A 24 hour Birding Day

November 14, 2019

Richard Stevens:

Okay perhaps I am a crazy birder.  Today I found two akin!  We departed Denver around 4:00 am.  Stops at several of the Campgrounds along Guanella Pass Road (Park County, from Grant side) did not uncover any owls.  If any Northern Saw-whet Owls were still around, they were not enticed by our recordings.

Once at the Summit, we scoped the 603 and Rosalie Trails and found two White-tailed Ptarmigan near the intersection.  Later, we found another five birds along the trail to the lake below the main parking area.

Continuing north, Guanella Pass Campgrounds yielded few birds.  Two Pine Grosbeaks (pair) were spotted.  No American Three-toed Woodpeckers could be located.

We reversed our trek and ended up at Pine Valley Ranch Park (Jefferson County).  An American Three-toed Woodpecker was finally run into just downhill (north) of the intersection of the Parkview and Strawberry Jack trails.

A Northern Pygmy-Owl called briefly near the rocks about 400 yards south of the intersection.  It went quiet before we could put binoculars on it.  The Park closes at sunset and we had to retreat to our SUV and leave.

The experience was the same at nearby Reynolds Park.  It was now dark.  A Northern Pygmy-Owl was heard near the main parking area and the Songbird Trail.  Again, we did not see it.

The trip was about to end when I mentioned that Flammulated Owls could possibly still be around Wellington Lake.  The Lake was not far away and we headed for it.  Regrettably, no owls were found.  Perhaps they had migrated south for the year.