We just returned from a week on the eastern plains, a swing through Pueblo and the San Luis Valley, highlights below.
The female eastern towhee was still at 16 and JJ near Fort Lyon as of the 15th , scratching in a mixed flock of white crowned sparrows and juncos. The water at John Martin is now too high to access the LeConte's sparrow. Pairs of harriers all over the area appeared to be flying in courting displays. There was also an immature golden eagle at Hasty Campground and eastern bluebirds were found along the south side, near the dam. Thurston reservoir still had about 300 sandhill cranes in the surrounding fields. Four greater white fronted geese were in the Santa Fe slough at John Martin on the 16th, and a canyon wren sang from the rocks at Point Overlook on the same day. Four greater yellowlegs were seen at Blue Lake on the 16th, a great black backed gull accompanied about 50 pelicans there as well. White winged doves were found along Dartmouth near Sunset Park in Pueblo just after daybreak on the 17th, (along with a ridiculous number of eurasian collared doves, which were EVERYWHERE we went on this trip). The construction zone near Valco ponds was active, and we did not find the black phoebe, but many singing Bewick's wrens were found there and at Lathrop State Park on the 18th. Also on the 17th, no yellowbellied sapsuckers were detected at Holy Cross Abbey, but the rufous crowned sparrow was working the hillside adjacent to the parking lot at Tunnel drive at about 4 PM. Two turkey vultures drifted over the car just east of Canon City earlier that afternoon. On was also seen on the 19th at Monte Vista NWR. On the 18th, Lathrop also had active juniper titmice with a pair easily found adjacent to the parking lot at the Hogback Trail, >300 American Robins, ALL of whom were very vocal, 2 greater yellowlegs, 4 wood ducks, bushtits, and a great tailed grackle. A very nice place to bird, very quiet with lots of diversity of species! Monte Vista cranes were probably still >10000 during our time there (19th-21st). Cinnamon teal were easily found there, and really all over on the trip. Sage thrashers were at Monte Vista on the 19th, and San Luis State park on the 20th (near campground, close to lake, singing). A trip to Home Lake on the 20th revealed 2 evening grosbeaks in a mixed flock with house sparrows and ECDs, reminding us that all bird flocks deserve a second look, and an avocet and greater yellowlegs were on the lake, also 2 bald eagles. We had a flock of swallows go overhead in good light, and thought they were tree swallows. Returned through Buena Vista on the 21st, 4 Lewis's woodpeckers had read Hugh Kingery's fantastic guide to birding in the state, and were there as if on cue in the neighborhood at Crossman Avenue. They are so beautiful! Also swung through Garden of the Gods in the Springs that afternoon, thanks to Bill Maynard's posting, and saw three prairie falcons at the North Gateway Rock (look for white washed rocks near the top) and a handful of white throated swifts were there as well. All were visible from the parking lot (!). Didn't have much time to look for the ravens, etc that he reported . Cheryl Teuton (and Dan Brooke) --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Join us at the 2009 Convention in Alamosa: http://cfo-link.org/convention/index.php You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.as/group/cobirds?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
