May 14-18, 2018
Richard Stevens:
Richard Stevens:
My last grouse trip of the spring, 2018 was canceled. Two birders missed their flight and could not get out of Israel. Terry Michaels and I decided to look for spring migrants on Colorado's eastern plains. It turned out to be quite fantastic five days.
May 14
Temperatures reached 73 degrees in Holyoke. Winds were 7 mph with gusts to 25 mph (when it was raining).
A stop at Last Chance Rest Stop (Washington) started our day with a Northern Waterthrush, male Hooded Warbler and Blackpoll Warbler.
A Red-headed Woodpecker and Blackpoll Warbler flew around Haxtun City Park (Phillips).
Holyoke Cemetery is one of my favorite locations to bird in Phillips County. Today we found a Palm Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler and Field Sparrow. Not bad for an hour walk in 9+ mph winds.
Holyoke Fishing Pond was just as interesting. We got our first Bell's Vireo in Phillips County. Additional birds included a Mourning Warbler (always a great find in Colorado), Blue-headed Vireo, Cassin's Kingbird and three Western Kingbirds.
A Broad-winged Hawk, Tennessee Warbler, Summer Tanager and Baltimore Oriole moved about Holyoke City Park. While getting gas, Terry saw a Blackpoll Warbler across the street.
Our birding day ended with a drive along Yuma County Road 45. Two Greater Prairie-Chickens jumped around on the CR 45 lek. A Short-eared Owl flew at the northwest corner of Yuma County Road 45 & CR P.
May 15
High temperature was 75 degrees. Winds were 8-9 mph with gusts to 25 mph (when it was raining).
Terry and I spent the day at Bonny Reservoir. We enjoyed another great birding day.
We eventually encountered in Bonny Reservoir:
Eastern Screech-Owl --Republican River at CR 3
Great Crested Flycatcher --CR 3
Cassin's Vireo --east/Foster's Grove
American Redstart --east/Forster's Grove
Long-eared Owl --east/Foster's Grove & southern wagon wheel
Barn Owl --south/Forster's Grove
Bell's Vireo --CR 2
Alder Flycatcher (Hooper Ponds to Southern Wagon Wheel Road)
Baltimore Oriole --southern wagon wheel road
Blue-headed Vireo --wagon wheel road
Red-bellied Woodpecker (2) --southern wagon wheel road
Eastern Phoebe --wagon wheel Campgrounds
In the Hale Ponds area:
Common Poorwill --Hale Ponds
Eastern Screech-Owl --Hale Ponds
Red-bellied Woodpecker (4) --Hale Ponds
Northern Waterthrush --Hale Ponds
Northern Waterthrush --Hale Ponds
Eastern Bluebird --Hale
Eastern Bluebird --Hale
May 16, 2018
It was definitely hot today with a high temperature of 80 degrees. Summer is coming. Winds were 8-9 mph with gusts to 14 mph. A day without rain, super! One of the top three birding days in my "career"!
We continued at Bonny Reservoir and Hale and found:
Eastern Screech-Owl --Republican River at CR 3
Broad-winged Hawk --Hale Ponds
Eastern Screech-Owl --Hale Ponds
Red-bellied Woodpecker (2) --southern wagon wheel road
Bell's Vireo --CR 2
Alder Flycatcher (Hooper Ponds to Southern Wagon Wheel Road)
A stop at a friend's ranch added a male Prairie Warbler, Nashville Warbler and Rose-breasted Grosbeak to our day list.
A text message about a possible Golden-crowned Warbler in Cheyenne County sent us south.
Fortunately, several birders were looking at the Golden-crowned Warbler when we arrived. In ten minutes, we observed the first State GCWA. We did not hang around for the other fantastic birds at the Cheyenne County Road 9 hotspot.
Our birding day ended at Flagler Reservoir (Kit Carson County). We found a Summer Tanager, Olive-sided Flycatcher and Northern Waterthrush all along the eastern side of the reservoir. No Short-eared Owls showed up at dusk.
May 17
It felt hot with a high temperature of 87 degrees. Winds were 19-20 mph with gusts to 32 mph. It rained just a little bit in the afternoon.
We again spent the night at Hale Ponds. The Common Poorwill called about an hour before sunrise. At sunrise, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo called north of the most eastern Pond. We relocated four Red-bellied Woodpeckers.
The Eastern Phoebe was still at the wagon wheel Campgrounds.
On the drive north, a stop at Beecher Island (Yuma County) found another Eastern Phoebe and Summer Tanager.
In the Wray area, our third Eastern Phoebe of the day was at Wray Fishing Unit. Two Baltimore Orioles were in the cottonwoods near the ranger's office. A male Northern Cardinal flew around the windbreak along the entrance road. The Wray Fishing Unit closes at 4:30 pm, go early if you want to bird it.
At nearby Stalker Pond we encountered another Baltimore Oriole and Northern Cardinal. Nothing uncommon was around the lake. It took us quite awhile to identify the only tern flying around the lake as a Forster's Tern.
No uncommon sparrows lurked around Sandsage Wildlife Area. The resident Eastern Screech-Owl did not call this evening.
May 18
Temperatures reached a comfortable 69 degrees today. Winds were 14-15 mph with gusts to 25 mph. It rained quite a bit in the afternoon.
Terry and I hiked most of the Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area (Logan County) today. Uncommon birds continued to pop up! My sore foot took a beating today. On Saturday, I could barely walk, and yet I eventually did.
First, we drove Hwy 55 (Logan) to look for Greater Prairie-Chickens; without success.
Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area (western sections)
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Eastern Screech-Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Bell's Vireo
Possible Eastern Towhee
(eastern sections)
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Eastern Screech-Owl (2)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (3)
Eastern Phoebe
Blue-headed Vireo
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush (2)
Nashville Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Field Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Baltimore Oriole
Eastern Bluebird (4)
(all above: eastern sections)
On the way back to Denver, we stopped at Duck Creek Wildlife Area (Logan) about an hour before sunset. A Cassin's Vireo and Red-bellied Woodpecker were off the northern parking area. On the drive back to Hwy 160, Terry pointed out an Upland Sandpiper walking the field to the east.
After dark, we stopped at Jackson Reservoir (Morgan County) to try out our NVG7-3P Night Vision goggles. Eventually we spotted two Long-eared Owls. An Eastern Screech-Owl called also.
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