Escaping the Heat, Birding In the Mountains

August 28-31, 2019

Richard Stevens:

Temperatures ranged between 77-79 degrees during our trip.  This was warm for the mountains; however much nicer than back in Denver.  Surprisingly, winds ranged between 6-8 mph; quite calm for the mountains.

August 28

Terry Michaels and I headed up to Jackson County in pursuit of the Red Phalarope reported at Cowdrey Lake.  

We stopped at Bobcat Ridge Natural Area (Larimer) found nothing uncommon.  

After dark, we counted four Flammulated Owls along CR 44!

August 29

Jacob Washburn had met us in Gould.  He had seen the phalaropes yesterday.  Unfortunately, when we drove to Cowdrey Lake in the afternoon, the phalaropes were gone.

On the drive to Cowdrey Lake we drove Jackson County Roads 26 & 26b searching for Greater Sage-Grouse; none was found.

The male American Three-toed Woodpecker was heard and seen north of the Colorado State Forest Visitor's Center and Hwy 14.  Behind the Visitor's Center: Wilson's Warblers, Fox Sparrows, and a Canada Jay.

No Boreal Owls could be located at Cameron Pass or the Crags Campgrounds.  Winds were quite fast this night.

August 30

Jacob Washburn, Terry Michaels and I headed to Buffalo Pass (Routt) today.  We enjoyed a superb day and night of birding.

Our bird count included five American Three-toed Woodpeckers, one Dusky Grouse, a pair of Williamson's Sapsuckers and two Flammulated Owls.

Misses: our main target bird(s) was White-winged Crossbill; none was found.

August 31

The three of us drove up Laramie River Road two hours or so before sunrise.  Again, no Boreal Owls called at Cameron Pass (Jackson).

Target bird(s): traditionally uncommon large hummingbirds are found at the Campgrounds in late August.  Regrettably, none was found today.  No White-winged Crossbills to report either.

We did hear a Boreal Owl north of Chambers Lake (Larimer).  A pair of American Three-toed Woodpeckers and a Townsend's Warbler was observed at Browns Park Campgrounds.

On the return trip, an American Three-toed Woodpecker was relocated along the east side of Chambers Lake.

Terry returned to Denver with Jacob (by way of Cowdrey Lake and Silverthorne while I headed east through Fort Collins.