November 21, 2011
Today started with a flyover SHARP-SHINNED HAWK at the Vaughn’s about 15 minutes before the COSTA’S HUMMINGBIRD showed up. >From there we headed to Highline SP. On the lake were 1 COMMON LOON, 1 RUDDY DUCK, 1 PIED-BILLED GREBE, and 1 CANVASBACK, also with about 8-10 COMMON MERGANSERS was 1 female HOODED MERGANSER. 3 RING-BILLED GULL, Mallards and WESTERN GREBES were also staying well south of the hunters. Leaving the state park and driving south on CR12 I passed two COMMON GRACKLE and stopped short of US6 to scope a FERRUGINOUS HAWK. Searching for a winery I stopped outside the west entrance to the monument and had 100s of House Finches on the wires. While searching through the finches a flock of 60-70 Pinyon Jay flew by and landing in some small trees on a ranch. Not being able to figure out how to view the ponds at Redland Pkwy I came across a small flock of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW. Giving up on the pond we headed south towards Cheney Res. Driving Reeder Mesa Rd. we saw our first MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS of the trip. Stopping at Juanita Res. there were displaying WILD TURKEYS at the top of the hill. I never went in to the reservoir since dogs are not allowed. A RING-NECKED PHEASANT was feeding on the side of the road going back to US50, but was to quick to make it to our dinner table. Heading south on US 50 we stopped at a small pond west of the highway at mile marker 48 which held a good number of RING-NECKED DUCK, 2 female AMERICAN WIGEON female NORTHERN SHOVLER, and a possible female GREATER SCAUP. Driving in a Bald Eagle flushed and finally arriving at Cheney Res while setting up my scope, Foxy flushed a three BEWICK’S WREN. A lot of American Coots and double digit Pied-billed Grebe with a few that have juvenile face pattern. A trio of GADWALL, a pair of GREEN-WINGED TEAL and a few LESSER SCAUP were new birds for the day list. I believe that at least one of the scaup was greater, but they were actively feeding and sometimes the head sloped the right way and other times not. A large flock of 250 HORNED LARK flew off the reservoir. They seemed to be landing in very shallow water that had some vegetation sticking just above the surface of the water. The last bird of the day was a fast flying PRAIRIE FALCON heading south just before we reached the highway. November 22, 2011 Today started out snowshoeing at Island Lake on the Grand Mesa in Delta. Right of the bet I heard what I hoped was an AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER working on a pine. Breaking trail in the deep snow, 60 inches so far this year, I worked around until the woodpecker I was closing in on was warned by its partner and both disappeared. Picking a pine cones Mountain Chickadees were the only birds encountered. After almost losing the dog a few times in deep snow, we headed down to the valley. A quick stop at Hart’s Basin had a large quantity of MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD in the stubble left over by the receding water. The light was too bad to bother scoping. Next we heading to Confluence Park were the SNOW GEESE are still holding. Needing a few odds and ends for my Delta list I walked the river and found Cedar Waxwings and American Robins working the olives. Mixed in with them were a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, GRAY CATBIRD, and both Audubon and Myrtle YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. Having never been to Escalante Canyon we headed that direction after a late lunch. A stop to watch the 45 WILD TURKEY right after the bridge, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS and a Song Sparrow popped up for a view. The drive into the canyon was quiet. With the exception of a few flocks of Dark-eyed Junco, I managed to see 2 WESTERN SCRUB-JAYS, 1 Bewick’s Wren flushed by Foxy, and a flock of about 20 BUSHTIT. To cap off the evening, the Sandhill Cranes in the field east of US50 north of Delta took flight as we were heading west. Todd Deininger Longmont, CO reporting from the Grand Mesa at 10,500’ -- 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.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
