Guanella Pass & Park County Reservoirs

October 21, 2011

Richard Stevens:

Bryan Ehlmann and I returned to Guanella Pass (Clear Creek County) for one last look at White-tailed Ptarmigan before winter weather closes the pass. (Good thing we visited when we did, as several snowstorms hit the pass days later).

A hike up to the Rosalie & 603 trails found 4 White-tailed Ptarmigan about 20 yards farther uphill (south) and 25 yards to the west! It was a fantastic and unusual day. We encountered calm winds and temperatures in the 40s.

No American Three-toed Woodpeckers could be found around the Duck Lake gate closure (open today). None was found at the two Campgrounds along Guanella Pass road as we descended back to Highway 285.

From Guanella Pass, we enjoyed visiting the trio of Park County Reservoirs (Antero, Spinney Mountain Reservoir & Eleven Mile Reservoir).

Ducks had started to migrate through Park County. A Black Scoter and 2 Surf Scoters were at Antero Reservoir. A Common Loon was also there.

Three additional Surf Scoters were joined by a White-winged Scoter at Spinney Mountain Reservoir. (Always nice to get the trifecta of scoters in one day)! Three Common Loons were also here.

Daylight ended at Eleven Mile Reservoir. No scoters were there, however 2 Common Loons and a Pacific Loon swam out on the lake.

It should be pointed out that the trio of reservoirs is close together. Obtaining accurate counts of waterfowl can therefore be clouded if any flight is detected.

After dark, we set up "listening stations" north of the Buena Vista Overlook and along Chaffee County Road 301 & 300 , which go between the Overlook and Ruby Mountain to the south.

One Northern Saw-whet Owl was seen. Three additional owls were heard (in response to our recordings, both active & passive).

Denver Zoo and Return to Cherry Creek Reservoir

October 20, 2011

Richard Stevens:

After a few hours of sleep back in Denver, Rebecca Kosten and I went to the Denver Zoo (Denver City Park, Denver County) to search for the White-throated Sparrow that was reported by David Leatherman.

We circled the Crane Area east of the Kookaburra compound; without success. Then we sat at the south end of the Red-crowned Crane area for about two hours. There is a small puddle here and many birds visited during our stay. Unfortunately, the White-throated Sparrow was not one of them.

We circled the Crane Area and couple of times on our way out of the Zoo. I noticed a tanager collecting moths in the fern like tree (with red berries) just south of the Safari Food Court. To our surprise, it turned out to be a female Scarlet Tanager!

It had a uniform olive green upperparts (unlike Summer Tanager & Western Tanager), no sign of wingbar(s) (unlike Western Tanager), blackish undertail (unlike Summer Tanager), short bill compared to Summer Tanager).

After an early dinner, we stopped at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). The Red-throated Loon and Surf Scoters were not found when we scoped the reservoir for about 2 hours from the Lake Loop.

When I walked over to the eastern side of the Lake Loop to scope the mudflats (which were empty of birds), a lone tern flew back and forth not far from shore. At times, it was less than 20 feet from me.

It had a relatively short, white tail with dark outer webs, bluish body (unlike whitish of Forster's Tern), conspicuous dark wedge of primaries, lacked silvery white primaries of Forster's Tern. Definitely not an Arctic Tern or Forster's Tern.

Two Forster's Terns flew around the southwest marina. No uncommon gulls were identified. I thought that I had gotten a brief glimpse at a Bonaparte's Gull (however, became distracted by the Common Tern).

A Short Owl Trip, Larimer and Jackson Counties

October 19, 2011

Richard Stevens:

Bryan Ehlmann and I arrived at Pennock Pass (Larimer) around midnight. We set up several "listening stations" and walked a mile either side of the summit. Two Flammulated Owls were still in the area. One was about 0.8 miles east of the summit. A second Flammulated Owl was along the fire road leading south from the Summit (about 500 yards from Larimer County Road 44H. The "listening stations" were of no use this night.

Not having any success in finding Boreal Owls around Joe Wright Reservoir and Cameron Pass, we hiked to the Crags Campgrounds and along the fire road leading south. A Boreal Owl responded to our recordings at about 0.4 miles south of the Campgrounds.

A first light we searched unsuccessfully for Sharp-tailed Grouse at their late fall/wintering grounds around Steamboat Springs.

We discovered the difficult way (by driving to Buffalo Pass) why no one has reported American Three-toed Woodpeckers at the pass this summer/fall. The pass was closed due to construction. Later we found that CDOT would try to open it by November 1st (of course, by then, snow may close it down again).

Bryan and I drove to the Colorado State Forest and got a few hours of sleep. At 10:00 PM, we heard a Boreal Owl along Ruby Jewell Road.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal and Cherry Creek Reservoir

October 18, 2011

Richard Stevens:

I was at Rocky Mountain Arsenal (Adams County) when they opened at 7:00 AM. Civil twilight had already started by then; this makes looking for Long-eared Owls flying around not promising. None was found this morning. The reason behind looking for flying Long-eared Owls is that the area they roost is off limits to visitors. In the past, I have been able to see them before civil twilight. Sometimes they will also call before daylight.

I circled Lake Ladora to Gun & Rod Club Pond to Havana Ponds (about a 6 mile loop). Unfortunately, high winds hampered finding passerines.

A Swamp Sparrow came out of the cattails at the southeast corner of Lake Ladora. A Cassin's Vireo was with a loose flock of Black-capped Chickadees (6), Yellow-rumped Warblers (2), White-breasted Nuthatches (2) and Chipping Sparrows (42+) in the cottonwoods at the northeast corner of Lake Ladora.

Rebecca Kosten and I spent the last two hours of daylight at Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). The Red-throated Loon and 3 Surf Scoters were in the middle of the lake (along line between the swim beach and Lake Loop).

Bryan Ehlmann met me at sunset and we headed into the mountains. We wanted to beat predicted snowstorms to hit Cameron Pass later in the week.

A Windy Day on the Eastern Plains

October 17, 2011

Richard Stevens:

If we ever imagined winds were crazy in the past week or so, what an experience today. Winds were 20+ mph with gusts to the middle 30s (that was at the "slow windy places"). Temperatures did not reach the middle 40s.

We stopped at Ovid (Sedgwick County) and enjoyed a couple of respectable birds (probably just trying to hold on and not be blown South (that is one way to migrate).

A pair of Rusty Blackbirds was found along Lodgepole Creek, which runs through Ovid Woods (east side of town). At least they were protected from the winds (more or less, down in the creek bed).

I brought up that Purple Finches sometimes are found in the northern woods (east of the high school). None there today, however when we walked to the southern section of woods (on the way to Ovid Sewage Ponds), Bryan spotted a male Purple Finch! Eventually, this bird was "blown" west into town. We later searched for it and the resident Northern Cardinals; without success.

The high grasses at the Ovid Sewage Ponds and along the South Platte River yielded a White-throated Sparrow and Harris's Sparrow!

We had planned to remain in the area for another day. However wind predictions of 20+ mph steady winds with gusts into the middle 30s for at least the next couple of days, forced our decision to return to Denver.

To demonstrate our decision was a good one, we stopped at Prewitt Reservoir (Logan/Washington Counties). Anemometer readings were steady 28-31 mph, two gusts measured 51 mph. Temperature was 42 degrees at 1:00 PM.

Back home, I went over to Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County) with an hour of daylight remaining. The Red-throated Loon and 3 Surf Scoters swam in the middle of the lake (in direct line with the tip of the Lake Loop and the swim beach).

At first, the Red-throated Loon was diving frequently. It finally stopped and preened for 10 minutes, giving us great however far away looks at him.

Strange, the 12+ mph winds seemed mild (Denver birders were kvetching about the wind and waves). If they have only experienced our day on the eastern plains.

Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area, Logan County

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

October 16, 2011

Today was an interesting day for the CoBus group. At two hours before sunrise, they relocated two Eastern Screech-Owls at Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area (6-8 East).

They then walked the southern section north of Logan County Roads 46 & 89. Sitting at the high point about 4 miles north of CR 46 has been a good place to spot Short-eared Owls in the past. None was found today. They did scope a Greater Prairie-Chicken wandering below the hill.

(4.0 miles north of Logan CR 46 at 4.3 miles east of CO 55)
(GPS: 40.82956 N 102.73962 W)

They then parked west of CO 55 and walked the southern section of Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area. Sightings included:

Sprague's Pipit (2)
(Southwest section; 4.82 miles west of CO 55 at 0.91 miles south of I76)
(GPS: 40.77598 N 102.73962 W)

Greater Prairie Chicken
(2.34 miles west of CO 55 at 1.1 miles south I76)
(GPS: 40.79108 N 102. 84747 W)

In the afternoon, they got a call from a neighboring rancher who wanted a bird identified. There was a Varied Thrush visiting his ranch.

A fourth Varied Thrush in Colorado in the past two days was reported by a friend in Wray. She and her husband had a Varied Thrush visiting their yard since yesterday!

Weather today: winds steady at 15 mph, gusts to 22 mph at times; high temperature just short of 70 degrees F

Logan Walk-In_Areas & Sterling 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

October 15, 2011

The CoBus group visited eight WIAs in Logan County today.

Logan County was not as interesting as previous counties. No Sprague's Pipits or "ammodramus" sparrows were found.

The WIA northwest of Sterling Reservoir (CR 54 & 25) had nothing unusual. They stopped at Sterling Reservoir on the way home and found several Barn Owls. Four of the areas were not visited in the past; they enjoyed exploring new "territory".