Search for Sprague's Pipits & Uncommon Sparrows

Instead of waiting a week for a bird trips to finish and getting reports, I will transcribe telephone reports of current bird trips. Amy Davenport

September 15, 2011

It rained most the night near Julesburg. Winds at 10:00 am were 19 mph with gusts to 29 mph. Fog lingered in the early morning. Rain turned to drizzle. At 4:00 pm in Wray, winds were 23 mph with gusts to 32 mph.

Bryan Ehlmann and all spent the morning searching for Sprague's Pipits at their "historical Locations". They found only one; it was southwest of Phillips County 26 and 61.

They found several flocks of sparrows at Frenchman Creek Wildlife Area. One Field Sparrow and White-throated Sparrow were among dozens of White-crowned Sparrows, Lark Sparrows, Vesper Sparrows and a few Song Sparrows.

A Cassin's Vireo was found a Holyoke City Park.

Northern Cardinals were found at two private yards in Wray in Yuma County.

Their birding day ended with a drive along Yuma County Road 45. No Greater Prairie-Chickens were found. One Short-eared Owl was a consolation.

More Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area Birding

Instead of waiting a week for a bird trips to finish and getting reports, I will transcribe telephone reports of current bird trips. Amy Davenport

September 14, 2011

Today three birders covered the southern sections of Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area. Birders seldom have reported from these areas. They walked the 7.5 miles west of Logan County Road 55 and 4 miles to the east.

While, they wanted a total bird count, they hoped for a Greater Prairie-Chicken or Sharp-tailed Grouse sighting. Neither of these birds was found. They also missed Short-eared Owls today.

Weather was overcast, winds 12+ mph with gusts to 18 mph.

The morning technique was to spread out 50 yards and walk in a line from one end of the property to the other.

The highlight was three Sprague’s Pipits! All three found on the west southern section. Sprague’s Pipits have not been reported here before. However, the area is seldom covered. Richard Stevens reported having accomplished this task five times in the past fifteen years.

He has found Sharp-tailed Grouse and Greater Prairie-Chickens in the past. Two of the last four years, he has found Greater Prairie-Chickens displaying.

The late afternoon technique was to sit in chairs at three high points and scope the lowlands for gallinaceous birds and owls. Weather was not cooperative.

Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area Fall Count

Instead of waiting a week for a bird trips to finish and getting reports, I will transcribe telephone reports of current bird trips. Amy Davenport

September 13, 2011

Today, six birders covered the northern sections of Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area. They walked the 6.5 miles east of Logan County Road 55 and about 1.5 miles of the west side. Jerry Petrosky reported highlight results below.

Preliminary results from the fall count at Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area, Logan
County this morning.

Winds 12 mph, gusts to 19 mph, overcast skies, temperature high 82.

Birder hours 48, six participants

Highlights
Blackburnian Warbler --East
Northern Cardinal --East
Yellow-billed Cuckoo --East
Dickcissel (Ehlmann) --East
Eastern Phoebe (2) --East
Eastern Screech-Owl --East
Red-bellied Woodpecker (3) --West
Red-bellied Woodpecker (2) --East
Cassin's Kingbird
Indigo Bunting
Savannah Sparrow (2)
Grasshopper Sparrow (7)
Dickcissel
Red-headed Woodpecker (5)
Orchard Oriole
MacGillivray's Warbler
Black-headed Grosbeak (2)
Townsend's Solitaire
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Yellow Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler

No Ruff or Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Jumbo Reservoir

Instead of waiting a week for a bird trips to finish and getting reports, I will transcribe telephone reports of current bird trips. Amy Davenport

September 12, 2011

Yesterday's Ruff reported by Roger Danka and the Buff-breasted Sandpiper reported by Bryan Ehlmann were not relocated this morning.? They did relocate the Pectoral Sandpiper and Semipalmated Plovers.? At Campgrounds; warblers gone, Red-eyed Vireo still there.? Winds 18 mph with gusts to 26 mph; temperature 82 degrees.

Roger states that the bird he saw was bigger than the Buff-breasted Sandpiper seen later in the day. Nevertheless, admits size can be subjective on a lone bird and a non-breeding adult Ruff and juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper can look similar.

This afternoon they relocated the Red-eyed Vireo at Jumbo's Campgrounds. A Blackpoll Warbler, Cassin's Vireo and Magnolia Warbler were at Little Jumbo's riparian area.

They called to say no sign of Ruff or Buff-breasted Sandpiper. As they watched sunset at the southern Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area a Short-eared Owl flew northwest of Logan County Roads 46 and 89.

Back in Denver, Jerry Petrosky looked for the Long-tailed Jaeger at Cherry Creek State Park on Monday. He did not find it at sunrise or sunset.

Jumbo and Little Jumbo Reservoirs

Instead of waiting a week for a bird trips to finish and getting reports, I will transcribe telephone reports of current bird trips. Amy Davenport

September 11, 2011

After getting a telephone call about a Ruff at Jumbo Reservoir in Logan/Sedgwick County, Bryan & Sue Ehlmann, Richard Stevens and Rebecca Kosten rushed up there.

The Ruff was not relocated. The description by Roger Danka was consistent for a juvenile Ruff. Returning to Jumbo, Roger and all did find a Buff-breasted Sandpiper. While the two birds may look similar, Roger is certain that the Ruff he saw was bigger than the Buff-breasted Sandpiper found later in the day.

Many shorebirds were at the southeast corner of Jumbo Reservoir. Others included a Pectoral Sandpiper, two Semipalmated Plovers, Western Sandpipers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, three Least Sandpipers and Baird's Sandpipers.

Bryan found a Canada Warbler at the eastern Campgrounds. Richard found a Red-eyed Vireo. An American Redstart was along the north side of Jumbo.

At Red Lion Wildlife Area and Little Jumbo Reservoir, they found a male Blackburnian Warbler and Tennessee Warbler.

Long-tailed Jaeger at Cherry Creek Reservoir

September 10, 2011

Richard Stevens:

We did not get to outdoor chores until late afternoon. At 6:00 PM, Rebecca and I got together with Bryan & Sue Ehlmann and Jerry Petrosky at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County).

The adult Long-tailed Jaeger was harassing gulls in the west-middle of the lake. The jaeger was quite aggressive. Only two or three times in an hour, did the jaeger discontinue its onslaught and rest on the lake.

The jaeger was observed quite well from the end of the road below the dam (leading north from the southwest corner).

A Day on the Eastern Plains

September 9, 2011

Richard Stevens:

Rebecca Kosten and I made a day of it birding on the eastern plains. Our main goal was Last Chance Rest Stop (Washington County).

On the drive east, we stopped at the I70 Rest Stop at Bennett (Arapahoe). In past years, Northern Cardinals have sometimes been reported here; none today.

Coming out of the building, I saw three small birds, which turned out to be a male black-backed and 2 female type Lesser Goldfinches. Mountain birds on the plains got our curiosity so we circled the rest stop.

In the locust trees southeast of the building, we found a nice flock of birds. It included 7 Yellow Warblers (only 1 adult male), 2 Wilson's Warblers, a Red-eyed Vireo and a stunning Chestnut-sided Warbler!

At the extreme western corner of the property, an Olive-sided Flycatcher caught insects out of the air! Finally, as we drove out, four Black-headed Grosbeaks flew across the parking area.

Our stop at Last Chance Rest Stop (Washington) started out decent. Two American Redstarts were grabbing insects off the garbage container. Unfortunately, they were the only two warblers found in a two hour search (not many places to hide here either).

A Brown Thrasher walked along the dry creek at the north end. Two Swainson's Thrushes and an unidentified thrush (not a Swainson's and most likely not a Hermit) was in the ditch at the south end.

Other birds included 2 Blue Jays, dozens of Barn Swallows, 7 Western Wood-pewees and an Olive-sided Flycatcher.

It appeared that we were a day late for the Canada Warbler. I found one here in 1996; our target bird was the Gray-cheeked Thrush.

We continued our day with a drive south to Flagler Reservoir (Kit Carson). We enjoyed better fortune here.

A Black-and-white Warbler was along the southeastern side. While a Cassin's Vireo was observed at the northeastern corner. A Field Sparrow flew about a little farther north. A Nashville Warbler was below the dam.

Other birds observed included: Brown Thrasher, 2 Orange-crowned Warblers, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and a surprising Lazuli Bunting.

A Red-naped Sapsucker was found at Flagler City Park.

We returned to Flagler reservoir and waited until dusk hoping for a Short-eared Owl appearance or Eastern Screech-Owl; without success.