June 25 to July 12, 2018
For those keeping up on my birding trips, it has been awhile since the blog has been updated. Terry Michaels and I have been exploring areas with no cell phone and internet service. Birding all day and most of the night, sleeping in late afternoon has us exhausted. Today we rested in Delta with an excusion up Stevens Gulch.
June 25
Temperatures reached 69 degrees today in Fairplay. Winds were variable 6-8 mph with gusts to 23 mph.
We started our summer bird breeding surveys on the western slope with a stop at Kenosha Pass (Park County).
We made the long hike up the Twin Cones Peak trail several hours before sunrise. A Flammulated Owl called from the Aspen grove west of the trail where it bends from south to west.
A Northern Pygmy-Owl responded to our recordings played shortly after the gate at the trailhead. Later we added a second Northern Pygmy-Owl and Flammulated Owl picked up by our "owl listening stations".
Our target birds were Rosy Finches, White-winged Crossbills and White-tailed Ptarmigan; none of which was found.
We did encounter Williamson's Sapsuckers (2), a Dusky Grouse, singing Hermit Thrushes, Hairy & Downy Woodpeckers, an American Three-toed Woodpecker and many Pine Siskins.
On the hike back down, we found another Dusky Grouse near the eastern closed gate.
An American Three-toed Woodpecker drummed at the western Campgrounds. No additional owls were found.
June 26
Temperatures only reached a cool 77 degrees in Buena Vista. Winds encountered during the day were 8-9 mph with gusts to 22 mph.
A check of the three Park Reservoirs (Spinney Mountain, Eleven Mile and Antero) found no uncommon birds. A Bonaparte's Gull flew around Antero Reservoir. There is no way to know if the Gull was a late migrant or early migrant returning from its breeding grounds.
Trout Creek Pass (Park) added another American Three-toed Woodpecker to our trip list.
Fourteen Pinyon Jays were found at the Ruby Mountain parking area (Chaffee). We found Lewis's Woodpeckers are two different locations in Buena Vista (Chaffee). No Western Screech-Owls could be enticed to show themselves today.
After dark, we went owling in the BLM land north and east of the Buena Vista Overlook. We found three Northern Saw-whet Owls with the help of our "owl listening stations".
June 27-28
It was a hot couple of days for the mountains. Temperatures reached 90 degrees. Winds were a hot 9-10 mph, gusts to 18 mph.
Full Moon!
We spent the next two days exploring Marshall Pass. This beautiful area gets few visitors, birders or tourists!
Our bird count included (Chaffee County): two Purple Martins, one Northern Saw-whet Owl (O'Haver Lake), two Williamson's Sapsuckers, three American Three-toed Woodpeckers, four Flammulated Owls (spread over three locations) a Gray Flycatcher, many Warbling Vireos.
Saguache County: two Purple Martins (pair), two Williamson's Sapsuckers, four American Three-toed Woodpeckers and two Flammulated Owls (separate locations).
June 29
Temperatures remained high for the mountains. The high 83 degrees. Winds were 7-8 mph with gusts to 22 mph.
We entered Gunnison County by way of Marshall Pass and explored Cumberland Pass today.
The highlight was finding a White-tailed Ptarmigan at Cumberland Pass. We do not hear of many Ptarmigan reports in Gunnison County.
Other birds run across included: seven Pinyon Jays, two Williamson's Sapsuckers, Red-naped Sapsuckers, and the usual montane birds.
After dark, our owling added two Northern Pygmy-Owls and a Boreal Owl!
June 30
What a change in weather today. High temperature was only 54 degrees. Winds were only 4-5 mph, no gusts.
We continued to explore the northeastern corner of Gunnison County.
The remote ghost town of Tincup added two Rufous Hummingbirds and an "early" Calliope Hummingbird to our trip list. A male American Three-toed Woodpecker was heard drumming.
Mirror Lake is another interesting area that gets few visitors. We found a pair of American Three-toed Woodpeckers just west of the lake. A Northern Pygmy-Owl and two Flammulated Owls were heard after dark.
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