That's exactly what we did. One thing about being in MT-it stays light out until 10pm so you can get a lot of birding in after dinner! L.
On Mon, Jul 20, 2020 at 11:57 AM Joe Roller <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks, Lisa, for this detailed info! > You can find maps that guide you right to these NWR's by searching the > eBird hotspot map. > > Hutton Lake - Southwest of Laramie. Look for it on eBird hotspot map, > under the name "Hutton Lake NWR". There are over a thousand checklists for > this SPOT, which can be HOT. > > Pathfinder- SW of Casper. There are several hotspots en route to > Pathfinder NWR too. > > The other NWR's Lisa and Emil mentioned are in Montana, and most are > probably eBird hotspots too, but I am not > as familiar with Montana. > > At every hotspot there is a lot of info about what birds can be found > there in different seasons. > > Joe Roller, Denver > > > On Mon, Jul 20, 2020 at 11:40 AM Lisa Carp <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi All- >> >> We just returned from 2 weeks on the road birding in WY, MT, S & N >> Dakota. I thought I'd share some info on the NWR's where we stopped. I just >> mention anything unusual we saw at each one. We had to pick & choose which >> NWR to stop at for there are so many. We chose some for they were on the >> way to where we needed to go. A couple we would not ever return to but it >> was still fun going to them. >> >> We also birded 4 National Parks, 2 State Parks, pull outs, small lakes & >> rivers & creeks & city parks in every town where we stayed. >> >> If you need any tips on road trips during CV send me an email for we are >> experts now! >> >> More experienced birders may get more species at each stop than we >> did but each stop was unique & some a real adventure finding. >> >> *Hutton Lake-East of Laramie, WY. Google took us to a ranch & thank >> goodness a cowboy came along before we drove down the long drive to the >> ranch house & he knew exactly how we should get to the NWR. He said yes >> google sends birders to them all the time. He was very nice about it. This >> lake is close to home so you can make it a day trip if you just want to >> stay close. I do not remember the road names but you want the road that >> looks like it goes into the cement plant. 38 species. >> >> *Pathfinder-Outside of Casper, WY-2 parts to this WR. We somehow found >> the lake with no signs, dirt track, out in the middle of nowhere next to >> another huge ranch. You can drive right onto the beach. Trust me there is >> no one else around! This ranch at one time was 140,000 acres & now is 638 >> acres. 18 species at this lake. >> The main sign is off of HWY 287 & that is Steamboat Lake which had 100's >> of avocets. >> 11 species. >> >> *Ninepipe-North of Missoula, MT-MT is cedar waxwing country! Also >> yellow warblers! Lots everywhere! 36 species. >> >> *Pablo-North of Missoula, MT-Lots of Canvasbacks & Eastern Kingbirds. >> 27 species. >> >> Thibadeau Lake-North of Havre, MT-We discovered we went to the wrong >> lake so we really have not been to this NWR. We birded a different lake >> about 2 miles from the real NWR. Never trust google! 15 species. >> >> Creedman Coulee-North of Havre, MT-This is the NWR where you get the >> text welcoming you to Canada! You can even see into Canada! We finally got >> to the refugee after talking to a Border Patrol Officer who just happened >> to be at the side of the dirt road we were on & going through 3 of the >> barbed wire/pole fence gates. We are convinced ranchers in this area remove >> signs & make it as difficult as possible to get to the WRs. We even found a >> bent NWR boundary sign & an extra nail put in a post at a gate just to make >> it more difficult to go through. Anyone else experience this? Thibadeau & >> this refuge are way out in the middle of nowhere again. We were happy to >> see the BP Officer. 19 species. >> >> Bowdoin-Outside of Malta, MT-The Grand Daddy of them all. We estimated >> 50,000 birds here & that's probably a conservative number!! This is the >> only refuge we birded in the evening. There are so many birds here it's >> overwhelming. It's a very cool place! If there is one you should go to this >> is it if ever in the area. It's about 14 miles to drive around the lake. >> Our 1st female sharp- tailed grouse ever here. 52 species. >> >> UL Bend-South of Malta-Hubby thought it would be a good idea to go on >> the back roads to this place. 20 miles & 2 hours later on bad dirt roads & >> almost getting stuck in mud we finally turned around. We never even made it >> to any water! Do not go to this place unless you have plenty of time, gas, >> food & water. There is no one around to help you if anything happens. >> >> The good news was we saw the most amazing things on the dirt roads going >> to this place. First we saw 19 hawks each perched on it's own big round hay >> bale in one big field. That's something you just don't get to see. Then we >> saw an upland sandpiper on the road with 2 female sharp-tails. Also a >> long-billed curlew. So it wasn't really a waste of time going to UL Bend >> but again it was a lot of time spent on bad roads. >> >> Charles M. Russel-South of Malta-Go here instead of UL Bend. Nice 2 mile >> *civilized* drive which we only did a small part for we did not have >> time or interest after our adventure in UL Bend. >> >> Total species for the 2 weeks-still working on that. >> >> Have mask, will bird! >> >> Lisa Carp & Emil Yappert >> Superior, CO >> >> >> >> >> -- >> 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 view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAHkHN6RgEe1wQ61LDLCEqm89S24Tnvu3q17%2BMsL2_A1fT5G3Tw%40mail.gmail.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAHkHN6RgEe1wQ61LDLCEqm89S24Tnvu3q17%2BMsL2_A1fT5G3Tw%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. 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