Pine Valley Ranch Park

March 23, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Allyson Marceau and I searched for American Three-toed Woodpeckers at Pine Valley Ranch Park today. After yesterday's snow, 50 degree temperatures and mild winds we welcomed.

Our trek took us 1.5 miles up the Buck Gulch Trail before we found a pair of American Three-toed Woodpeckers. The male and female Three-toed Woodpeckers were 50 feet east of the trail at the Park Boundary Sign (from Pine Lake it really is the third Park Boundary sign that you pass before the "real" Park Boundary Sign as the trail weaves in and out of Pine Valley Ranch Park before leaving the park for good and entering Pike National Forest……how's that for one long sentence?).

We were quite happy not to have to hike the whole 6.0 mile loop to find a Three-toed Woodpecker and turned back toward Pine Lake.

We passed Reynolds Park on the way back to Denver and made a quick stop and search for Northern Pygmy-Owls; without success.

The rest of the day we visited Barr Lake State Park, Cherry Creek State Park, and Star K Open Space in search of an American Tree Sparrow; without success. My experience in past years is that once the Tree Sparrows start to depart Colorado, they are quite difficult to find just one. It turned out to be the case today.

Along the trek we looked for the Ferruginous Hawk that had spent the winter along the DIA Owl Loop; without success. On Burrowing Owls were found yet either.

Jumbo Reservoir

March 22, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Allyson Marceau and I spent the night on the west side of Denver. We woke up to snow and wet roads. The plan was to search for American Three-toed Woodpeckers in Pike National Forest. However we though the snowy trails and wet habitat would not be all that inviting for us or the woodpeckers.

Instead we headed northeast 180 miles to Jumbo Reservoir and a chance at the juvenile Black-legged Kittiwake. When we arrived at Jumbo Reservoir winds were 40+ mph with gusts to 58 mph. Waves were stronger and higher than I had ever seen there.

With the help of Cole Wild the Black-legged Kittiwake was found trying to fight the winds at the southeast corner of the lake. We watched the Kittiwake for 30 minutes and then continued around the reservoir.

Few additional gulls were found. We did add at least one each Ring-billed, Herring, and California Gulls to our day list.

Quite a few ducks were holding their own in the rough waves. The previously reported male Barrow's Goldeneye was west of the dam. Also seen were: Redheads, Canvasbacks, Mallards, Gadwalls, Northern Pintail Ducks, American Wigeons, Northern Shovelers, Common Goldeneyes, Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaups, Buffleheads, Hooded Mergansers, Common Mergansers, and Green-winged Teal.

One Tree Swallow turned out to be our only swallow sighting. Winds definitely kept down the number of birds we could find.

Our plan was to continue west to Pawnee National Grasslands for a search of longspurs. When we reached Sterling the general prediction was that the area could be hit with 4-6 inches of snow. We turned southwest and returned to Denver.

Kansas to Yuma County

March 21, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Before sunrise, Allyson Marceau and I sat at the eastern Lesser Prairie-Chicken outside of Elkhart, Kansas. Sixteen (11 males, 5 females) Lesser Prairie-Chickens put on quite a show for us. A check of the western lek did not find any birds, but perhaps they had already departed?

Few birds moved about Two Buttes Reservoir (Baca County, Colorado). We did find a lone Grasshopper Sparrow and a couple of Common Ravens.

Few birds were found at Lamar Community College. It appeared to be too early for Mississippi Kites and Chimney Swifts.

Sheridan Lake had no water and birds. We observed two Great-tailed Grackles at the first house south of I70 and along Highway 385 (traditional location).

We did not take the time to visit Bonny Reservoir and instead continued north to Wray. Driving toward the Yuma County Road 45 lek we found two groups of Greater Prairie-Chickens (a group of 6, another of 3). At the lek itself we watched another 7+ Greater Prairie-Chickens dance.

Notice: You can see the Greater Prairie-Chickens and under good light pick out the reddish air sacks. However the birds are quite far away.

Gunnison County to Kansas

March 20, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Allyson Marceau and I were at the Waunita Hot Springs Lek long before sunrise. It was surprisingly warm for this time of year and winds were calm. It is early in the season; however 3 male Gunnison Sage-Grouse did show up about 15 minutes before sunrise.

Today was a day of much driving as we had to travel almost 400 miles to Elkhart, Kansas for a shot at Lesser Prairie-Chicken tomorrow. We tried to get there before sunset to see the Lesser Prairie-Chickens dance; unfortunately we missed it by 15 minutes.

On the way we stopped at the Monarch Pass (Chaffee County) overlook. An American Three-toed Woodpecker fluttered about the evergreens and telephone poles just south of the overlook (which appears to be the roof of a Monarch's store).

Our only other stop was for a quick search for the Eastern Towhee which had been at Bent County Roads JJ & 16. The farmer had burned the underbrush and there were few places for the Eastern Towhee to hide. It was not found.

Mesa to Gunnison County

March 19, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Allyson Marceau and I visited the Colorado National Monument. It was another beautiful spring day. A flock of 24+ called and flew around the campgrounds. Allyson picked up her lifebird Juniper Titmouse in the Junipers north of the overlook.

White-throated Swifts soared below the overlook. It is still early in the season and few other birds were around.

Chukar were missed in Escalante Canyon. The canyon had few birds. Usually I see Mountain Bluebirds with a few Western Bluebirds in the mix. A female Hairy Woodpecker seemed out of place. No Black Phoebes which have nested the past 3 years here were found.

The Ross's Geese were not at Confluence Park. Having time to spare we drove to Paonia and searched for a Northern Pygmy-Owl; without success.

In the middle of the day, no Sandhill Cranes were at Fruitgrower's Reservoir. A birder stopped by and said that several hundred took off early in the morning. Nine Lewis's Woodpeckers were in the two cottonwoods below the dam (west end at E. Horn's home).

We ended our birding day at Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park. In spite of driving up and down the south rim (now open) no Dusky Grouse could be found.

Western Slope Birding, Continued Grouse Trip

March 18, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Allyson Marceau and I sat at the 20 Road Sharp-tailed Grouse outside of Hayden (Routt County) at first light. Three Sharp-tailed Grouse eventually made an appearance. However none showed up until 8:15am.

We drove south from Craig to Rifle (no Great-tailed Grackles today at the Rifle Rest Stop) and continued to the Grand Mesa (Mesa to Delta County).

At the Powderhorn Ski Area we hiked around about 1/2 mile and missed American Three-toed Woodpeckers and Northern Pygmy-Owls.

We then drove to the Visitor's Center 14 miles south of Powderhorn. With great luck we were only out of our car about 10 minutes before a male White-winged Crossbill and male Red Crossbill perched on the top of fir trees east of the building!

Several large flocks of Pine Siskins with accompanying Mountain Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and White-breasted Nuthatches also were around.

We stop at the Mesa Lodge and Store to watch their feeders for 30 minutes. Allyson saw her lifebird Gray Jays when a pair visited the Lodge's feeders.

To linger around until dark, we returned to Powderhorn Ski Area. This time a Northern Pygmy-Owl was heard behind the maintenance shed! No Three-toed Woodpeckers could be found.

Finally at dark (8:15 pm) we drove south on the highway. Four Boreal Owls were found between the Spruce Grove Campgrounds and the Visitor's Center.

Weather was fantastic all day. The temperatures on the Grand Mesa were quite warm and we experienced no wind (NO Wind). Can't remember if this has ever happened to me before as usually there are 20+ mph winds and snow in March and April.

Start of Another Grouse Trip

March 17, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Allyson and I headed west to search for mountain birds in Clear Creek and Summit Counties. At Loveland Pass we found a lone White-tailed Ptarmigan on the west of side Highway 6 and halfway between the summit and the first pullover south.

At the Blue River Water Treatment Plant we found 2 male and 3 female Barrow's Goldeneyes and then continued north.

At Steamboat Springs we detoured south to Lake Catamount. The waxwings were quite cooperative. We watched 100+ Bohemian Waxwings and 20+ Cedar Waxwings hawk insects from the tall cottonwoods along the Yampa River at the southwest corner of the lake.

We missed the American Three-toed Woodpecker at Rabbit Ears Pass and then ended our birding day at Jackson County Road 26 in search of Greater Sage-Grouse. Unfortunately a woman was walking her dog right at the best time for finding the Grouse. We only got glimpses of one bird as the dog went sniffing for grouse along the road. She had seen 7 male and 3 females on her morning walk.

March 15, 2009

I rode my mountain bike around Aurora Reservoir (Arapahoe County) this morning. Temperatures warmed up nicely; winds were mild.

The Say's Phoebe reported yesterday was not found. The several hundred gulls were mostly Ring-billed with a few Herring and 2 California in the mix.

In the afternoon I revisited the east side of Rocky Mountain Arsenal (Buckley Road). No Burrowing Owls flew in during the night or early this morning. There were no Burrowing Owls seen along the DIA Owl Loop (Adams County).