Richard Stevens:
Iowa birder, Jan Nolan and I searched for several of his target birds.
September 3
High temperature in Idaho
Springs was a pleasant 55 degrees and much cooler at Mt. Evans
We arrived at Mt. Evans just after sunrise and continued to Summit Lake (Clear Creek).
Two Brown-capped Rosy Finches landed several times on the rocky hillside at the northwest corner of Summit Lake. It is one of the most reliable spots to find them in summer.
It took almost two hours of walking the field east of the Summit Lake parking lot before finding White-tailed Ptarmigan. Two birds hunkered down behind a large granite rock. Their summer plumage matches the rock quite well.
We hiked the Echo Lake Campgrounds twice before hearing the distinctive drumming of an American Three-toed Woodpecker. A male drummed at the southeast corner!
A female Barrow's Goldeneye and several young swam on Echo Lake. A Green-tailed Towhee and Lincoln's Sparrow were in the northwest willows.
NOTE: Mt Evans is now closed just north of Summit Lake. Access to the Lake should be open until the first weekend in October.
A search below tree line did not find any Dusky Grouse. No owls responded to our recordings played around the Campgrounds and Echo Lake.
September 4
Highs reached into the low 90s. Winds were 7-8 mph.
Today Jan Nolan and I went to Banner Lakes Wildlife Area (Weld) looking for a Long-eared Owl. Regrettably, none was found. We did find a Townsend's Warbler and Clay-colored Sparrow.
Still looking for our target bird, we headed to Jackson Reservoir (Morgan). Another Townsend's Warbler and a Long-eared Owl were encountered here!
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