Hi, everybody. With Bill Schmoker and participants in a "naturalists' workshop" with The Nature Conservancy, I had a nice visit to the San Luis Valley this past weekend. Photos and commentary here:
http://tinyurl.com/SLV-TNC-2016 Brief highlights follow: Lathrop State Park, *Huerfano* Co. (not in the San Luis Valley), Thurs., Mar. 17. 31 *cackling geese,* 6 *horned grebes,* 6 *western scrub-jays,* 5 *juniper titmice,* 25+ *bushtits,* 2 *Bewick wrens,* 3 *Townsend solitaires,* 1 *curve-billed thrasher,* and 2 *sage thrashers.* eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28415034 Fort Garland, *Costilla* Co., Thurs., Mar. 17. 9 *great-tailed grackles* as I rolled through town. eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28415201 Smith Reservoir State Wildlife Area, *Costilla* Co., Thurs., Mar. 17. 1 *cackling goose,* 1 *greater scaup,* 1 *hooded merganser,* huge, eBird-queried numbers of common duck species, 2 *horned grebes,* 600 *sandhill cranes,* 3 *killdeer,* 1 *herring gull,* and *1 merlin.* eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28415281 Piñon Hills, *Conejos* Co., Fri., Mar. 18. 1 *loggerhead shrike,* 1 *rock wren,* and 4 *sagebrush sparrows.* eBird checklists: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28415768, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28415642, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28415718 Sego Springs State Wildlife Area, *Conejos* Co., Fri., Mar. 18. 2 *sage thrashers* and 3 *sagebrush sparrows.* eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28420448 Rio Grande at Hwy 142, *Conejos* Co., Fri., Mar. 18. 1 *Mexican duck x mallard* hybrid and 2 *Say phoebes.* eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28436981 Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, *Rio Grande* Co., Sat., Mar. 19. 41 *cackling geese,* 1 *bald eagle,* 9,000+ *sandhill cranes,* 1 *merlin,* 1 *peregrine falcon, *and 1 *marsh wren. *eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28463897 Zapata Ranch (private), *Alamosa* Co., Sat.-Sun., Mar. 19-20. 2 *western screech-owls,* 5+ *great horned owls,* 1 *northern pygmy-owl,* 4 *long-eared owls,* 1 *northern saw-whet owl,* 80+ *pinyon jays,* 1 *western scrub-jay,* 5 *bushtits,* and 3 *pine siskins.* eBird checklists: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28469133, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28476405, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28470408, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28464834 Medano Ranch (private), *Alamosa* Co., Sat.-Sun., Mar. 19-20. 175+ *sandhill cranes,* 2 *prairie falcons,* 2 *Say phoebes,* 3 *loggerhead shrikes,* 2 swallow sp., 1 *American pipit,* 5+ *sage thrashers,* and 8+ *sagebrush sparrows.* eBird checklists: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28470653, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28463536, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28459691, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28459801 Center, *Saguache* Co., Sun., Mar. 20. 2 *northern mockingbirds.* eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28469946 Russell Lakes State Wildlife Area, *Saguache* Co., Sun., Mar. 20. 1 *rough-legged hawk,* 100+ *sandhill cranes,* 1 *American avocet,* and 9 *marsh wrens.* eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28467476 Widely noted in suitable habitat across the San Luis Valley were the following: *cinnamon teal, green-winged teal, ruddy duck, golden eagle, black-billed magpie, common raven, horned lark, mountain bluebird, western meadowlark, *and* red-winged blackbird.* Thanks to Audrey Wolk, Mandy Timbers, Nancy Fishbein, Bill Schmoker, and The Nature Conservancy in Colorado for the excellent weekend. Ted Floyd Lafayette, Boulder County -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/f1a9018c-944b-4716-8780-43b4e2179ba6%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
