2001: a chicken
odyssey
Day 6 Wednesday 4/18/01
First page number refers to the ABA Birders Guide to Colorado
The page number at the end of the notation refer to DeLorme Colorado Atlas and GazetteerDay 6 ~ Wednesday April 18th
We begin this morning searching the feeders in town, in the hope of coming up with all three rosy-finches. It is then onto Guanella Pass (el. 11,665'), for White-tailed Ptarmigan. A search of the Subalpine Fir a little lower down may produce Gray Jay, Pine Grosbeak or Clark's Nutcracker. As we head north towards Walden surrounded by snow-capped peaks, we enter the sagebrush flats and meadows of the North Park mountain valley. On the way we visit Windy Gap as well as Walden Reservoir, where Barrows Goldeneye and White Pelican are possible. Arapaho NWR will provide a good variety of waterfowl including Eared Grebe. After dinner we'll visit Cameron Pass to search for Boreal Owl.
Overnight: WaldenCheck the feeders in SilverPlume & Georgetown before breakfast Geogetown BREAKFAST: The Happy Cooker across from the Hotel de Paris Check feeders on Rose Street for ROSY FINCHES & BIGHORN SHEEP rosy finch this winter, and that was at a residential feeder in Georgetown (3rd & Rose), generally a pretty reliable place to see finches - (P.39)
Our second shot at Silver Plume HotRoadrunners@aol.com Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2000 About 100 ROSY FINCHES were seen this morning on the rocks behind the Silver Plume Firehouse and at a feeder NE of the Firehouse. The feeder is on the West side of a greenish house that hugs the cliff. All three species were observed on the feeder including the Coastal and Interior races of the Gray-crowned. Also observed was a flock of 16 Evening Grosbeaks (2 female, 14 male).Bob and Rhonda Bowling, Highlands Ranch Also Check near the churches on Main Street Directions: Take Exit 226 of Interstate 70 At the end of the westbound exit ramp there is a parking area with restroom. Walk three blocks north along road just east of old gas station. Check rocky hill behind Fire Station. Rosy Finches here and on rocks to the north. Coming to feeders at west end of most northern house, below rocks. The Rosys come to ground feed in the front yard of 347 Main, the house with the Flamingos and between the lavender house and the church.
Our second shot at Loveland Basin/ Pass Ski Area 3/14 (P.147) Take Interstate 70 West of Denver to Exit 216. Ski Area is on South side of interstate. A large wooden feeder is located between Lift #1 and the Ski Patrol Lodge. Note the location of ROSY FINCHES. The Ski area is reached by going up I-70 and exit the road to Loveland Pass. Then turn right to the Ski area. I saw all three Rosy Finches as well as the Hepburn at the Loveland Basin Ski area mentioned in previous Cobird posts. A large wooden feeder is located between Lift #1 and the Ski Patrol Lodge. A quick and easy spotting of the Rosyes. Warren Finch, Lakewood purpfinch@aol.com 4/7 - I saw well over 100 Rosie Finches still feeding at the feeder at Loveland ski area this morning at 9.00 a.m. before getting on the lift. Fantastic viewing standing only 15 feet away. I have not seen them at Silverplum or Georgetown all winter. 4/8 -Loveland Ski area 150 Rosy-Finches, 7 or 8 percent Black, and the rest half Brown-caps and half Gray-crowns. Also present were 3 Pine Grosbeaks and 20 Red-winged Blackbirds. (P.38)
Breakfast
Road to Guanella Pass/ Green Lake (P.145) DIPPER at end of lake in small stream (P.39) Guanella Pass (P.145) Check out July 92 Winging It THREE TOES W/P is reasonably reliable is along the road up to Guanella Pass, often near the upper campground. (3/24) two Three-toed Woodpeckers around noon at Guanella Pass campground. They parked across from the entrance, and about 20 yards up the road the woodpeckers were working on a dead spruce, or at least one with some dead limbs. PTARMIGAN - (3/24) 40 White-tailed Ptarmigan this morning at Guanella Pass. They parked at the pass, then walked about 200 yards past the trailheads (Rosalie and Biernstadt?) further up the road. A rocky knoll is on the left, there is very little snow, and up the side of the hill were the ptarmigan. South of Trails 603 & Rosalie. 3/26 past the top-of-the-pass parking area at around 12:30 pm, 56! at most 100 feet from the road, with some as close as 30 feet. WOW! They were still in their hanging-out-after-waking-up-but-before-eating-willow-buds mode, so mostly ignored us gawking and photographing. They were in a patch of short willows that extended above the snow, which was different from the situation (willow-snow) than in most of the surrounding area. This was well before the patch of stunted conifers (after starting downhill) in which I've seen large numbers before. 4/8 - Guanella Pass However, I did find 2 White-winged Crossbills at the tree line (P.39)
Golden Gate State Park (P.120) 2 NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL 3/28 at 6 pm 2.5 miles up Crawford Gulch Road The best way to get to the site is to take Rt. 93 in Golden to Golden Gate Canyon rd. Go west into the canyon for approx. 4 miles to Crawford Gulch rd. Take a right onto Crawford Gulch. There is a narrow pullover 2.5 miles from the intersection of GGC rd and Crawford Gulch road. Opposite the pullover is a faded old coffee cup on a fence post. This is the site. 3/27 The N.Pygmy-owl first seen on March 5, then mating with another on March 8, was calling this evening from approximately 6 pm to at least 6:45. My brother Christof and I found the lone Pygmy-owl two tenths of a mile uphill from the original sighting on 3/5. It was very active, flying frequently from perches on both sides of the road and calling every few minutes. It seemed to remain on a stretch of Crawford Gulch Rd. within 2.4 mi. to 2.7 mi. from the intersection of Crawford Gulch Rd. and Golden Gate Canyon Rd. (P.40)
Wind Gap Reservoir, nr. Granby (P.104) Opp 125 turn off onto Power St, Barrow's Goldeneye, Grebes, Ruddy Duck, Eagles, Common Merganser, American Pipits (P.28)
Arapaho NWR (P.104) (P.17)
Walden Reservoir White Pelican, Yellow-headed Blackbird (P.17)
Cameron Pass (night time) BOREAL OWL: Your best shot here is Cameron Pass (60 miles west of Fort Collins). Try the eastern end of the parking area for Joe Wright Reservoir. The birds nest across highway 14 from highest parking area. If you strike out here, go to the rest area at the summit to Cameron pass. I recently heard several Boreal Owls just to the west of the parking area. Boreals have been heard this year, at the highest parking area for Joe Wright Reservoir and at the parking lot for Cameron Pass. The best of time of night for success is 10pm - 1am. Moonlit nights do not appear to make a difference; however, any wind/snow will make it near impossible to hear them. Tactics: Wearing your lucky hat, drive several miles west past the top of Cameron Pass. Turn the car around, get out, and listen. Walk or drive east towards the summit. Stop every 0.5 mile and listen. Keep going east until you are several miles down from the summit. If the weather is better on one side, stay with that side. Repeat as necessary. A slight twist on the above tactic: Wearing your lucky hat backwards, drive to the summit. Walk or drive west from the summit. Stop every 0.5 mile and listen. Repeat as necessary. Mile markers 61.5 and 69.5 have been successful in the past (Cameron pass summit is near MM 65.0). (P.18)