Lek itself is closed until April 1.  Parking on the side of the road is now prohibited.  

We do wonder if the sheriff can stop birders from walking up the road.  Several years ago when parking was still allowed, we parked a good 1/4 mile south of the lek and walked up the road.  We scoped the road quite a distance north and observed the Gunnison Sage-Grouse without having to park at the lek.  The distance from the grouse was too far to disturb the birds.

With little chance of finding a Lesser Prairie-Chicken in southeastern Colorado and a recent visit to Cottonwood Canyon (Baca), we decided to skip the eastern half of the grouse trip.  Instead, we took a roundabout route through Pueblo County.

A detour up Tunnel Drive in Canon City (Fremont) found two Rufous-crowned Sparrows near the parking area trailhead.

A drive down the Swallows Road (Pueblo) added two Scaled Quail and a Curve-billed Thrasher to our trip list.

The Great Black-backed Gull and a Common Loon were observed at the Pueblo Reservoir south marina (Pueblo).

Then we headed to Colorado City, Rye and Beulah (Pueblo).  The White-winged Scoter was not on Lake Beckwith as we passed.  One Acorn Woodpecker was at its favorite tree at Pueblo Mountain Park.

Our birding day and trip ended with some owling around Beulah.  Unfortunately, owls were quiet this night.  Which was the story during the whole trip.