2010 Colorado Grouse MBWeek

COLORADO MBWEEK SUMMARY / April 10-18, 2010

(Also see the PHOTO GALLERIES from this and another Colorado Grouse trip following the summary)

Sure, it was cold on a few of the mornings, but most days were decidedly pleasant with almost nothing in the way of high winds or snowfall. Indeed, the only snow was light in nature, falling between Walden and the Poudre River and hardly slowing us down at all. (Of course, there was plenty of snow the previous week, leaving behind a Lake John snow drift that I could have done without.)

No, we didn't quite find everything we wanted (no one ever does), but the only significant misses we really looked for were Dusky Grouse, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Lewis's Woodpecker, Clark's Nutcracker, Juniper Titmouse, and Canyon Wren. On the other hand, however, I'd have to say these were easily offset by our especially memorable observations of both Gunnison and Greater sage-grouse, White-tailed Ptarmigans, Prairie Falcons, Mountain Plovers, Western Sandpipers, a Pinyon Jay, McCown's Longspurs, all 3 rosy-finches, and many others.

The scenery was nothing less than spectacular at times, and there were numerous locations which I particularly enjoyed, either for their productive birding or scenery or both: e.g., Poncha Springs, Walden Reservoir, Moose Visitors Center, Pawnee Grasslands, Amache, Lake Cheraw, Garden of the Gods, Genesee Park, Loveland Pass, and Red Rocks Park. And I'm sure there are several other sites I'm forgetting which were just as memorable for you.

I was also quite pleased with the logistics involved, especially considering this was our first MBW here. There will be some adjustments in the itinerary next time (in 2012?), but all the motels and most of the restaurants worked out well. The "mom-and-pop" Blue Spruce Motel worked out especially well (it was amazing for them to offer a 3:15 breakfast without being asked). The Mission Villanueva restaurant across the street was also a nice surprise, as were other places I'd never been to: Cooper Smith's in Fort Morgan, La Baguette in Colorado Springs, and the Last Shot near Golden Gate Canyon.

I especially thank Bob and Steve for their unselfish contributions: not just all that driving, but also for dealing with all those suitcases and gas stations. I trust your gratuities to them were as generous as those you gave me – I don't think I deserved your generosity, but Bob and Steve certainly did. And speaking of finances, I'll let you know by mid-May (after all my Visa charges get processed) if we came in under budget and if you are due any refunds (which, so far, looks like a fair possibility). 

Finally, you'll see I've included 5 photos at the end of this summary. If you also took some that you especially liked, please e-mail them to me and they might be included in the MBWbirds website's summary of our trip.  - Kim   

ITINERARY

April 10 – Meet at Denver airport; afternoon drive to Gunnison via Hwy 285, birding in Poncha Springs, and Hwy 50.

April 11 – Waunita Hot Springs Gunnison Sage-Grouse lek, rosy-finch feeders in Crested Butte, and afternoon drive to Steamboat Springs via brief stops in Buena Vista and Kremmling.

April 12 – Dusky Grouse search (unsuccessfully) on Co Rd 80 north of Hayden, Co Rd 70, Twenty Mile Road Sharp-tailed Grouse lek, and drive to Walden via Rabbit Ears Pass, Muddy Creek Trailhead, Coalmont area, Walden Reservoir, and Lake John.

April 13 – Greater Sage-Grouse lek near Coalmont, and drive to Fort Collins via Walden Reservoir, Hwy 14 moose area, Moose Visitors Center, Cameron Pass, and along Poudre River.

April 14 – Pawnee National Grasslands, and afternoon drive to Lamar via back roads south of Fort Morgan, Hwy 71, Hwy 40, and Hwy 287.

April 15 – Lesser Prairie-Chicken lek with Fred Dorenkamp/Arena Dust Tours, Amache internment camp, and drive to Pueblo via John Martin Reservoir, Boggsville, Lake Cheraw, and Meredith Reservoir (briefly).

April 16 – Boone and vicinity east of Pueblo, Valco Ponds / Pueblo Reservoir, and drive to Denver via Garden of the Gods and Genesee Park.

April 17 – Loveland Pass ptarmigan, Golden Gate Canyon State Park, White Ranch County Park, and Red Rocks Park. 

April 18 – Morning option to Genesee Park and Dinosaur Ridge, and return to Denver airport for flights home.

BIRD LIST (boldface = casual, accidental, or absent in Minnesota)

 Canada Goose

 Wood Duck

 Gadwall

 American Wigeon

 Mallard

 Cinnamon Teal (Walden Reservoir)

 Northern Shoveler

 Northern Pintail

 Green-winged Teal

 Redhead

 Ring-necked Duck

 Lesser Scaup

 Bufflehead

 Common Goldeneye

 Common Merganser

 Ruddy Duck

 Scaled Quail (best view at Amache)

 Ring-necked Pheasant

 Greater Sage-Grouse (at least 15 males + 9 females within a few feet of the vehicles)

 Gunnison Sage-Grouse (much closer than usual to the road; total of 54)

 White-tailed Ptarmigan (we saw 2 in perhaps record time – and during pleasant weather)

 Sharp-tailed Grouse

 Lesser Prairie-Chicken (from Fred Dorenkamp's school bus) 

 Wild Turkey

 Eared Grebe

 Western Grebe

 Clark's Grebe

 American White Pelican

 Double-crested Cormorant

 Great Blue Heron

 Snowy Egret

 Turkey Vulture

 Osprey

 Bald Eagle

 Northern Harrier

 Sharp-shinned Hawk

 Cooper's Hawk

 Swainson's Hawk

 Red-tailed Hawk

 Ferruginous Hawk (only one seen, but close in flight at Pawnee Grasslands) 

 Rough-legged Hawk

 Golden Eagle

 American Kestrel

 Peregrine Falcon

 Prairie Falcon (best views at Garden of the Gods)

 American Coot

 Sandhill Crane

 Snowy Plover (Lake Cheraw)

 Killdeer

 Mountain Plover (especially close to the road at Pawnee)

 Black-necked Stilt (Lake Cheraw)

 American Avocet

 Greater Yellowlegs

 Long-billed Curlew (only seen as fly-bys)

 Western Sandpiper (close at Lake Cheraw)

 Least Sandpiper

 Baird's Sandpiper

 Wilson's Snipe

 Bonaparte's Gull

 Franklin's Gull

 Ring-billed Gull

 California Gull (best at Walden Reservoir)

 Rock Pigeon

 Eurasian Collared-Dove

 Mourning Dove

 Great Horned Owl

 Burrowing Owl (best at Pawnee)

 White-throated Swift (Garden of the Gods)

 Belted Kingfisher

 Williamson's Sapsucker (almost easy at Genesee)

 Red-naped Sapsucker (first seen at Poncha Springs)

 Downy Woodpecker

 Hairy Woodpecker

 American Three-toed Woodpecker (Golden Gate Canyon State Park)

 Northern Flicker

 Black Phoebe (staked-out rarity at Valco Ponds)

 Say's Phoebe

 

 Loggerhead Shrike

 Gray Jay

 Steller's Jay

 Blue Jay

 Western Scrub-Jay

 Pinyon Jay (only at Poncha Springs)

 Black-billed Magpie

 American Crow

 Chihuahuan Raven

 Common Raven

 Horned Lark

 Tree Swallow

 Violet-green Swallow (especially at Valco Ponds)

 Northern Rough-winged Swallow

 Cliff Swallow

 Barn Swallow

 

 Black-capped Chickadee

 Mountain Chickadee

 Red-breasted Nuthatch

 White-breasted Nuthatch

 Pygmy Nuthatch (especially at Genesee)

 Brown Creeper

 Rock Wren (John Martin Reservoir dam)

 American Dipper (along the Poudre River)

 Ruby-crowned Kinglet

 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (only one the last morning)

 Western Bluebird (White Ranch and Genesee)

 Mountain Bluebird

 Townsend's Solitaire

 American Robin

 Northern Mockingbird

 Sage Thrasher

 Curve-billed Thrasher (Pueblo Reservoir)

 European Starling

 American Pipit

 Yellow-rumped Warbler (only one Myrtle type; Poudre Park)

 Spotted Towhee

 Canyon Towhee (Pueblo Reservoir)

 Chipping Sparrow

 Vesper Sparrow

 Lark Bunting (only one fly-by at Amache)

 Grasshopper Sparrow (mostly heard from Fred's bus)

 Song Sparrow

 White-crowned Sparrow

 Dark-eyed Junco (3 varieties: Gray-headed, Oregon, Pink-sided)

 McCown's Longspur (lots of nice looks at Pawnee)

 Chestnut-collared Longspur (easier than usual at Pawnee)

 Red-winged Blackbird

 Western Meadowlark

 Yellow-headed Blackbird

 Brewer's Blackbird

 Common Grackle

 Great-tailed Grackle

 Brown-headed Cowbird

 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (a few well-marked males in Crested Butte)

 Black Rosy-Finch (just 1 female in Crested Butte)

 Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (easy at Crested Butte and Moose Visitors Center)

 Pine Grosbeak

 Cassin's Finch (first seen at Poncha Springs)

 House Finch

 Red Crossbill (especially at Genesee, Golden Gate Canyon, and White Ranch)

 Pine Siskin

 American Goldfinch

 Evening Grosbeak (near the Golden Gate Canyon feeders)

 House Sparrow

Also seen:

Black-tailed Jackrabbit

cottontail, sp.

Abert's Squirrel

Red Squirrel

Least Chipmunk

Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel

Wyoming Ground Squirrel

Gunnison's Prairie Dog

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Muskrat

Badger

Coyote

Mule Deer

Moose

Elk

Bighorn Sheep

Pronghorn

Boreal Chorus Frog (heard only)

garter snake, sp.

2010 PHOTO GALLERY

Gunnison Sage-Grouse

 

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch

Greater Sage-Grouse

McCown's Longspur

Mountain Plover

2009 PHOTO GALLERY

Scaled Quail

Williamson's Sapsucker

Mountain Chickadee

Western Bluebird

Black Rosy-Finch