September 25-29, 2018
Richard Stevens:
I made a short trip to the eastern Colorado Plains to catch the declining fall migration.
September 25
High temperature in Sterling was 64 degrees this afternoon. Winds were ridiculous at 29 to 31 mph.
My morning stop was Jackson Reservoir (Morgan County). Birds were few and far between. I did run into four Yellow-rumped Warblers and a Townsend's Warbler at the western Campgrounds. A Long-eared Owl was also relocated.
Shorebirds and uncommon gulls were lacking. A small flock of Baird's Sandpipers flew by several times. A Peregrine Falcon on the prowl was the highlight.
I decided to skip Prewitt Reservoir (Logan/Washington) with its many mosquitoes, dove hunters, and instead drove to North Sterling Reservoir (Logan).
Few birds moved around there; it was like a ghost town of birds. Highlight was a lone Sabine's Gull.
Pioneer Park (west side of Sterling) and Overland Park (east side) did not add any interesting birds to my trip list.
September 26
It was a little warmer today with a high of 73 degrees in Crook. Winds 13-14 mph with gusts in the afternoon measured at 24 mph.
I walked around the eastern sections of Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area (Logan) shortly after midnight. Surprisingly, no Eastern Screech-Owls called tonight.
However, I woke up 30 minutes before sunrise and heard two Eastern Screech-Owls calling back and forth!
I relocated the Yellow-billed Cuckoo near the Tamarack Pond area. A quick flash of red may have been a Northern Cardinal. It was not relocated.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Red-headed Woodpeckers and sparrows (Field, Lark, Song, White-crowned and Lincoln's) were all encountered.
A Blue-headed Vireo was observed east of Tamarack Pond. A Nashville Warbler was in willows at 1 East.
The western sections were quiet. Bell's Vireos appear to have migrated. No possible Eastern Towhees were found.
My birding day ended with a drive along Logan 46 and CR 89 area. No Greater Prairie-Chickens or Short-eared Owls appeared this evening.
Misses: Sprague's Pipits, Eastern Meadowlarks & Nelson's Sparrows.
Two Great Horned Owls and an Eastern Screech-Owl were heard at Roger Danka's ranch.
September 27
High temperature was 75 degrees today. Winds finally died down. Measured at 2-3 mph.
I started my birding day several hours before sunrise. An Eastern Screech-Owl was heard in the Sedgwick Draw area. After civil twilight, I saw a Short-eared Owl flying along the Draw.
When returning to the Eastern Screech-Owl spot, trying to see the owl, a Tennessee Warbler was observed in the same cottonwood.
A male Red-bellied Woodpecker drummed and flew around Sedgwick Cemetery.
Another Red-bellied Woodpecker and two Eastern Bluebirds were relocated a Sedgwick Bar Wildlife Area. My only House Wren sighting of the trip was also here.
Duck Creek Wildlife Area (Logan) was slow. I did run into two additional Eastern Bluebirds and a male Red-bellied Woodpecker. While late dates for Logan & Sedgwick County Upland Sandpipers are 9/11 & 9/12, I have encountered one in Morgan County on 9/25. None was expected or found.
Others have been found 9/15 (Yuma), 9/17 (Otero), 9/17 (Boulder) and 9/21 (Douglas).
My search for Sprague's Pipits, Eastern Meadowlarks and Nelson's Sparrows came up goose egg.
September 28
What a difference a day makes. High temperature today was only 46 degrees. Winds were 13-14 mph with a couple of gusts measured at 17 mph.
An Eastern Screech-Owl called at Hale Ponds about 45 minutes before sunrise.
Today's highlight was definitely a single Sprague's Pipit walking around Pipit Hill. It probably had no desire to fly up into the high winds.
A walk along the Republican River from Hale Ponds to the Kansas border and then along Yuma CR 2 from six Northern Bobwhite, two Red-bellied Woodpeckers and a juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker.
A Blue-headed Vireo flew from Kansas into Colorado and back. Thanks from my Colorado Yuma County list!
A walk along the Republican River at Hale was not exciting. Two Red-bellied Woodpeckers, two Red-headed Woodpeckers and a flock of 12+ Eastern Bluebirds were somewhat expected.
Bonny Reservoir was slow also. A Nashville Warbler was along the river, south of Fosters Grove. Six Wild Turkeys walked CR 3, east of Fosters Grove. Wagon Wheel Campgrounds offered only a Red-naped Sapsucker (which may be out of range).
Last week's Prairie Warbler had moved on from my friend's ranch. I have not mentioned in awhile that one Kansas rancher went to Mankato, MN High School with my parents; it is a small world.
I returned to Hale Ponds and into Kansas at dusk to an unsuccessful search for Common Poorwills and/or Whip-poor-wills.
After dark, I walked the Republican River from hwy 385 to Fosters Grove and heard two Eastern Screech-Owls and two Great Horned Owls.
September 29
Temperature fluctuations continued. Forty six yesterday and 87 degrees for a high today! Winds were somewhat a consistent 14-15 mph on the eastern Plains.
On the trip home, I detoured for a quick look at Flagler Reservoir (Kit Carson). The area below the dam was productive with a Cassin's Vireo and a Swamp Sparrow sighting.
A Palm Warbler fluttered about the cottonwoods at the northeast side of the lake. A Magnolia Warbler was observed at the southern end of the property.
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