Chased Away By Snow and Wind

March 8, 2007

Today was a day of snow and fog. Much of the day was spent with poor visibility. We had planned to search for owls on Douglas Pass (Rio Blanco County). Weather reports included 6-12 inches of snow by 3:00pm.

We wanted to get across Rabbit Ears Pass before the big snow. We looked briefly for owls around Steamboat Springs and Rabbit Ears Pass; without success. We did not find any Sharp-tailed Grouse at the Fish Creek drainage either.

Wandering around Jackson County, it was too early for migrant birds such as Sage Thrashers or Sparrows. Having seen Rosy Finches already this year, we decided not to drop down to Kremmling but instead try for owls on Cameron Pass.

When we arrived at Cameron Pass, snow was coming down quite heavy. We would not have minded that, but winds were 50+mph. Chances of hearing the soft calling owls were unlikely and we headed back to Fort Collins.

Stops at several of the campgrounds and picnic areas along highway 14 did not find any owls.

We drove over to the Wellington Wildlife Area (Larimer County). We drove the complex looking for Short-eared, Barn, Long-eared, Northern Saw-whet or Great Horned Owls; without success.

Search for Grouse

March 7, 2007

Bryan Ehlmann and I were at the Timberlake Greater Sage-Grouse Lek before sunrise. Before stopping at the lek, we drove the first 3 miles of Moffat County Road 3. Two female Greater Sage-Grouse crossed the road during our drive! Once back at the lek, we saw 6-8 males displaying. As far as we could tell, no females were among them.

Afterwards, we drove over to Oxbow Wildlife Area. We heard that Sage Sparrows had been reported further south along Highway 139 near the Garfield and Rio Blanco County line. Maybe they had reached Moffat County also? None were found; birds were pretty scarce.

A check of Routt County Road 80 proved what we thought, that there was too much snow to get to the leks up there.

We ended our birding day at the 20 mile Sharp-tailed Grouse Lek outside of Hayden. Just before it was too dark to see, a Sharp-tailed Grouse flew from the east side of the road toward the leks on the west side of the road.

Search for Owls in Boulder County

March 6, 2007

At 4:00am, Bryan Ehlmann and I hiked through Walden Ponds and Sawhill Ponds areas in search of the previously reported Northern Saw-whet Owls; without success. No Eastern Screech-Owls were found either.

Beware: We parked along 75th avenue and north of Boulder Creek. Watch for parking rules at both parks as many tickets are given out.

We were able to find Long-eared Owls in two locations. Unfortunately, we were made to promise not to reveal the locations. They are around and probably nest in Boulder County.

Afterwards, we searched again for the previously reported Gyrfalcon by driving roads in Weld and Larimer Counties; again without success.

Few birds flew around the bird feeders at the Colorado State Forest. We could not find any Rosy Finches in Walden.

Our birding day ended at a private lek north of Walden. Three Greater Sage-Grouse were observed for the first of the season for us.

Quick Drive Through Cherry Creek Reservoir

March 4, 2007

We got bored in the afternoon and decided to drive over to Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). About 10 percent of the lake was open water today. Temperatures reached 40 degrees; winds were 10-15 mph.

The open water attracted about 400 gulls (up from about 80 on my last visit on Monday. The count was about 10 Herring Gulls among Ring-billed Gulls. One Bald Eagle kept close watch on the gulls.

Quite a few Red-tailed Hawks (7) were out hunting. A female Northern Harrier hovered over the Shooting Range. Four Ring-necked Pheasants were also counted.

We also found a Great Horned Owl in a nest!

Saturday Search for Owls

March 3, 2007

Terry Michaels and I went out looking for owls along the DIA Owl Loop (Adams County) before sunrise. None were found flying around this morning. Few birds were found (about 2 dozen Horned Larks).

We stopped by Barr Lake to check around mile marker 8.0 for Great Horned Owls or Barn Owls; again zilch. The Harris's Sparrow was again below the Visitor Center’s feeders.

After lunch we decided to try Deer Creek Canyon for owls. We made a quick stop at Denver City Park to search for an uncommon geese; without success. Two dozen Double-crested Cormorants were in nests on the island at Duck Lake (Denver County).

Along the way we also made a brief stop at Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (Jefferson). The eastern parking area is closed due to mud and we walked in from 41st Avenue. Here we had an unfortunate sighting. A squirrel was half out of the hole near Jack’s Place picnic table that the Eastern Screech-Owl has used many years in the past.

On to Deer Creek, we walked several miles of Deer Creek Canyon Road. Our only success was hearing a Northern Pygmy-Owl along the Creek. We never were able to put binoculars on the owl. The general area was where Deer Creek first moves away from the road (as one drives east from South Owens Road, just outside first subdivision up Deer Creek Canyon Road).

We did find several additional owls. A Short-eared Owl was found in Jefferson County (prefer to not reveal the location). Two Great Horned Owls were heard near the Waterton Canyon parking area.

We also checked Northern Pygmy-Owl locations of the past along Highway 93, north of Morrison, without success.

Birding Around Adams County

March 2, 2007

While out doing chores, I birded several locations around town. Temperatures never reached 30 degrees; winds were 5-10mph.

My first stop was the South Platte River at 74th avenue (Adams County). I hiked the loop from 74th avenue to 78th avenue, east to Engineer Lake, then north back to 74th avenue (Hwy 224). I did not find the Long-tailed Duck of previous visits.

Most of the lakes in the area were free of water. Expecting that the waterfowl had left the swallow Platte River for the deeper surrounding lakes, I scoped them. While scoping Tani Reservoir from the service road north of Hwy 224, I observed the male Long-tailed Duck in the northwest corner.

Not up to a long hike today, I scoped East Gravel Lakes from the high dirt mounds along 88th avenue. Male and female Barrow's Goldeneyes were among 20+ Common Goldeneyes just south of the East Gravel Lake Dam Tower.

I drove over to West Gravel Lakes, however did not find the third Barrow's Goldeneye (male) that has also been in the area for many weeks now.

It took about 2 minutes to locate the 1st winter Harris's Sparrow at Barr Lake (Adams). The bird was under the right side of the large bush off the southwest corner of the Visitor’s Center. Later, a ranger and I watched to fly below the feeders just outside of the Center.

Few birds few about in the strong winds as I drove the DIA Owl Loop.

My last stop was Lakecrest at Gateway Park (Denver County). Much of the lake was open water today. Several hundred gulls included Ring-billed and a dozen Herring Gulls. No uncommon geese or waterfowl were found. Winds by now were 20+ mph.

Search for a Gyrfalcon

March 1, 2007

The snow finally stopped. Allen Sopack and I went out searching for the Gyrfalcon reported by Nick Komar; without success. Winds were 15-25mph today; temperatures never rose above freezing.

We also searched briefly for the Bohemian Waxwings reported near Centennial Middle School in Boulder; without success. We were able to find a Long-eared Owl in the county!

We checked Rawhide Reservoir (Larimer County). Not much was found from our vantage point (which was quite far away).

Little was happening on the Pawnee National Grasslands. No owls around Crow Valley Campground (Weld). We did find 3 Lapland Longspurs along my favorite Pawnee National Grasslands Loop. Many of the roads were quite muddy and required careful driving.