Return Trip for American Three-toed Woodpeckers

June 28, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Tim Lary, Matt Rosone, Roger Danka, and I searched for owls in Pike National Forest before sunrise Sunday morning. We tried to relocate the Flammulated Owl I had heard last month along Forest Road 550; without success.

We did see an adult Northern Goshawk about 0.1 miles east of the Tramway Trail which leads north off of FR 550.

After several hours of searching an American Three-toed Woodpecker was found about 50 feet east of the Buck Gulch Trail and 200 yards north of the Skipper Trail.

We continued to the old bridge along the Skipper Trail where American Three-toed Woodpeckers and Williamson's Sapsuckers have been observed in the past. We found neither.

We did hear a Northern Pygmy-Owl in the rocky cliff area of the Strawberry Jack Trail at about 600 yards south of the Parkview Trail. However, we never did see the owl.

A second American Three-toed Woodpecker was found southeast of the Strawberry Jack Trail where the trail drops down to the level of the Buck Gulch Trail (with the help of switchbacks, perhaps 300 yards east of the Buck Gulch Trail).

The forest and Pine Valley Ranch Park was quite birdy. We saw many Western Bluebirds, Mountain Bluebirds, White-breasted Nuthatches, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, a flock of Pygmy Nuthatches, 2 Brown Creepers, many Chipping Sparrows, a Cordilleran Flycatcher, Mountain Chickadees, Black-capped Chickadees, many Broad-tailed Hummingbirds and a Band-tailed Pigeon!

Mountain Birding

June 27, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Tim Lary, Matt Rosone, Roger Danka, and I birded in the mountains today. We started at Mt. Evans where we searched for White-tailed Ptarmigan; without success. I see where another birder had success today and a Chris Sherry enjoyed success both Friday and last Monday.

We did find 2 Brown-capped Rosy Finches at the northwest corner of Summit Lake. It took about less than 5 minutes to find them; so we enjoyed some luck.

No American Three-toed Woodpeckers could be found at the Echo Lake campgrounds or along the south side of the lake. We did see several Broad-tailed Hummingbirds and a male Rufous Hummingbird!

Along the west side of Echo Lake we found Lincoln's Sparrows, Green-tailed Towhees, and a pair of Pine Grosbeaks!

Next we drove to Guanella Pass (Clear Creek County). Again luck was with us, as we popped over the hill to the southeast of the parking area, two White-tailed Ptarmigan were feeding about 15 yards below the top of the hill.

We searched unsuccessfully for American Three-toed Woodpeckers around the Guanella Pass Campgrounds. A flock of 8 Red Crossbills, a pair of Pine Grosbeaks, and a MacGillivray's Warbler (along the creek) were added to our trip list.

A quick stop at Genesee Mountain Park found a pair of Williamson's Sapsuckers around the flag pole area at the top. A second female Williamson's Sapsucker was found around the building at the group picnic area. Last year I located which tree the lower pair used to nest. Can not seem to find their nesting sites of either pair this year.

Douglas County Before Severe Thunderstorms

June 26, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Four of us birded Douglas County this morning and early afternoon. The weather was turning bad with severe thunderstorms possible so we departed by 1:00pm.

We searched unsuccessfully for the Northern Cardinal of Louviers. The town is quite birdy. Both Lesser and American Goldfinches flying about.

A flock of Cedar Waxwings was at the Sedalia Cemetery. Bobolink, Western Bluebirds, and Mountain Bluebirds were found at the Winkler Ranch south of Castlewood Canyon State Park.

Trip for Dickcissels in Elbert County

June 25, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Roger and Judy Danka, Rebecca Kosten and I drove out on the eastern plains today. Thunder storms were all around us, but not along Elbert Road (Elbert County).

The highlight was counting 6+ Dickcissels at the field along Elbert Road at 4.1 miles south of highway 86. We lingered at these old alfalfa fields for a couple of hours as a tremendous rain and thunder storm passed us by about 10 miles west of Kiowa.

Twice a male Bobolink also jumped out of the high weeds east of Elbert Road. Only one Bobolink was ever seen; we listen to many Dickcissels and a few Grasshopper Sparrows (west side of road). A pair of Say's Phoebes flew around the electrically buildings at the Dickcissel site.

I have always found the cool early mornings or late afternoons best for seeing the Dickcissel. After a rain storm also seems good as the birds will come out of the wet grasses and sing!

Earlier we passed Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe County) and found 3 male Black-chinned Hummingbirds southeast of the ranger's office. I have not found a female Black-chinned Hummingbird there this year.

Birding Colorado's Northeastern Plains

June 20 to 24, 2009

Richard Stevens:

June 20
Roger Danka and I headed northeast. Our first stop was Prewitt Reservoir (Logan/Washington Counties). We did not find any uncommon birds on the reservoir. However, we found a Yellow-throated Vireo and Yellow-breasted Chat below the dam. No screech owls answered our recordings (during the mid afternoon).

The riparian areas around Jumbo Reservoir and Red Lion Wildlife Area were checked. The only uncommon bird found was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in the northern woods. The Barn Owl found by Roger a few days earlier was nowhere to be found.

A quick stop at Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area added a Bell's Vireo, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and a Northern Cardinal to our trip list.

At Roger's ranch we found a pair of Eastern Screech-Owls. We visited two of Roger's neighbors but could not locate any Long-eared Owls (seen earlier in the year at both locations).

June 21
Roger and I walked around Julesburg Wildlife Area in search of the cuckoos Roger had found a couple of days earlier. We heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo (never seen). The Black-billed Cuckoo was not relocated.

A male Northern Cardinal was observed in the southwest corner of town. A walk through Ovid Woods (along Lodgepole Creek) and the Ovid Sewage Ponds proved to be uneventful.

The rest of our day was spent driving around Sedgwick County searching for Dickcissels and Mountain Plover. We found a couple of Dickcissels on a private ranch, but none with public access. Cassin's Sparrows were found at 2 locations. A Red-bellied Woodpecker was at the Sedgwick Cemetery.

June 22
Today Roger and I birded several less visited wildlife areas.

We missed any Upland Sandpipers at Sedgwick Bar Wildlife Area. The consolation prizes were a Great Crested Flycatcher and a pair of Eastern Bluebirds. An Upland Sandpiper was later added to our day list at a nearby private ranch (one of Dan Bridges old favorite birding locations).

A male Red-bellied Woodpecker drumming away at the Pony Express Wildlife Area. Julesburg Wayside Rest Stop was pretty quiet. A male Baltimore Oriole was west of the parking area. A couple of Chimney Swifts flew high over the river.

Our birding day ended at DePoorter Lake. The weedy fields around the lake are usually good for a sparrow or two. We found White-crowned Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Lark Sparrows, and a couple of Chipping Sparrows. We thought the Chipping Sparrows should be farther west in the foothills or mountains? The highlight was a Field Sparrow along the southern fence line. As hard as we tried, no Northern Bobwhites could be found.

June 23
Today Roger and I birded Bonny Reservoir at first light. We did not find any Eastern Screech-Owls (probably due to a late arrival). Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Eastern Bluebirds, and a Common Poorwill were around Hale Ponds.

The highlight was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo sighting and a second heard along the Republican River (north of Hale Ponds).

We did not spend a long time but did search for Long-eared Owls at Hale; without success. We briefly checked Wagon Wheel Campgrounds and Foster's Grove without finding any uncommon birds.

At Flagler Reservoir, a few Song Sparrows, Lark Sparrows, and White-crowned Sparrows fluttered about the eastern side.

A Red-bellied Woodpecker was at the southeast corner. While a Ladder-backed Woodpecker was along the southern end of the reservoir. This is quite far north for a Ladder-backed Woodpecker and a good find!

June 24
Today, Roger and I counted birds at Hugoo, Karval, and Kinney Lake Wildlife Areas. Birding was pretty slow most of the day. We did find Cassin's Sparrows (difficult in past years, but not this year).

The usual nesting birds of the eastern plains were found (such as Western Kingbird, Eastern Kingbird, Song Sparrow, an occasional Say's Phoebe, White-breasted Nuthatch, and blackbirds).

The only uncommon bird was a Short-eared Owl flying around the southwest corner of Karval Reservoir Wildlife Area (where we ended our birding day).

Pawnee National Grasslands

June 19, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Quite a few birds were coming to the Colorado State Forest Visitor's Center feeders this morning, but we did not see any Rosy Finches. An American Three-toed Woodpecker was relocated at the east side of Chambers Lake (Larimer County).

We found 3 Mountain Plover, many McCown's Longspurs, and a few Lark Buntings while surveying the fields north of Weld County Roads 94 and 61. Afterwards we drove CR 96 and found a Chestnut-collared Longspur about 1.5 miles west of CR 77. Another Mountain Plover was found in the field south of CR 96 at 1.7 miles west of CR 77.

A quick stop at Crow Valley Campground did not find any uncommon birds. The two traditional Upland Sandpiper fields were checked but no Upland Sandpipers could be found.

Owling in Jackson County Continued

To be filled in later!