On Saturday, I birded Ramah <http://www.coloradocountybirding.com/county/bird_a_county.php?name=El%20Pas o#860> SWA in the morning and then Big <http://www.coloradocountybirding.com/county/bird_a_county.php?name=El%20Pas o#859> Johnson Reservoir in the afternoon.
Ramah was very quiet. Lots of hunters and shooting activity all around. I wanted to check out the new Pam Wagner memorial birding trail that I read about in the paper and in this group. The only trail I could find was a ~300 yard, unmarked trail with a Wagner memorial tree and plaque about half-way along the trail. The trail starts at the NE corner of the reservoir, in a small parking area. Regardless, and in spite of the hunting activity, I wondered through the very quiet woods and did turn up a couple of finds: . Roosting common nighthawk . Cassin's Kingbird along with a few western kingbirds, say's phoebes and western wood-peewee. . Blue Jays Otherwise, very non-birdy. On my way to Big Johnson, I stopped at Peyton Hwy and Squirrel Ck Rd; a gravel pull-out that often has many birds. In that parking lot I observed several dozen brewer's and vesper sparrows along with horned larks. Always a good spot to check. At Big Johnson, it was pouring rain but I was able to scope from my car in the parking lot. Would have been great birding if the weather had cooperated as the reservoir was full of shorebirds and waterfowl. Some highlights: . Western Grebes and probably a couple Clark's. . More than a few Sterna terns; simply couldn't ID to species . Am White Pelicans . Double-crested Cormorants . Loads of GB Herons around the shore . Sandpipers of unknown species on far shore . Am Avocet . Rough-legged Hawk . Yellow-headed blackbirds in with a large flock of starlings Loads of waterfowl and probably lots of rarities that were beyond my reach. Jeff J Jones ( <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]) Teller County - 8500' - Montane Woodlands --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Colorado Field Ornithologists: http://www.cfo-link.org/ Colorado County Birding: http://www.coloradocountybirding.com/ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
