Meeting Place:
The National Car Rental counter
at Denver Airport by 11:00AM
Motel Arrangements:
All rooms have 2 beds, are non-smoking, en-suite and very comfortable.
Most motels have facilities to do your own laundry.
Friday April 13th
Sandhiller Motel (970) 332-4134 411 N. Railway Ave Wray, CO 80758Saturday April 14th
Comfort Inn- Denver Southeast 14071 E. Iliff Avenue Aurora CO 80014 (303) 755-8000Sunday April 15th
Crawford Motel (719) 523-6276 288 Colorado Street Springfield, CO 81073Monday April 16th
Best Western Pueblo West (719) 547-2111 201 S. McCullough Blvd Pueblo, CO 81007Tuesday April 17th
Georgetown Motor Inn (303) 569-3201 1100 Rose Street Georgetown, CO 80444Wednesday April 18th
Chedsey Motel (970) 723-8201 537 Main Street Walden, CO 80480Thursday April 19th
Bear Valley Inn (970) 824-8101 755 E. Victory Way Craig, CO 81625Friday April 20th
Best Western Tomichi Inn (970) 641-1131 41883 E. Tomichi Hwy (Rte 50) Gunnison, CO 81230Saturday April 21st
Best Western Pueblo West (719) 547-2111 201 S. McCullough Blvd Pueblo, CO 81007
Room Assignments:
1. Adrian Binns / Martin Selzer
2. Bert Filemyr / Karl Lukens
3. Lynn Jackson / Erica
Brendal
4. Chris Walters / Frank
Windfelder
Please Note
I (Adrian Binns) have not done this trip before, and am using information
very generously provide by Gerry Dewaghe, who has run (and raved about) this
trip the last two years.
Please keep in mind:
- Because we have to be in place at the 'leks' before the birds, it will mean
getting up at approximately 4 AM each morning!
- We will not be able to leave the display grounds, until all the 'chickens'
have left the 'leks'…..therefore no coffee before breakfast!
- In order to visit all the known 'chicken' sites, it
is necessary to cover many miles daily. Basically, we'll be doing a figure-8
around Colorado.
Though we will try to maximize the birding opportunities, those that feel
sleep deprived should be able to catch up during some of the longer stretches
of the road trip! The blind at Campo (Lesser Prairie-Chicken) is small and
holds 4 people. We'll have to draw straws on this one. The rest of us will
be in the vehicle a short distance away. In order to see the Greater Prairie-Chicken
(Wray), we have to be part of a packaged tour that the Wray Museum/ East Yuma
County Historical Society offers. Included in the package is a BBQ dinner
and lecture Friday evening and Saturday breakfast following the visit to the
blind. Be prepared to walk in thigh-deep snowdrifts at Guanella Pass (White-tailed
Ptarmigan).
Contact Phone
# Mobile phone # (215) 284-8044, will be with us in the vehicle. The phone
numbers to the motels are listed under that section.
Previous Trip Lists
A list of species seen on the trip the last two years, is available.
Meals
Meals and drinks are not included in the cost of this
tour. In some motels a continental breakfast is included. In Wray, dinner
as well as breakfast is included as part of the Greater Prairie-Chicken experience.
Because we have to be at the "leks" before dawn, we will have breakfast after
the chickens have left the display grounds. If there is not somewhere convenient
on the way to stop for lunch, we will stop at a supermarket to make purchases,
and have a picnic lunch en route. Dinner is usually somewhere close to the
motel, though if it looks as though we'll be arriving late, we'll stop early
for dinner. (For some reason, dinner in most places isn't served after 8pm!)
There will be a cooler in the van for drinks. If you have any particular dietary
requirements, please let me know at the time of booking.
Transportation
Transport will be by 15-passenger Van, using the
back seat area for luggage, allowing for a maximum of 8 passengers per van.
This will be driven by the leader(s). There will be a cooler aboard for drinks.
Climate
April: You can expect a great variation in temperature range. Overnight lows
in the 20's and daytime highs in the 60's, though the 80's in not unheard
of! Of course the higher elevations will be colder. Denver
averages and records.
What to Bring
Because space in the vehicles is limited, soft duffle bags pack best. Please
pack lightly, dress casually, bring layers, outerwear that protects against
wind and rain or snow. Note: In order NOT TO DISTURB the grouse, DO
NOT pack any bright clothes or any clothes that are going to be noisy.
Don't forget binoculars and if you wish to bring a scope along, by all means
do. I will bring walkie-talkie radios, weather radio, scope and the books/audio
marked with an * If you have any of the following membership cards, please
bring them along: Golden Eagle Pass; Duck Stamp; Audubon membership. This
will allow free or discounted admission to certain refuges or sanctuaries.
Walking
With grouse being our target birds, there will not be too much walking, though
we may cover several miles searching for Chukar. A sturdy pair of tennis shoes
or lightweight walking boots will be sufficient. Looking for the White-tailed
Ptarmigan, may mean walking through the snow, so Snow boots or weather proof
boots are recommended.
Photography
Great opportunities to take photos of displaying grouse, from the blinds.
Don't forget your camera or video.
Spending Money
Meals are not included in the cost of this tour. Please allow approx $10 for
breakfast, $10-15 for lunch and $20-30 for dinner. Shopping opportunities
will be very limited on this trip.
Time
Mountain Standard Time (MST) ~ 2 hours behind EST Sunrise: 6AM Sunset: 6:45PM
Books
National Audubon Society/ The Sibley Guide to Birds
National Geographic/ Field Guide to the Birds of North America
ABA Birdfinding Guide /A Birder's Guide to Colorado
Mammals ~ Peterson Field Guides
Reptiles and Amphibians: Western ~ Peterson Field Guides
The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies
Colorado Atlas & Gazetteer ~ DeLorme Mapping Company
Audio Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs: Western Region
Birding by Ear: Western ~ Peterson Field Guides More Birding by Ear: Western
~ Peterson Field Guides
Articles
Gunnison Sage Grouse/ Sage Grouse Futures - Birding August 2000