Rich Stevens' Bird Trips
September 2000
Birding South of Denver 9/30
Paul Langendorfer and I checked out several reservoirs south of Denver today.
The weather was fantastic. Temperatures were in the middle 80's, no wind was evident.
Pueblo Reservoir:
At the Swallows Road (to state wildlife area on northwest end of Pueblo Reservoir)
We observed 50+ Sage Thrashers. Four Scaled Quail crossed the road and gave us
good looks. One jumped up to a fence post for five minutes!
There were several flocks of Yellow-rumped Warblers (numbers over 80 birds).
Two male Mountain Bluebirds added some color to the drab brown landscape.
No water was underneath the heron rookery. The only birds were American Robins.
We did see two adult Swainson's Hawks (still a few around) and an adult and immature
Red-tailed Hawk. Guess all the Swainson's Hawks have not migrated south just yet.
At the wildlife boat ramp, a Common Tern flew overhead. One juvenile Sabine's Gull
also followed the shoreline. Hundreds of Western and several Clark's Grebes added to our list.
At the North Marina, there were Ring-billed, California, and a few Herring Gulls.
Still no Caspian Tern or Arctic Tern were found!
At the South Marina, there were many more gulls, however no uncommon ones!
Big Johnson Reservoir:
Paul and I hiked completely around the reservoir. The Little Gull and Sabine's Gull were
not found today. The Barnacle Goose (unknown origin) was with a flock of Canada Geese.
Many American Pipits walked around just offshore. The only sparrows found were five Savannah.
Cherry Creek Reservoir:
We ended the day watching a fantastic sunset at Cherry Creek Reservoir.
From the north jet ski launch area, we could see the Great Black-backed Gull and two Bonaparte's Gulls
in the southeast corner. This area seems less disturbed by boaters and visitors.
El Paso County 9/26
Donna Fortney and I drove to Big Johnson Reservoir on this beautiful fall day.
Temperatures were around 70 degrees and there was little wind.
On the trip to Big Johnson, we observed one Swainson's Hawk at Powers Road
and Bradley Road. Any day now, I expect to see my last SWHA of 2000.
I circled the reservoir twice; Donna just the first time. As we exited my car,
the Little Gull flew overhead. It then flew to the northwestern corner.
While hiking north along the dam, a juvenile Sabine's Gull was observed.
There were many Horned, Eared, and Western Grebes. Two Clark's Grebes were
also found. At the northern end, a hybrid Barnacle Goose was accompanied by
148 Canada Geese. Many Ring-billed and a few California Gulls were also there.
When we reached the southeast corner, two or three Baird's Sparrows were found.
I managed to get a scope on two of the birds, one of them for 45 seconds.
Beware, there were several Savannah Sparrows in the area also.
There were Grasshopper Sparrows in the tall weeds at the northern end.
Many Horned Larks flew around the whole reservoir.
We only observed three Forster's Terns, no Common or Arctic Terns.
On my second pass, I managed to videotape the Little Gull from 20 yards.
I relocated two Baird's Sparrows, however was still unable to get close enough
to get them on videotape. The Sabine's Gull was not seen again.
We then drove to Fountain Creek Regional Park. With little daylight remaining,
we had time for one quick hike around the Nature Center Trail. Two or three
Townsend's Warblers were hawking insects in the Russian Olive Trees on the west side.
A Virginia Rail made an appearance downstream from the bridge (northwest corner).
One Golden-crowned Kinglet was in Russian Olive Trees along the canal.
Birding The Eastern Plains 9/25
I enjoyed a fascinating day of birding on the Eastern Colorado Plains. The temperatures
ranged from 25 degrees at 6:30am to 65 degrees by 2:00pm. Little wind was encountered.
Accompanied by the thunder from the wings of thousands of American White Pelicans
I decided to hike around Jackson Reservoir at 6:30am,. The trip started from the west
boat dock. Hundreds of American Avocets were in the swallow water east of here.
During the walk circling Jackson Reservoir, 11 Sandpiper and 1 Plover species were
observed. There were several flocks of Long-billed Dowitchers. One juvenile Red Knot
was found. Two American Golden-Plovers were at the eastern end. Two juvenile Sabine's
Gulls were here too. A flock of 24 Sanderlings was also included in the count.
One Common Tern stood on the sand spit at the northeastern end of the reservoir.
Along the dam on the south side of the reservoir, there are numbers marking the inlets.
At number 28, two American Bald Eagles stood in a tree several hundred yards south.
At number 18, three Common Yellowthroats were in the willows below the dam.
At number 14, I watched an Upland Sandpiper for about 20 minutes. "Andrews & Righter;
Colorado Birds" shows only one September record for UPSA. The bird was downhill
approximately 40 yards south of the dam. While I was watching the UPSA, a male Merlin
flew over the Prairie Dog village. Two male American Kestrels were also in the area.
West of the dam's wall, I observed my first warblers of the day. Fall adult male & female
Blackburnian Warblers were in the cottonwoods above the sign listing the rules for the
swim beach. I watched and filmed the two birds for 10 minutes or so. The white stripes
on their backs are distinctive identification marks. Their fall colors were spectacular.
Continuing around the reservoir, a flock of several hundred Robins were at the southern end
of Lakeside Campground. From the northern end of Lakeside Campground to the northern
end of Cove Campground, I counted 419 Yellow-rumped Warblers. This technique of
trying to obtain an accurate count of YRWAs paid off; there was an immature female
Magnolia Warbler among the YRWA. She was in the Russian Olive trees at Cove CG,
site number 5. Two Orange-crowned Warblers and three Wilson's Warblers were also
located. Lincoln's, Song, and Vesper Sparrows were feeding along the western edge.
On the trip home, I stopped for a short time at Barr Lake. A Turkey Vulture flew over
the banding station (mile marker 8.5). At mm 8.3, one Townsend's Warbler was high in
the cottonwoods. A Rock Wren was just south of here. Two Wilson's Warblers were at
mm 8.4. One Hermit Thrush, a Spotted Towhee, and several Black-capped Chickadees
flew around at mm 8.5. An adult Red-tailed Hawk was the only hawk observed today.
I also drove my favorite "Owl Loop" to check on the prairie dog villages.
Burrowing Owls were observed at the following locations:
2 @ 0.5 miles south of Picadilly Road and 128th avenue
10 @ 3.4 miles east of Tower Road and 96th avenue
2 @ Tower Road, just north of Pena Blvd
Returning home, I called Bryan Ehlmann and we checked out Cherry Creek Reservoir.
We searched the reservoir for about an hour. At 4:00pm, the Great Black-backed Gull
flew up from the southeastern corner of the reservoir. The bird flew toward us and landed
in the middle of the southeastern end. One Common Tern stood on the logs at the
southwestern marina. Several hundred Western Grebes swam across the reservoir.
Birding Around Denver 9/17
On the drive to Barr Lake, I observed and filmed an immature Broad-tailed Hawk.
The bird was along Tower Road and just north of Pena Blvd. He stood on telephone
wires and then flew down to the ground and caught a field mouse.
A Peregrine Falcon was observed flying over Pena Blvd & 56th avenue
by a Baltimore Birder and myself. A Prairie Falcon was also in the area.
I also checked the Prairie Dog colonies for Burrowing Owls on the trip over to Barr Lake.
The only owls found were 3.4 miles East of Tower Road and along 96th avenue.
I spent 7 hours at Barr Lake searching for the Prothonotary Warbler found
the day before. I had no success, however several other birds of interest
were located. At mile marker 8.8, a Red-eyed Vireo made an appearance for
a minute. Townsend's Warblers were found at mile markers 8.4 and mm 8.1.
There were a half dozen Brown Creepers and three Red-breasted Nuthatches
just east of the banding station. At mile marker 8.6, a Gray Catbird was
flushed from the willows. A Plumbeous Vireo was also found at mm 8.5.
A flock of 17 Wilson's Warblers were at mm 8.5 and several others were found
between the banding station and the Pioneer Trail (mm 8.1). The usual numbers
of Downy Woodpeckers were joined by one female Hairy Woodpecker.
Later in the afternoon, Donna Fortney and I returned to Cherry Creek Reservoir.
At the grove of trees south of the Beaver Pond (South of the Group Picnic Area),
another Townsend's Warbler was found. Several Blue Grosbeaks (male and female)
were joined by a dozen American Goldfinch. At the southern end of the pond,
a juvenile Red Knot was among 10 species of sandpipers.
On the reservoir proper, a Common Tern was near the southwest marina.
The Great Black-backed Gull observed yesterday, was not located today.
Cherry Creek Reservoir 9/16
Sue Dorsey, Cindy Earnhardt, Donna Fortney, and I checked out Cherry Creek Reservoir.
We did not locate the Common and Caspian Terns observed earlier in the week.
The Great Black-backed Gull was found just East of the Prairie Loop. He could not be
observed from the Prairie Loop itself. We scoped the bird from the eastern end of
the Lake Loop. He was hiding in one of the "cubby holes" formed by the cattails.
We noticed that he could not be observed from the south side of the reservoir either.
Birding Trip To Arizona (9/8-9/15)
September 8
Jim Malone and I began our trip at 4:00am. At first light, we found ourselves in Pueblo and
decided to stop at the University of Southern Colorado campus. Thanks to Paul Hurtado's
directions, we were able to locate the albino Blue Grosbeak in just a few minutes.
After videotaping the bird for 45 seconds, we continued our trip.
We then decided to spend an hour on Baculite Mesa. Driving the county road we observed
some interesting birds. Approximately 25 Scaled Quail crossed the road in front of us.
There were many Vesper and Lark Sparrows. Three Say's Phoebes hawked insects along
the road. Two Sage Thrashers and three Curve-billed Thrashers made an appearance.
On the top of the mesa, we finally found three Black-throated Sparrows!
Satisfied with our Black-throated Sparrow sightings, we continued on our way.
Just across the New Mexico border, we stopped at Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge.
While there were many Western Grebes on the ponds, nothing uncommon was observed.
Many Vesper Sparrows, two Say's Phoebes, and a flock of Yellow-headed Blackbirds
were added to our day list. One Great Horned Owl was behind the visitor's center.
We reached Bosque del Apache with two hours of daylight and ended the day birding here.
The self-touring loops around the National Wildlife Refuge produced few uncommon bird
sightings. Most of the ponds were dry. At the one pond with swallow water, we did find
a few Baird's Sandpipers, three Lesser Yellowlegs, and one Red-necked Phalarope.
Many Blue Grosbeaks, a few Western Wood-pewees, and hundreds of Barn Swallows
were flying around. One Red-tailed Hawk stood in a tree guarding the entrance.
The stop at the visitor's center proved most fruitful.
Two female Phainopeplas flew about the trees surrounding the parking area.
One Western Scrub Jay and three Western Wood-pewees were also in the area.
Behind the visitors center there were five hummingbird feeders. In the hour we
sat watching the feeders, five species of hummingbirds visited. The species were
Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Rufous, and a male Calliope. The fifth and surprising
species was an adult male Ruby-throated Hummingbird. The RTHU made four
appearances before the light waned below usefulness.
On the drive out of the refuge, we came upon sixty-seven Gambel's Quail.
September 9
We drove many hours to reach the Arizona Chiricahua Mountains and camp at Rustler Park.
Eager to bird, we hiked up the mountain at Rustler Park at first light.
The first Arizona bird we encountered was a female Hepatic Tanager. This was a good
start for a couple of Colorado Birders! A good sign too! There were many
Western Wood-pewees and White-breasted Nuthatches along our one mile hike.
Two Wilson's Warblers fluttered about in some willows along the trail. One Swainson's
Thrush crossed the road. We stopped to take video, not knowing that a SWTH sighting
was quite uncommon here! We did not discover that fact until two days later.
A little further up the trail, we ran into a flock of migrating birds. The flock included seven
Townsend's, two Orange-crowned, and three Hermit Warblers (good finds for Arizona).
Some common birds we were happy to see were two Hutton's Vireos, Oak Titmice,
a male Williamson's Sapsucker, three Western Flycatchers, Stellar Jays, a Grace's Warbler
two Olive Warblers, and a Turkey Vulture. We had to search a little longer to find two
Mexican Chickadees for our list. Back at camp, two Yellow-eyed Juncos greeted us.
They did not seem to be bothered by us as we broke camp.
We could not locate any Red-faced Warblers. A species that eluded us our whole trip.
We drove down the mountain for Portal and stopped at the Southwestern Research Station.
In the trees around the parking area, we saw our first Arizona Woodpecker (formerly
Strickland's). A flock of Mexican Jays was making much noise above us.
Many Acorn Woodpeckers were also around. After chasing hundreds of miles to see one
bird in Colorado, it was a little strange to see them everywhere we traveled in Arizona.
Outside the store and office there were many hummingbird feeders. We watched Rufous,
Broad-tailed, Black-chinned, three Magnificent, and one White-eared Hummingbirds come
in to feed. The White-eared Hummingbird is uncommon even for Arizona.
We then visited Stuart Campground where there were rumors of Elegant trogon sightings.
Walking along the creek north of the campground, we observed Bridled Titmice, Wilson's
Warblers, more Acorn Woodpeckers, and Mexican Jays. A male Hepatic Tanager
remained too high in the trees to be photographed. Three Painted Redstarts were also seen.
After several hours, we decided that tomorrow morning would be a better time to hunt for
the Trogons. Further east, the Spoffords invite birders to come and visit their home with its
many feeders. We spent several hours sitting in their backyard and watching the visiting birds.
Several Curve-billed Thrashers walked around, ignoring us and searching for food.
Three Northern Cardinals, many Black-headed Grosbeaks, two Gambel's Quails,
two White-winged Doves, and a Spotted Towhee also came. A Magnificent Hummingbird
joined many Rufous and a few Broad-tailed Hummers at the many feeders.
Our goal for the rest of the day was to find some Gnatcatchers. First we hiked along
Cave Creek Road (main road from Portal into the mountains). While we could hear a
couple of Gnatcatchers, again they evaded us.
We changed our tactics by driving to county road 80 and hiking back toward Portal along
the Portal Road. In the distance, two Swainson's Hawks stood on the few trees around.
A male Blue Grosbeak stood on a fence post. In the cactus 20 yards off the road, two
Black-throated Sparrows hunted for insects. Many Western Kingbirds were attracted to
a group of trees around a cattle watering hole. A Sage Thrasher called from top of cactus.
While several Canyon Towhee scurried under other cacti.
September 10
We camped at Sunny Flats Campground because our first choice (Stuart CG) was full.
This turned out to be quite fortunate for several reasons.
After setting up camp, I went for a hike. The cliffs again were lighted by the full moon.
About 0.5 miles from camp, I noticed a black boulder rolling across the road. My first
thought was to look up at the mountain to see from where the boulder came. I then
turned on my spotlight and it shone into the face of a Black Bear. :-) The bear looked
toward me, looked forward, and repeated this three times. He then decided I was
not worth further inspection and walked off into the dark. The event ended my hike
for the evening. Hiking in the dark alone without a light, no longer seemed intriguing.
Back at camp, Jim and I heard two Trogons calling not more than a hundred yards
from our camp. Two Whiskered Screech-Owls joined in, right above our heads.
Later one of the WHSO landed 15 feet overhead; we were able to catch it in our spotlight.
Off in the distance, we could hear a Northern Pygmy Owl. The western cliffs were lighted
by the moonlight. The sounds of the birds made the experience most memorable.
At first light we searched without success for the Trogons heard during the night. Eventually
giving up, we returned to the Research Station. The Montezuma Quail previously found
around here, were not found by us. The same five species of hummers were at the feeders.
Jim dropped me here and drove off looking for birds to photograph. I decided to hike to
Spoffords about four miles to the south. Along the trek, I ran into flocks of birds which
included, many Black-throated Gray Warblers, Wilson's Warblers, Bridled Titmice, one
Townsend's Warbler, one Hermit Warbler, many Hutton's and Plumbeous Vireos, and
one Cassin's Vireo. Many Painted Redstart also were discovered.
I surveyed a flock of 200 American Robins in hope of finding an Aztec Thrush. Three
Black Phoebes (so difficult to find in Colorado) were sitting on the fence along the road.
A Northern Goshawk flew overhead and I was able to videotape a Sharp-shinned Hawk
sitting quietly in the woods. At my favorite bird spot (found yesterday just east of
Sunny Flats), two male Hepatic Tanagers were 15 feet away and 8 feet off the ground.
I hunt most of the summer for quick glances at them in Colorado.
Once out of the woods and near Spoffords, I heard many Cactus Wrens. While trying
to videotape one, a male Pyrrhuloxia flew out from the bushes. I could hear
several Black-tailed Gnatcatchers, however never "caught" a glimpse of them.
At Spoffords, nothing new appeared and reuniting with Jim, we went back for another
unsuccessful search for the Trogons. Jim then left to search the creek at Stuart's CG
and I returned to my favorite birding spot. I first heard the Elegant trogon.
Checking the trees on the other side of the creek (between Sunny Flats and the road),
I finally managed to see a trogon. He was an adult male Elegant trogon.
What a magnificent bird to come upon in the woods. Of course by the time
I found Jim, we could did not re-locate the bird.
We drove south to Douglas and then on to the San Pedro River. Fifty-two Turkey Vultures
were roosting in a dead tree near the river (at Hereford Road). While this spot is a great
birding spot, there were too many people here today. We decided to pass and try to
reach Miller Canyon (south of Sierra Vista) while there was still light to bird.
At the end of Miller Canyon Road, we parked and walked to the Bed and Breakfast.
The owners put out dozens of hummingbird feeders and welcome guests. In the next hour,
I was able to videotape a male Lucifer's, Calliope, Anna's, Black-chinned, Rufous, and
Broad-tailed Hummingbirds. As light diminished, we agreed to return tomorrow.
September 11
Our camp was setup at the east end of Miller Canyon. During the night, we heard
several Western Screech-Owls and two Whip-poor-wills.
We returned to the end of Miller Canyon Road before first light to hike up the canyon.
Rumors of a Spotted Owl sighting 1.5 miles up the canyon sparked our interest.
Approximately 1.2 mile up the canyon, we heard a Spotted Owl. By the time it was
light enough to see, we did not locate the bird. On the hike back down the mountain,
we observed a Northern Beardless-Tyannulet. Several Ruby-crowned Kinglets were
also found. Anna's Hummingbirds flew about the trees.
Back at the Bed and Breakfast, we found many of the hummingbirds from yesterday
evening. We then hiked up 0.5 miles to their hummingbird garden in a grove of trees.
We enjoyed much success here. We managed to videotape and photograph many of
the hummingbirds from eight feet or less. There were two White-eared, a Violet-crowned,
a male Magnificent, and hybrid Beryline X Magnificent among the many common hummers.
In the early afternoon, we choose to hike up for another Spotted Owl search.
Again no success was the outcome. We did find two Greater Pewees. One flock
of birds included two Nashville Warblers, three Black-throated Gray Warblers, five
Painted Redstarts, several Hutton's Vireos, a Western Tanager, Western Flycatchers, and
Western Wood-pewees. An Olive-sided Flycatcher was back near the parking area.
I decided to hike the three miles from the Bed and Breakfast to highway 92 (road to
Sierra Vista), while Jim drove around looking for birds to photograph.
During the hike down the canyon, I observed many Blue Grosbeaks and Lesser Goldfinches.
Once out of the woods, two Rufous-crowned Sparrows were found were the creek crosses
the road. A Green-tailed Towhee was underneath some of the scrub oaks. Down on the
flats, two Cassin's Sparrows came out of a wood pile. A Verdin flew out of some
ornamental bushes lining the yards of private homes. As Jim stopped to pick me up,
an immature Gray Hawk flew overhead. The sighting was a good ending for the day.
We camped again in Miller Canyon, hearing the WESO and WPWI during the night.
September 12
Deciding against a third attempt at the Spotted Owl, we drove toward Patagonia.
Ramsey Canyon had no reports of Elegant Trogons, consequently we decided to pass it.
Our next stop was at the site of Old Camp Crittenden. This area is famous for being a
natural dividing line between east and west. We found a flock of Eastern Meadowlarks
and two Chihuahuan Ravens to the east of here. A Prairie Falcon also flew overhead.
To the west is supposedly good for Common Ravens and Western Meadowlarks,
neither of which, we observed today. Stopping at the information sign, we did observe
two Say's Phoebes, one Loggerhead Shrike, and five Grasshopper Sparrows.
Patton's home in Patagonia was the next stop (where owners invite birders to come
watch the many birds visiting their feeders). As we walked into the backyard,
three Northern Cardinals flew away. Feeders in the eastern corner attracted several
Pyrrhuloxias. Gila Woodpeckers visited feeders in the western corner of the yard.
The hummingbird feeders attracted many birds. Our first Broad-billed Hummers were here.
There were two White-eared and one Violet-crowned Hummers here too! Of course,
many Rufous, Black-chinned, Anna's, Broad-tailed, and a Blue-throated also visited.
The Sonoita Creek Sanctuary is just down the road from Pattons. While it was closed
today, we hiked 0.7 miles along its western border. Two Yellow-billed Cuckoos were
inside the boundaries. Green-tailed Towhees, Thick-billed Kingbirds, Western Kingbirds,
Bronzed Cowbirds, Canyon Towhees, Loggerhead Shrikes, Western Meadowlarks,
Common Ravens, and a Summer Tanager were all observed during the hike.
One Hooded Oriole flew across the road in front of us. Jim caught a glimpse of a Greater
Roadrunner. While I saw a male Ladder-backed Woodpecker.
Southwest of Patagonia is a famous roadside rest stop. Famous for Rose-throated Becards
and several first United States bird records. While there were no recent reports of RTBE,
we stopped and enjoyed an interesting hour of birding.
In the short 0.6 mile hike, we observed a male Northern Cardinal, a male Pyrrhuloxia, a
Black-headed Grosbeak, one Western Wood-pewee, a Warbling Vireo, a Canyon Wren,
Lesser Goldfinches, and Rufous-crowned Sparrow. The highlights however, were
a Lucy's Warbler and two Botteri's Sparrows.
From here, our trek took us to the famous Madera Canyon. While I had observed many
birds here in the spring of 1995, it was rather disappointing today. We did not see
any birds during a one mile hike from the Madera Resort Cabins west past the Picnic area.
Maybe the 108 degree temperatures contributed to this fact.
Several Mexican Jays visited the feeders around the resort. Two Painted Redstarts flew
around the trees over the resort. One White-eared Hummingbird visited the hummingbird
feeders. Many White-breasted Nuthatches were in the area.
We called it an early day. A motel with beds and shower were extremely welcomed.
September 13
First light found us at the parking area for Saguaro Desert Museum. Gambel's Quail, Gila
and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, a Gilded Flicker!, Phainopepla, six Cactus Wrens,
many Albert's Towhees, two Black-throated Sparrows, Turkey Vultures, Pyrrhuloxia,
a Gray Vireo and Curve-billed Thrashers were found.
At the Visitor's Center for Saguaro National Monument, Jim found a male Pyrrhuloxia and
male Northern Cardinal. Several more Black-throated Sparrows and Cactus Wrens were
observed. An immature Common Black-Hawk flew overhead and was videotaped.
Because yesterday was a bust at Madera Canyon, we resolved to return today.
We hiked 0.5 miles up Florida Wash (on the road to the canyon). Five
Rufous-winged Sparrows were just north of the bridge. Approximately 0.5 miles
further north, a Crissal Thrasher sang from the shade of a cactus.
Back at the Madera Resort, five species of hummingbirds were coming to the feeders.
Broad-billed, Rufous, Broad-tailed, White-eared, and one Blue-throated Hummingbird
were included on the list. We enjoyed sitting in the shade and watching the hummers.
The Elf Owls had quit nesting about three days before our arrival. We stayed until dark in
any case. No Elf Owls showed; we did hear two Whiskered Screech-Owls however.
While setting up camp at the campground, we heard two Common Poorwills.
Two more Whiskered Screech-Owls also joined in the night noises.
September 14
At first light, we attempted to go up Mt. Lemmon. Because of logging, we could only drive
as far as Bear Canyon. Rose Lake where I observed Red-faced Warblers in 1995
could not be reached. We missed our last good chance for a RFWA sighting.
Hiking around Bear Canyon, we did observe an Olive Warbler, Yellow-eyed Juncos,
a male Western Tanager, Pine Siskins, and two Mountain Chickadees.
Disappointed in not being to go to Rose Lake, we decided to head back to Cave Springs
and search again for Elegant Trogons to photograph.
As we headed down the mountain, we saw signs for a small park off Tanque Callente Road.
This new park was a gem. We photographed Curve-billed Thrashers, Bewick's Wrens,
a Mexican Duck, Verdins, a Black Phoebe, Western Flycatchers, Arizona Woodpeckers,
Cactus Wrens, and an elusive Black-tailed Gnatcatcher.
We ended the day at Rodeo, searching for their sewage ponds, which were not found.
Cactus Wrens, a Yellow Warbler, and Wilson's Warbler were observed around town.
We again camped at Sunny Flats Campground. Two Whiskered Screech-Owls were
joined by a distant calling Flammulated Owl. The Trogons also called just after sunset.
September 15
Back at the Experimental Research Station at first light, two Red-naped Sapsuckers
were in the trees south of the buildings. A male Hepatic Tanager was along the creek.
A Brown-throated Wren was also in this area. No Montezuma Quails were found again.
While hiking Sunny Flats campground to Stuart's CG (west side of creek bed), our luck
finally improved. We came upon (videotaped and photographed) immature male and
female Elegant Trogons. We were fortunate to follow the birds for 0.5 mile or so!
Several flocks of the warblers and vireos observed previously, were also seen along this
hike. Jim observed a Veery in the broken down, abandoned building (marked explosives).
Exhausted, we concluded it was time to head for home!
Jackson Reservoir 9/4
Donna Fortney and I traveled to Jackson Reservoir (Morgan County) on Sunday.
The day was sunny and quite warm. Temperatures reached the low 90's.
The dark morph Long-tailed Jaeger was just southwest of the northeast parking area
(North Shore Wildlife Area). He allowed us to approach within 20 feet. Several times
during our visit, he also chased gulls up and down the shoreline; then he returned to
the same resting place. He also hunted grasshoppers at the high weeds just south of
the parking area. It was strange to see a Jaeger in the tall grasses!
Birding Metro Denver 9/3
Saturday, I enjoyed birding around the Denver area.
From 6:30 to 9:30am, I searched unsuccessfully for the Blackburnian Warbler
at Belmar Historic Park (Jefferson County). Beverly Guild and I did find a
Plumbeous Vireo and a few minutes later, the Cassin's Vireo.
We were fortunate to watch both birds for several minutes.
In addition, four Snowy Egrets, one Great Blue Heron, two female Wilson's Warblers,
and a Yellow Warbler were found. I returned from 4:00pm to 6:30pm and
experienced no better success in the Blackburnian Warbler hunt.
From 10:00am to 2:00pm, I sat at Tina Jones' home at 4400 Bowmar Drive (Jefferson).
Thanks much to Tina for allowing birders to experience this great habitat!
I observed an immature male and 2 or 3 female Calliope Hummingbirds. The Calliopes
were chased around by 10 or more Broad-tailed Hummingbirds. Under overcast skies
(it was not sunny until 12:10pm), the Red-eyed Vireo appeared twice. Two Red-breasted
and one White-breasted Nuthatches came to the feeders. There was a flock of 4 or 5
Western Tanagers and a flock of Cassin's Finches. One immature Black-headed Grosbeak
stayed in the bushes behind the chairs put out by Tina for visitors. In the yard to
the south, two Western Wood-pewees and one Western Flycatcher flew after insects.
During my stay, many Lesser Goldfinch and several Blue Jays visited the feeders next to
the bird bath. Many of the birds made good use of the bird bath on this hot summer day.
Barr Lake 9/2
A three hour trip to Barr Lake (last three hours of light) produced few bird sightings.
There was a Common Nighthawk in the trees along the Pioneer Trail (mile marker 8.1).
Two Wilson's Warblers were in the willows at the banding station (mm 8.5).
For two hours, it was quite windy. After the wind died down, birding was quiet.
No House Wrens and the only swallows were Barn Swallows.
Baird's Sandpipers were the only sandpiper working the shoreline.
Many Burrowing Owls are still at the usual Prairie Dog villages North of
Denver International Airport. See August 5 Trip Report for exact locations.
More Bird Trips
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Rich Stevens at the following address:
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