Second Grouse Trip of 2019

March 25 to 30, 2019

Richard Stevens:

Laura Simmons, James Knight and I started out on my second grouse trip of 2019.  Weather was pleasant the whole trip.  Although we ended the trip a day early because all target birds were found and a blizzard was predicted (and did arrive).

March 25

High temperature in Silverthorne was 16 degrees.  It was much colder on Loveland Pass with winds reaching 30 mph.

Our first stop was Loveland Pass (Clear Creek/Summit).  My usual circuit is to first check the eastern hillside across from the first large pullover on the west side of highway 9 on the south side of the Summit.

Having found no White-tailed Ptarmigan then we head back north to the Summit.  We were fortunate to find two Ptarmigan hunkered down in the ragged rocks below the eastern side of the Summit!

Then we drove to a friend's yard in Silverthorne (Summit).  Their yard added 3 species of Rosy Finches, White-breasted Nuthatches, Pygmy Nuthatches, Mountain Chickadees, Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Grosbeaks and Pine Siskins to our trip list.

On drive to the Jackson County Greater Sage-Grouse Leks, a brief stop at Windy Gap Reservoir (Grand) found two Barrow's Goldeneyes among a small group of Common Goldeneyes.

At sunset, we watched six Greater Sage-Grouse walk around the Jackson 26b Lek.

March 26

High temperature in Craig was 48 degrees.  Winds were calm.

Just before sunset, we parked at the Twenty Road Leks south of Hayden.  Four Sharp-tailed Grouse flew from the east side of the Road to the leks on the west side!

We backtracked to the 80 Route to investigate road conditions.  Drifts across the road made it impossible to drive to Greater Sage-Grouse & Sharp-tailed Grouse Leks farther up the road.  

There was no sign of the Dusky Grouse that displays near the first cattle guard up the road (our turn around point).  We did hear Greater Sage-Grouse somewhere way off in the distance.

After breakfast in Craig, we continued west to the Oxbow State Trust Lands (Moffat).  Two Sage Thrashers and two Sagebrush Sparrows were observed from the parking area.

While the area is closed March 1 to August 31, birds can be seen sometimes close to the parking area.  In past years, we have also observed Black-throated Sparrows and Pinyon Jays in the area.

Our next stop was Coal Canyon (Cameo).  Unfortunately, we did not find any Chukar this afternoon.

We then continued up the Grand Mesa.  A Northern Saw-whet Owl was coaxed out of its nesting hole up the way to the Powderhorn Ski Area.

An American Three-toed Woodpecker was found drumming below the maintenance shed at the Ski Area.  No Northern Pygmy-Owls were found this trip.

Eventually we heard two Boreal Owls while we stopped at the pullovers along Hwy 65 (south of the Spruce Grove Campgrounds).

March 27

High temperature in Delta was a superb 70 degrees.  Winds were a mild 4-5 mph.  Gusts reached 22 mph just before sunset in the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park.

We returned to Coal Canyon, which was interesting this morning.  A Chukar was heard on the hill southwest of the parking area at the second pipe gate.  It took a good 20 minutes before it was seen.

A Black-throated Sparrow sang from the willows southwest of the parking area.  Two Pinyon Jays flew along the ridge to the north.

We drove to the eastern (southern) entrance to the Colorado National Monument (Mesa).  Gambel's Quail were found in the subdivision just outside.  Nothing uncommon was encountered at the Devils Kitchen trail.  

Juniper Titmice and four Pinyon Jays were observed at the Campgrounds.

A detour up Escalante Canyon (Delta) did not find any additional Chukar.  A Black Phoebe near Pinnacle Rock was a nice consolation.

No shorebirds were around Fruitgrower's Reservoir (Delta).  We did locate one Lewis's Woodpecker west of the Reservoir.

Our birding day ended at the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park (Montrose).  Just before sunset, a male Dusky Grouse walked out of the willows and displayed briefly.

The road is closed at the Visitor's Center due to snowdrifts.  Unfortunate as the best Dusky Grouse and Northern Pygmy-Owl locations are at the west end of the South Rim Drive.

March 28

High temperature in Pueblo and Walsenburg was 80 degrees (too warm for this time of year).  Winds were 5-6 mph most of the day.

At first light, we found two Gunnison Sage-Grouse near the Waunita Hot Springs Lek (Gunnison).

We then headed east.  Two American Three-toed Woodpeckers were observed drumming at the Monarch Pass pullover (Clear Creek).  No Rosy Finches were found this trip.

A detour up Swallows Road at Pueblo West found a Scaled Quail but missed Curve-billed Thrashers.

We continued east and south to Orlando Reservoir #2.  The Eurasian Wigeon provided nice views after we pulled out our scopes.

The Black Scoter was still on Martin Lake at Lathrop State Park (Huerfano).

Then we continued to Cottonwood Canyon (Baca).  The Canyon added Eastern Phoebe, Rufous-crowned Sparrows, Canyon Towhees, two Western Kingbirds, Lark Sparrows, Chihuahuan Ravens, a Greater Roadrunner, Bewick's Wren, Rock Wren, and Wild Turkeys to our trip list.

Just after sunset, a Western Screech-Owl called from the Campgrounds area.  A Great Horned Owl hooted farther to the west.

March 29

Temperatures reached 44 degrees in Wray (early in the day).  Winds were measured at 4-5 mph with gusts to 11 mph.

Thirty minutes before sunrise, we parked at Lesser Prairie-Chicken Lek at a friend's ranch.  Just after sunrise, two Lesser Prairie-Chickens flew in and started to dance!  No females appeared.

Afterwards we drove to the old Campo Lek where a Cassin's Sparrow was found along the entrance road.  A Curve-billed Thrasher was later observed along Baca County Road G.

When we scoped Pasture G across from the Washington Work Center (Baca) a Mountain Plover was observed at the western edge.  No Burrowing Owls have shown up yet.

We continued north to Wray (Yuma County).  Regrettably, this required passing up some superb birding spots in Prowers and Kiowa Counties.

A stop at Stalker Pond just west of Wray added an Eastern Phoebe and Northern Cardinal to our trip list.

Our birding day ended along Yuma County Road 45.  Three male Greater Prairie-Chickens appeared just before sunset.

On the drive back to Denver, we stopped at Bonny Reservoir Wildlife Area and Hale Ponds.  An Eastern Screech-Owl was enticed to respond to our recordings!

When we reached Limon (Kit Carson), it was starting to snow.  We returned to Denver just in time!

March 30

Snow