Southeastern CO is always interesting. The birds are, too.
Per usual, my recent 11-day visit concentrated on the Lamar area (Prowers),
with a few side trips to Lake Hasty (Bent) and one to Carrizo and Cottonwood
Canyons (Baca/LasAnimas).
Lamar Area Summary: Total of 67 species. This compares with 69 species seen
during the 30Dec2013-9Jan2014 period. Seen during the earlier visit and not
seen this visit: Greater Scaup, Golden Eagle, Merlin, Wilson's Snipe, Northern
Shrike, White-breasted Nuthatch, Marsh Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Swamp
Sparrow, Lapland Longspur, Brewer's Blackbird, and Brown-headed Cowbird.
(Note: several of these were seen this visit but outside what I consider the
"Lamar Area", which is roughly a CBC-sized "circle" centered on downtown
Lamar*). Seen this visit in the Lamar Area but not during the earlier visit:
Greater White-fronted Goose, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon,
Mountain Bluebird, Sandhill Crane, Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Canvasback, and Barn
Owl.
In other words, some semi-hardy species seen at the beginning of 2014 either
wigged out, moved on, or avoided detection this trip (probably mostly the
latter), and obviously some migrants are beginning to show up (cranes, Cinnamon
Teal, pintails, Barn Owl).
The cardinals and Red-bellied Woodpeckers are doing well in Lamar, with the
redbirds being usually found at the sporadically-filled feeders (in recent
years only during the Snow Goose Festival) and in the real-world Russian-olive
tangles at the south end of the LCC Woods, and with the woodpeckers being
regular at various areas that sport mature trees and/or suet/peanut feeders
around town. Great-tailed Grackles like the Walmart parking lot e of downtown.
A few Yellow-rumped Warblers have wintered per usual in Lamar, and are usually
near berry-laden junipers and/or feeders. No sapsuckers this winter that I can
find.
Cranes are going over daily at present. Thousands of geese of 5 species are
milling about, their daily numbers and locations heavily influenced by hunters
and instincts. Soon, all but a very few Canadas will move north.
Thurston Reservoir (Prowers) has a fair covering of very shallow seep-water
from nearby ditches. When thawed, this is good for dabbling ducks (at present,
especially 100's of pintails), cranes, and if it persists, should be good for
shorebirds. Divers will have a tough time doing more than floating. All the
fish died in the fall of 2012 and their carcasses still decorate a massive
swath of what used to be shoreline. Signs at the entry to the southside boat
ramp overgrown with tamarisk remind would-be sportspersons to be careful about
importing exotic mollusks into the dirt at the bottom of the ramp. Will do.
The Black Hole and nearby area east of Two Buttes Reservoir Dam, historically
one of the most exiciting birding sites in all of CO, is still closed to
regular folks. Rumor has it a male Pine Grosbeak is down there at present.
Weather-permitting, heavy equipment is hard at work in the area of the dam
preparing it and associated spillway for the imminent 10,000 Year Flood, both
of which (equipment and impending flood) render the place unsafe for normal
visitation, including unfestivous birders. As Dave Barry always says, I'm not
making this up.
John Martin Reservoir and Lake Hasty were mostly unfrozen during our last visit
(22Feb). Waterfowl numbers seemed very low for a sizable water body at this
time of year. As the winter-killed fish resource immediately available after a
thaw diminishes with each ice-free day, so do the numbers of gulls and eagles.
In the CG were an Eastern Bluebird and two Brown Creepers. A nice flock of
over 20 Scaled Quail usually frequents the sage flats south of Lake Hasty,
including the area immediately south of the outlet canal, the Corps of
Engineers work buildings and the corral just e of "downtown" Caddoa. We did
not see the pair of roadrunners that usually frequents the sw part of the CG.
As a heads-up to would-be visitors, the only bathroom currently open in the
area of Lake Hasty and nearby CG (other than one at the sometimes-open VC) is
sw of the normally-unmanned CG paystation. In distinct contrast, the
confederate flags in the town of Caddoa just south of Lake Hasty are unfurled,
in good working order, and overtop the U.S. and Colorado banners. The only
things higher on the poles are TV dishes. Unfortunately, the frayed and
flapping redneck dynasty is never closed, never lays-off clerks, outreach
specialists, or biologists.
Southwest of Springfield at the USFS Carrizo Canyon Picnic Area (just south of
Baca CR M about 25 miles w of US287) on 20Feb was a pair of Ladder-backed
Woodpeckers working drought-killed pinyons and junipers. Also in this area
were Western Scrub-Jays and a Loggerhead Shrike. Probably lots of other
species, had there been more time to search.
Along the Cottonwood Canyon Loop which dips down from Road M (Baca and Las
Animas) on 20Feb were at least 3 Rock Wrens, 3 Canyon Wrens, singing Bewick's
Wren, probable heard-only Canyon Towhee, heard-only Western Screech-Owl, 2
Mountain Chickadees, Brown Creeper, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. No Winter Wrens,
House Wren, Lewis's Woodpecker, Wild Turkey, roadrunner, or Rufous-crowned
Sparrow, although such secretive birds could certainly have been present.
The number of ravens along 287 between Lamar and Campo, and between Springfield
and Pritchett on US160, is higher than I can remember. Their ID is as
confusing as ever. Bill Maynard and I have discussed and cussed the
questionable utility of bill bristle extent along the top mandible in
separating Common from Chihuahuan. If Steve Mlodinow comes down here and
discovers a hybrid, I will never give this matter of trying to separate the two
another thought.
* The "Lamar Area" as used here is the place name of Prowers (Rd HH/Bent
CR34.5) on the west, Prowers CR13 along US50 on the east, Prowers CR X at US287
on the south, and Prowers CR UU/8 Rd on the north. While not a perfect or
precise square/circle, I do not consider Tempel's Grove or the Great Plains
Reservoirs within this area.
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
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