A Trip to the Northern Mountains

January 14-17, 2019

Trip in search of White-winged Crossbills and Rosy Finches:

Richard Stevens:

January 14, 

I started out to confirm the sighting of two Red-necked Grebes at Welton Reservoir (Jefferson) by Diane Roberts 1/13.  

While scoping the Reservoir from the gate at the southwest end, two Red-breasted Mergansers and a few Common Goldeneyes were observed swimming around the southeast corner.

I had to walk down to the eastern end of the Lake to see the extreme northwestern corner.  A Western Grebe and some American Coots were here.  Two slightly smaller grebes may have been the Red-necked Grebes.  They were just two far away for me to be certain.

Later I drove around the 55th avenue neighborhood not far from Welton Reservoir.  A small flock of Rosy Finches, perhaps 20-30 birds included mostly Black Rosy Finches and several Gray-crowned Rosy Finches.

From there I headed to Cameron Pass.  Winds this night were relatively slow for the mountains.

You could hear a pin drop from the Upper Joe Wright Reservoir parking area.  A Boreal Owl called without any prompting.

A second Boreal Owl was heard as I walked 0.2 miles west of the Cameron Pass restroom parking area.  

Yet a third Boreal Owl was heard about 2 miles west of the pass.  I would stop every 0.5 miles and listen.  My Boreal Owl study has Owl Boxes every 0.5 miles west of the pass (potential nesting and/or territories).

January 15, 

An hour before sunrise I drove to the Greater Sage-Grouse Leks along Jackson County Road 26.  Two Greater Sage-Grouse were walking along CR 26 at 0.2 miles west of Highway 14.  

No additional Greater Sage-Grouse were found.  Two flocks of Horned Larks had a total of 140+ birds, unfortunately no longspurs.

No Rosy Finches were found in and around Walden.  Back at the Colorado State Forest Visitor's Center two Gray-crowned Rosy Finches came by several times.

A snowshoe trip into the Colorado State Forest did not add any uncommon birds to my bird list.  No Boreal Owls were heard in the Colorado State Forest or at Crags Campgrounds.

January 16, 

A male American Three-toed Woodpecker was found drumming on pines at the Ranger Lakes Campgrounds.

I visited two friend's ranches today.  One required a mile snowshoe trip.  The first ranch had at least 300 Rosy Finches visiting.  The mix was 80 percent Gray-crowned, 15 percent Brown-capped and 5 Black.  

My other friend's ranch, the one requiring the long snowshoe trip had none today.  She had 100+ visiting the last two days.

To rest my legs I cross county skied several miles down Jackson County Road 21.  The feeders at Gould had Pine Siskins, Dark-eyed Juncos, four Pine Grosbeaks and nuthatches visiting.

Shortly after midnight (now 1/17), I heard a Boreal Owl at Ranger Lakes.

January 17, 

The American Three-toed Woodpecker was again drumming on pines at Ranger Lakes.

Heavy snowstorms were predicted and I decided to head back to Denver.  

I spent several hours snow snowing up Zimmerman Lake Loop Trail (Larimer).  No White-winged Crossbills were encountered.  Highlights were a male American Three-toed Woodpecker and eight Red Crossbills.

An hour snowshoe trip around Chambers Lake, also in Larimer County found an American Three-toed Woodpecker however no Crossbills.

My birding day ended started (1/18) with a drive up Pingree Road to Pennock Pass Road intersection (Larimer).  I snow shoed up Pennock Pass for a mile or so, no owls called this night.