More Northern Plains Birding

June 11, 2010

Richard Stevens:

Today my goal was to walk the western side of Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area. Again, it was an enjoyable day.

Highlights included:
A possible Eastern Towhee (section 1 West) looked like an Eastern Towhee, never made a sound.
Bell's Vireo (section 1 West)
Northern Cardinal (2)
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (2 locations)
Eastern Screech-Owl (new location)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (3 at 3 locations)

Again found 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers, Common Yellowthroat, no warblers, several Warbling Vireos, 1 Plumbeous Vireo (unfortunately did not look like a Blue-headed Vireo at all).

I visited a private ranch (a location I inherited birding rights from Dan Bridges) and found Eastern Bluebirds, a Tennessee Warbler, a Magnolia Warbler, Warbling Vireos. This location has been responsible for several American Woodcock records; none today.

A Barn Owl flew out of the riparian area on the south side of Red Lion Wildlife Area. Nothing else unusual at Red Lion Wildlife Area or Jumbo.

My birding day ended at Yuma County Road 45. I did hear one Upland Sandpiper. No Greater Prairie-Chickens came to the CR 45 lek. A Common Poorwill called near the first cattle guard east of the CR 45 lek.

June 10, 2010

The goal today (target bird Black-billed Cuckoo) was to walk the east side of Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area (Logan). This is a 7 mile stretch (therefore 14 mile round trip). It was quite a productive day.

By the way, yesterday I put together the anti-mosquito outfit. Mosquitoes were horrible at Crow Valley Campgrounds, however they never bothered me!!!

Thick long pants (no mosquito is getting through the material, or tick for that matter), Air Force coat (coated with water and mosquito repellent), mosquito net over my hat and gloves. The outfit gets warm, but not one mosquito bite!

During the trek, (I started at area 7 East), some nice birds were found (but no Black-billed Cuckoos). In no particular order:

Two Field Sparrows (near my parked car).
Yellow-billed Cuckoos at two locations including the south side of Tamarack Pond.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers (5 at 3 locations)
Baltimore Oriole (east of buildings)
Eastern Screech-Owls (at 3 locations, 2 previous known)
Northern Cardinals (2 males around Tamarack Ponds & Maintenance building)
Great Crested Flycatcher
Hooded Warbler (section 2 East)
Black-and-white Warbler (section 1 East)
Bell's Vireo (section 5)

My route was to hike the south side tree line first and then tromped through the thicker bushes nearer the river after the day warmed up. Mucho mosquitoes, beware! Except for the incredible sound, they made next to my ears, no mosquito bites!

Other interesting birds included 5 Red-headed Woodpeckers, 2 Common Yellowthroats, an eastern White-breasted Nuthatch, an eastern Warbling Vireo, and a Red-breasted Nuthatch!

My birding day ended at Roger Danka's ranch where we heard another pair of Eastern Screech-Owls calling after dark.

Long Day on Northern Plains

June 9, 2010

Richard Stevens:

I enjoyed a long day of birding in northern Colorado.

I departed Denver about 3:00 am and headed up to Briggsdale by way of Highway 392. At Weld County Road 60.5 (which is signed CO Hwy 60.5, a little strange and different) I stopped and played recordings. At least 1 Sora and 2 Virginia Rails responded back!

My first target bird was Upland Sandpiper and I was not disappointed. One stood on a fence post at 0.6 miles south of Weld County Road 67. Another bird was at the traditional Upland Sandpiper field, which is 7.1 miles south of Highway 14 (this one also stood on a fence post)!

I parked at the group picnic area and as I left my car, a cuckoo flew from the tall trees over the pavilion. It was never seen well and therefore never identified to species.

Arriving at Crow Valley Campground just before sunrise I walked the Campgrounds waiting for better light. The Prairie Warbler was singing in the tree next to the old water hole at campground # 10. It flew across the road to campsite # 9. Eventually it flew back to # 10 and then disappeared to the west.

After sunrise, I walked to the south fence line and then circled to the west (searching for the Golden-winged Warbler reported the day before). A Red-eyed Vireo was in the trees along the creek where it leaves the property (to the south).

The Golden-winged Warbler was never found. I continued west and north and got glimpses of a Northern Waterthrush along the creek at approximately 20 yards south of the northwest corner of the Campgrounds.

Several Common Nighthawks and a Plumbeous Vireo were found in the grove north of the group picnic pavilion.

Note: I always surprises me when flew birders are encountered at sunrise. First, even if it is windy, the wind seems to die down for 30-60 minutes just before sunrise (this was the case today, shortly after sunrise; winds became strong and grew as the morning progressed). The increased winds made finding any birds quite difficult.

Secondly, the birds always seem to be most active at sunrise. They move around more in search of food, sing, and call when exposed to the direct sunlight. It works for me! I did not see another birder until around 9:00 am?

After leaving Crow Valley Campground, I drove the Mountain Plover Loop (described on the CoBus website: http://coloradobirdingsociety.net16.net). A quick drive up the dirt track road (CR 94 & CR 63) found a Mountain Plover 5 yards west of the track (in sight of the old cement drain) and several McCown's Longspurs.

Lark Buntings, Brewer's Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows were easy to find along CR 94 & CR 61. Along CR 61 at 0.5 miles south of CR 96, I was stopped by a young Pronghorn lying in the road. He could not have been more than a couple of hours old. His mother had run when she saw my car and the young one tried to keep up. Knock kneed and stumbling, he ran out of gas and just stopped on the road. I backed my car up to almost out of sight and waited for the young one to get up (or for a car to come along, so that I could stop any from continuing toward the youth). While watching the Pronghorns, I noticed a Mountain Plover to the west of CR 61!

Later I reached the riparian area along CR 100 at 0.4 miles east of CR 57. The Wood Thrush reported the day before was not found by me (it was reported later in the day).

I decided to head west to Fort Collins and look for the Least Bittern at Running Deer Natural Area; without success.

Since Fort Collins City Park and Grandview Cemetery were so close, I headed that way to search for the Eastern Wood-Pewee (a new county bird for me). When I arrived, the Eastern Wood-Pewee was singing in Section 2. At Section 1, I could see the female White-winged Crossbill perched at the top of a fir tree for about 6 minutes (second fir tree west of the first streetlight east of the southwest corner of the cemetery).

My plan was to go to Julesburg and since I passed close to CR 100 & CR 57, I returned to the riparian area there. A 15 minute search for the Wood Thrush looked hopeless and as I returned to my car, the Wood Thrush was observed walking along the stream on the north side of CR 100.

Eventually it was chased by a Swainson's Thrush and was in the trees just south of CR 100 and along the creek.

On the trip to Julesburg, I stopped and found Burrowing Owls first north of CR 90 & CR 51 and then at the northeast field at CR 51 & Highway 14. Two Mountain Plover were southwest of the Dyers driveway (0.4 miles east of Hwy 14 & CR 51).

In Sterling, I checked both Pioneer Park and Overland Park for birds (target bird the elusive for Colorado Black-billed Cuckoo). A Yellow-billed Cuckoo was found along the Platte River at Overland Park, no Black-billed Cuckoos. Not much at the Sterling Sewage Ponds and I continued to Jumbo Reservoir.

My birding day ended at Red Lion Wildlife Area waiting for Short-eared Owls; none appeared. Shortly after sunset, I did hear one of the Eastern Screech-Owls on the north side of Jumbo Reservoir.

Guanella Pass and Ptarmigan

June 8, 2010

Bret Walker, Jacob Washburn, Amy Davenport and I returned to Guanella Pass (Clear Creek). We found two Ptarmigan 10 yards south of the junction of the Rosalie and 603 trails.

The American Three-toed Woodpecker that has been hanging around the pipe gate that closes the pass in winter was searched for but not found. We did find an American Three-toed Woodpecker uphill (south) of Pine Lake at Pine Valley Ranch Park (Jefferson). We did find an American Three-toed Woodpecker uphill (south) of Pine Lake at Pine Valley Ranch Park (Jefferson).

Barr Lake and Bluff Lake Nature Area

June 7, 2010

Richard Stevens:

Jerry Petrosky and I returned to Barr Lake (Adams). The Blackpoll Warbler was again found in the tall willows south of the Neidrach Trail boardwalk. Nothing else uncommon was found from mile marker 0.2 to 0.0 to 8.0.

Later we visited Bluff Lake Nature Area (Denver) where again nothing uncommon was found. We did hear 3 Soras and 2 Virginia Rails in the marsh off the boardwalk.

Owling in Boulder County

June 3-6, 2010

Richard Stevens:

During the four nights, Jerry Petrosky and I visited various draws/canyons/valleys in Boulder County conducting some owls counts. I think what we will do is write up the owl studies in "Colorado Field Notes". Perhaps putting the sightings on a map of Boulder County.

We did enjoy great success (as it was a little late in the year, best time is early spring when the owls are looking for mates).

Jerry wrote on "cobirders": Richard Stevens and I counted owls the last four nights in Boulder and Larimer Counties. We were joined by Jacob Washburn and Amy Davenport this weekend and had good success. Final counts will be posted on the CoBus trip blog. Besides Common Poorwill in three locations, species heard or seen included; Long eared, Northern Pygmy, Flammulated, Saw whet, Eastern Screech and Boreal Owls.

During the day between a few hours of sleep, we added:

On 6/3, Richard Stevens relocated a male BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD (Davenport, 5/25) southeast of the Ranger's Office at Cherry Creek State Park.

On 6/4, Jerry Petrosky and Stevens relocated a LITTLE BLUE HERON (Guthrie, 5/9) at Cottonwood Marsh, Walden Ponds. Petrosky relocated a GREEN HERON at Sawhill Pond #4. Petrosky relocated BOBOLINK (Stevens, 5/20) at the Boulder Bobolink Meadow. Petrosky & Stevens found a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL at the south end of Gross Reservoir.

On 6/5, Stevens and Petrosky found a TENNESSEE WARBLER below (west) of Lower Derby Lake at Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Stevens reported 7 BURROWING OWLS along the DIA Owl Loop.

On 6/6, this morning instead of sleep Jerry and Richard saw the male Black chinned Hummingbird at Cherry Creek State Park and then a Blackpoll Warbler, Swainson's Thrushes, Orchard Oriole pair; Green tailed Towhee and Spotted Towhees at Barr Lake State Park. Eight Burrowing Owls were along the DIA Owl Loop.

Barr Lake and Boulder County

June 2, 2010

Richard Stevens:

I was supposed to sit at a desk all day and finish up June's "Colorado Field Notes". Thought I would hike a bit first so went over to Barr Lake (Adams County). Only spent two hours and hiked from mile marker 0.2 (south end of the Niedrach Trail) to mm 8.0 to the north.

A Blackpoll Warbler was in the cottonwoods and willows at mm 0.2. I observed a thrush at mm 8.2 (just south of the Pioneer Trail) that looked good for a Gray-cheeked Thrush. However, I did not see it for very long. It is always a difficult id and I could only be quite sure, but not positive (I would say 90 percent sure, but what does that really mean?).

Then I stopped at Rocky Mountain Arsenal on the way home (obviously I did not want to go home and look at a computer monitor for the rest of the day). Hiked to the Rod and Gun Club pond and back, again only taking 2 hours. An American Redstart was in the woods below (west) of Lower Derby Lake. Many Yellow-rumped Warblers, Yellow Warblers, and not much else in Russian Olive Trees below the lake.

Now sitting at my computer unless someone finds a neat bird to chase.

I did not stay home long instead went chasing the Carolina Wren in Boulder County.

A good reason to describe locations of birds, when I arrived at the Centennial Trail and decided to use the GPS Waypoints provided by another birder, I ended up going to three different parts of the trail (it turned out that the waypoint was quite a bit off course from the actual wren location).

Depending upon the purchase price of a GPS or if the person just got the waypoint off the internet, the GPS waypoints may not be near as accurate as one would hope (as was the situation in this case). I will not be depending upon waypoints in the future!

One positive state of affairs did come out of my driving around Boulder, at a section of the Centennial trail near Mohawk and Pitkin Drives (actually 20 yards north of Pitkin) a woman asked about a bird she had just seen.

When I walked back with her, we found a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak singing along Bear Creek!

Back on the Centennial Trail (my second hike along here from Baseline Road north), a Carolina Wren called briefly in response to my recording! It was about 100 yards south of Old Tale Road.

I had walked from Baseline to the Park at 55th Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue and back once already, but abandoned the search because it did not fit the GPS waypoint. I was happy that I had come back!

Along the first hike, we did see 2 Bobolink in the Boulder Bobolink Meadow just south of the Centennial Trail (and north of Baseline; Llamas in the field just to the east of the meadow).

The rest of our birding day was spent by hiking the Walden Ponds-Sawhill Ponds in search of the previously reported Least Bittern.

One of the Little Blue Herons was seen at the northwest corner of Cottonwood Marsh (Walden Ponds). We then circled south into Sawhill Ponds and continued around west and north back to Walden Ponds.

I thought that a Least Bittern had answered my recordings. The call was so short that we could not be sure that it was even heard (so did not record a Least Bittern sighting/hearing).

A Green Heron was found along the northwest edge of Sawhill Pond # 4. Nothing else uncommon, plenty of the regular summer birds.

Search for Boreal Owls and the Colorado State Forest

May 29-June 1, 2010

Bryan Ehlmann:

Richard Stevens and I conducted a Boreal Owl survey in the Colorado State Forest. There were about 152 owl boxes put up seven years ago. Richard surveyed these boxes for three years until the study was taken over by the Forest Service. After a couple of years, the Forest Service quit the study. Richard revived the study last year.

Over the last four days, we found 19 Boreal Owls. The surprise was that a Boreal Owl actually used one of the boxes this year!

Obviously, for security reasons, we will not reveal the exact locations of the owls. Richard does point interested birders in the right direction; for those who are interested in seeing a Boreal Owl.

The best times to find the owls were an hour after complete dark and an hour before civil twilight.

May 29th

Our departure from Denver was at Midnight with arrival at Cameron Pass around 2:00 AM. We found 3 Boreal Owls in the Colorado State Forest in the next hour.

Then we drove up to Jackson County Road 26 an hour before civil twilight as our interest in whether Greater Sage-Grouse were still displaying was of interest. Sure enough, four Greater Sage-Grouse came to the lek about 20 minutes before sunrise. They danced for about 15 minutes and then took off!

We hurried over to the Delaney Butte Lakes loop but found no sign that Greater Sage-Grouse were around that lek.

Later Walden Reservoir was scoped. Plenty of Pelicans, California Gulls, several Franklin's Gulls, Eared Grebes and a few American Avocets here. Highlights included a pair of Red-necked Phalaropes and two Willets.

The only hummingbirds at the KOA campgrounds and the Gould Store were Broad-tailed Hummingbirds. All three nuthatches were found.

After dark, we started our Owl count at either side of Cameron Pass with a total of five this night. These then include the three from early this morning.

May 30th and 31st

Slept most of the morning and started a long hike up Michigan Ditch Road. The hike started with a surprise as a Long-eared Owl startled us by flying out of the pines along the first 500 yards of the ditch. This was not a first as it was the third time one was reported here.

Richard found one in 2006 and one of the Ditch "guards" reported one in 2005.

The strenuous hike paid off with a Boreal Owl count of five. We found a nesting tree at one stop a good 4.5 hike up and down the winding road. Camping overnight was fantastic. More stars than I knew were in existence. Moonlight off Mt Richentofen was spectacular. The lack of city noises was fabulous. Satellites zipped by in the sky every 5 minutes or less!

May 31st to June 1st

After checking many owl boxes while thankfully driving today, we had another long hike up North Fork Canadian Road. Fortunately, this road is not as steep as the Michigan Ditch Road. Four additional Boreal Owls found along this hike.

A not so highlight, three of the boxes could only be reached on snowshoes. It was a strenuous hike and not productive.

Five additional Boreal Owls were found today before we headed back to Denver.