Western Slope continued (Gunnison Cty)

Rebecca Kosten: transcript of telephone call:

July 6, 2019

Terry and I birded up Highway 135 to Almont and then took Gunnison CR 742 to Taylor Park Reservoir.  Once again, our trek was changed due to the snowy spring.  It was not possible to get to the Cottonwood Pass Summit due to snowdrifts.

Nothing uncommon was on Taylor Park Reservoir.  Lake View Campgrounds across CR 742 added two American Three-toed Woodpeckers and a pair of Band-tailed Pigeons to our trip list.

Returning to Gunnison, we stopped at many Campgrounds (Rivers End, Spring Creek, Lodgepole and Cold Springs).

Owling was quite successful this night.

Flammulated Owls (3 at separate locations)

Northern Pygmy-Owls (2 at separate locations)

Northern Saw-whet Owl (1)

July 7, 2019

We tried to get to Schofield Pass this morning.  Much snow is still on the pass and it is impassable.  Just as well, Schofield Pass is considered the most dangerous pass in Colorado.  We did not have to decide whether to drive it this trip.

We did not get close enough to search for White-tailed Ptarmigan.  Several miles of snowshoeing would have been required to reach near the Summit.

We were not able to relocate the previously reported Black Phoebe at the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab.  It was too early to search for the Boreal Owl.

Instead, we drove back to Kebler Pass where birding was more successful.  Two American Three-toed Woodpeckers and a male Williamson's Sapsucker were located at the Old Cemetery area.

Two Purple Martins were flying around their traditional nesting location.  Two Dusky Grouse were encountered before we reached Highway 133.

Two Black Swifts flew around the waterfall west of Marble (Gunnison).

Owling on the way back to Crested Butte was slow.  We did locate two Flammulated Owls at previous years GPS waypoints.  A Northern Pygmy-Owl called along Ohio Pass (just south of the closed gate).