Jackson County

January 11-14, 2020

Richard Stevens:

Rebecca and I spent four leisure days cross country skiing and snowshoeing around Gould (Jackson County).  Weather was quite good with moderate winds for this area in winter.  Several nights were calm

Highlights:

American Three-toed Woodpecker: one was found during a snowshoe trip up Zimmerman Lake Loop trail 1/11

American Three-toed Woodpecker across from Colorado State Forest Visitor's Center on 1/12

American Three-toed Woodpecker at Ranger Lakes on 1/14

Several stops at the Colorado State Forest Visitor's Center only saw one Gray-crowned Rosy Finch 

Boreal Owls were heard on a windless night (1/11-early 1/12) at the upper Joe Wright parking area (Larimer)

Boreal Owls (one each) were heard just west of Cameron Pass and in the Colorado State Forest

Boreal Owl was heard at Ranger Lakes on 1/14

Rosy Finches (160 at one private ranch and 110 at another),  none found in Walden

Misses: two attempts to find Greater Sage-Grouse west of Coalmont (CR 26) were not successful

No Dusky Grouse ran across this trip

Best time: playing bridge with friends whose ranch is west of Walden.  Usually their driveway is snow bound but not yet this year.  Their resident Northern Saw-whet Owl has not been heard in a month or so

On the drive back to Denver shortly after midnight 1/15, we stopped at five of the Campgrounds/picnic areas along hwy 14 between Cameron Pass and Fort Collins.  No owls were heard