Boreal Owl Survey in the Colorado State Forest

June 13-16, 2013

Rebecca Kosten: transcript of telephone calls:

Richard Stevens and Bryan Ehlmann continued to conduct their Boreal Owl Survey in the Colorado State Forest, Jackson County.

Over six nights they covered/hiked (about eight hours each night), over 37 miles.

They eventually found sixteen Boreal Owls and three Flammulated Owls!

The highlight was one of the Boreal Owls is attempting to use a nest box.

Downside: because of recent Mountain Pine Beetle kill of many trees, their 157 nesting boxes have been reduced by 15 percent.

On 6/15, while "resting" they searched several hours for the Yellow eyed Junco reported at the Campgrounds just inside the entrance to the Colorado State Forest.  It was not found.

Other birds encountered Swainson's Thrushes (rare here), Hermit Thrushes, Spotted Towhees, Wilson's Warblers, Wilson's Snipes (watch out as they sound somewhat like a Boreal Owl), Red-naped Sapsuckers, Williamson's Sapsucker and American Three-toed Woodpeckers.

Escaping the Heat in Jackson County

June 11-12, 2013

Rebecca Kosten:

June 11:

Jacob Washburn and his group returned to Denver, while we stayed in the mountains an extra day to escape the high 90+ °F temperatures.  The plan did not help much as temperatures in Jackson County reached the middle 80 °F.

Burrowing Owls were found at two locations.  Nothing uncommon was seen at the Teller City Ghost town.

June 12:

Richard (Stevens) and Bryan (Ehlmann) are conducting owl counts the rest of the week.  While Sue (Ehlmann) and I returned to Denver.

Final Search for the Magnificent Frigatebird

June 10, 2013

Amy Davenport: transcript of telephone call:

The CoBus group searched again and did not find the Magnificent Frigate bird.  The quest will most likely end today.

Richard Stevens and Bryan Ehlmann led an Owling Trip starting at 9:00 pm.  Three additional birders showed up. 

They were fortunate to see one Boreal Owl and heard two additional Boreal Owls.  Later, they all got to see a Flammulated Owl in the Colorado State Forest.

Continued Search for North Park Magnificent Frigatebird

June 9, 2013

Amy Davenport: transcript of telephone call:

The CoBus group covered much of North Park again today in search of the Magnificent Frigatebird reported several days ago.  Again there was no sighting.

Willets, Sage Thrashers, Brewer's Sparrows and Vesper Sparrows were again found on the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge. 

New birds found today included a Golden Eagle and a Rough-legged Hawk. 

Western Grebes, Pied-billed Grebe, American Coots and Common Mergansers were found on Lake John Wildlife Area.

A pair of American Avocets was at Delaney Lakes Wildlife Area.

A male Red-naped Sapsucker was found at Seymour Lake Wildlife Area.

Search for a Frigatebird, Jackson County

June 8, 2013

Amy Davenport: transcript of telephone call:

Richard Stevens, Rebecca Kosten, Bryan Ehlmann, Sue Ehlmann, Jacob Washburn, Katie Zotti, Ray Simmons and Paula Zimmerman are on a mission in North Park.  They are all searching for a Magnificent Frigatebird reported by Mark Bone (photos).

There were no Frigatebird sightings today.  Stevens and all did find several Willet and Sage Thrashers along the auto tour loop at Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge.  Washburn and all found a Greater Sage-Grouse walking along the road that runs south from the Visitor's Center.

Several Boreal Owls were heard after dark at Cameron Pass.

Four Hours at Cherry Creek Reservoir, Adams County

June 7, 2013

Richard Stevens:

I searched Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County) for about four hours for the Little Blue Heron reported yesterday.  I covered just about everywhere thought of and did not find it.

From the eastern sand spit, I scoped the mudflats to the south.  Six White-faced Ibis, four Great Blue Herons and several Spotted Sandpipers walked the area.

Only a couple of Killdeer were on the mudflats off the bird observation platform, Prairie Loop.

Most of the gulls were between the two mudflats above.  The Bonaparte's Gull was among several hundred Ring-billed Gulls and dozens of California Gulls.

A few additional Ring-billed Gulls and some Double-crested Cormorants were on the southwestern sand spit.

Nothing unusual was found at the 12 mile beaver pond either.  Mosquitoes are starting to increase in numbers.

Finally, I searched the pond west-southwest of the swim beach.  No herons, I did find an American Redstart fluttering in the trees around the pond.

The Bellvue Wetlands Pond had two Snowy Egrets, another Spotted Sandpiper and a Virginia Rail.

Four hours and I still missed the Caspian Tern reported by Don Beltz.

Chasing "Large" Hummingbirds and Birding in Douglas & Elbert Counties

June 6, 2013

Bryan Ehlmann and I chased after a couple of "large" hummingbirds today.  Winds were 6+ mph; temperatures reached the high 80 °C.

Our first stop was Roxborough State Park (Douglas County).  The Blue-throated Hummingbird did not show up during our stay.  Rumors have it that there never was one?

We continued southwest to Bailey where my friend Wilson Snow has a female Magnificent Hummingbird visiting his feeders.  It was first found on Monday (6/3) and reappeared for us (only had to wait about 20 minutes)!

After lunch, we drove east to Castlewood Canyon Road (Douglas).  At least five male and two female Bobolink were flying around the field just south of the Winkler Ranch entrance!  Spotted Towhees and a Cordilleran Flycatcher called west across the road.

We walked the western trails in Castlewood Canyon State Park (Douglas) and found a couple of interesting birds.

While hiking near the Prairie Warbler spot of a few years ago (below, just north of the old Cherry Creek dam) we heard and saw a Least Flycatcher!  No Prairie Warblers!

Walking south from the old homestead, we found an Ovenbird (first reported by Kingery on 6/2).  Additional Spotted Towhees, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins and a Lazuli Bunting were encountered.  Last weekend's American Redstarts were not found.

From Castlewood Canyon, we drove east to Elbert Road.  No Dickcissel was found at their traditional spot 5.1 miles south of Kiowa.

Nothing uncommon was found when we walked around Kiowa.

Our birding day ended while driving around Elbert County Roads in search of Short-eared Owls (at their traditional locations).  None was found tonight.