November 5-8, 2018
Richard Stevens:
November 4
High temperature in Trinidad was 48 degrees. Winds were 7-8 mph with gusts to 14mph.
Terry Michaels and I birded at Trinidad State Park (Las Animas County) this afternoon. Nothing uncommon was found. Our bird list included Greater Roadrunner, Juniper Titmouse, Sage Thrasher, four Pinyon Jays and Lapland Longspurs.
Owling this night was a bust.
November 5
It was a pleasant 57 degrees this afternoon. Winds were 6-7 mph, although anemometer readings peaked at 22 mph around 3:00 pm.
Terry Michaels and I went to check on some land in Cortez. Highlight of the day would be the Eurasian Wigeon on Industrial Park Pond (Montezuma). It was a county lifebird for both of us.
Later we walked around the Huck Finn Pond and Durango Fish Hatchery (La Plata). A Lewis's Woodpecker and the Harris's Sparrow continued at previously reported locations.
Two Acorn Woodpeckers were relocated at Wildcat Canyon (Rafter J) area.
We walked the northern half of the Animas River Trail. No Black Phoebes or additional Lewis's Woodpeckers were found.
Once again, owling was a bust. However, we have not had time to check the "owl listening stations" recordings. The software to do so is back in Denver.
November 6
Temperature was 42 degrees when we reached Silverton. Winds were 6-7 mph. Little Molas Lake was no warmer and winds measures 22 mph there.
Terry and I birded Haviland Lake (La Plata) this morning. No Grace's Warblers (not expected) or Williamson's Sapsuckers (possible?) were found.
We enjoyed the drive to Silverton, great scenery. Approximately twenty Rosy Finches (no black) were found in town. If I remember correctly, we were walking around 12th Street.
On the way back to Durango, we hiked/snow shoed about 1.5 miles up the Little Molas Lake trail. Four Red Crossbills were found west of Little Molas Lake turnoff. A White-tailed Ptarmigan pair was encountered about 1.1 miles west of the turnoff! A San Juan first for Terry. I had come across one along Minnie Gulch Road back in June 2015. It is always nice to see one anywhere, especially in winter plumage.
We explored Little Molas and Molas trails for owls. None was found this night.
November 7
High temperature in Crested Butte was 43 degrees. Winds however were only 3-4 mph.
Terry and I found just one Dusky Grouse this morning at Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park (Montrose). Two unidentified Rosy Finches flew by the Visitor's Center.
Later we relocated the Barrow's Goldeneyes found yesterday by Betty Fenton near Crystal Dam.
Two Barrow's Goldeneyes were on Blue Mesa Reservoir (Gunnison) when we passed by. A Lincoln's Sparrow was at Steven's pullover.
We detoured north to Crested Butte (Gunnison). Twenty three Rosy Finches (again no Black) flew around town. They did not appear to settle anywhere particular.
Owling was restricted to open roads. None was found tonight. Again, we have not checked the "owl listening stations" put out, to be updated later.
November 8
High temperature in Canon City was 46 degrees. Winds measured only 2-3 mph.
A drive down Gunnison County Road 38 found two Gunnison Sage-Grouse walking along the road. They were half a mile or so north of CR 38a.
A stop at the large pullover at Monarch Pass (Chaffee) found a male American Three-toed Woodpecker and six Rosy Finches (five Brown-capped and one Gray-crowned).
We skipped turning north to Buena Vista and the Park County reservoirs and instead continued east on Hwy 50.
A brief stop at the Tunnel Drive trailhead in Canon City added two Rufous-crowned Sparrows to our trip list. Nothing moved about Sells Pond; we did not take the time to walk the trail to Raynolds Avenue.
No owls or sapsuckers were found at Rouse Park, Lakeside Cemetery, Lions Park or the Old Abbey. It did not appear too early for them to show up, perhaps it was?
Owl was fantastic this night. We ended up finding three Northern Saw-whet Owls and the highlight, a Spotted Owl! All were up Phantom Canyon Road.
Later we heard a Northern Pygmy-Owl at Beaver Creek Wildlife Area.
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