Itinerary
4/11/01 - There have been changes to the plan. The text below represents the new plan. If you are interested in the final detailed plan please access the Final Plan *.pdf file.
Day 1 ~ Friday April 13th
Early morning flight into Denver. After
collecting our rental vehicle, we will drive approximately an hour northeast
of Denver to Lower Latham Reservoir and the surrounding wet meadows, where
Western and Clark's Grebe, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Cinnamon Teal and Wilson's
Phalarope breed, and lingering Ross' Geese are possible. We then head east
to Wray, where we'll enjoy a BBQ dinner and program on the Greater Prairie
Chicken.
Overnight: Wray
Location of Wray
Day 2 ~ Saturday April 14th
Begin Civil Twilight 5:44 am - Sunrise 6:12
At dawn we visit the first of our 'chickens' the Greater Prairie-Chicken on
their dancing grounds. Here males inflate then deflate their bare orange sacs,
creating a deep booming sound that can be heard a great distance away, all
the while performing an intricate 'dance' as they take a few tiny steps, then
rapidly stamp their feet. We then travel west, spending the remainder of the
day at the 775,000 acre Pawnee National
Grassland where Golden Eagles, Ferruginous and Swainson's Hawk's abound.
Here we will search Crow Valley Park and Campground for woodland species,
including Long-eared and Great Horned Owl.
Overnight: Greeley
Location
of Greeley
Day 3 ~ Sunday April 15th
Begin Civil Twilight 5:52 am - Sunrise 6:20
We return to the Pawnee Grasslands,
to search the short Buffalo grass prairie for our target birds, McCown's and
Chestnut-collared Longspurs and Mountain Plover all in breeding plumage. Sparrows
including Brewer's, Cassin's and Grasshopper should be seen along fence-lines
and Burrowing Owl's nest in Black-tailed Prairie Dog holes. Other possible
mammals in these grasslands include Pronghorn, Coyote and White-tailed Jackrabbits.
Late morning we head south stopping at Bonny
Lake State Park and Nee Noshe Reservoir, to look for migrant warblers
and shorebirds and search the edge of fields for LeConte's Sparrow.
Overnight: Springfield
Location
of Springfield
Day 4 ~ Monday April 16th
Begin Civil Twilight 5:49 am - Sunrise 6:16
Another pre-dawn start finds us in Campo on the display grounds of the Lesser
Prairie-Chicken. Smaller and paler that the Greater, their dances are similar,
but the booming notes are higher pitched and the Lesser fans its tail only
at the beginning of the display sequence. Several species of sparrow, Lark
Bunting, Scaled Quail and Cactus Wren inhabit the surrounding sage habitat.
Heading east through the Comanche Grasslands, we look for Long Billed Curlews,
and visit scenic Cottonwood and Carrizo Canyon, an area of pinyon-juniper
habitat. It is here that we encounter the colorful Lewis Woodpecker. Other
species include Mississippi Kite, Chihuahuan Raven, Spotted and Canyon Towhee,
Harris, Vesper and Lark Sparrow, Vermillion Flycatcher and Lesser Goldfinch.
Overnight: Trinidad
Location
of Trinidad
Day 5 ~ Tuesday April 17th
Begin Civil Twilight 5:57 am - Sunrise 6:24
This morning we begin in the San Luis Valley, where extensive wetlands dot
the valley floor. We'll search for Sage Sparrow and Bendire's Thrasher, visit
Russell Lakes for Cliff Swallow and expect to see Sandhill Cranes and Roseate
Spoonbills at Monte
Vista NWR. As we head north through the mountain valleys on our way to
Georgetown, we'll look for such montane species as American Dipper, Mountain
Chickadee and Red-naped Sapsucker.
Overnight: Georgetown
Location
of Georgetown
Day 6 ~ Wednesday April 18th
Begin Civil Twilight 5:52 am - Sunrise 6:21
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'), probably the best place in the US to see basic plumaged
White-tailed Ptarmigan, an alpine species which resides above the timberline.
The snow could be deep and we have to be prepared to walk in thigh-deep snowdrifts!
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: Walden
Location
of Walden
Day 7 ~ Thursday April 19th
Begin Civil Twilight 5:52 am - Sunrise 6:20
This morning we visit the lek site of the largest and most beautiful of North
America's Grouse, the Sage Grouse. Here, sometimes in large groups, they strut
with wings drooped, white chests puffed out, inflating two yellow-green air
sacs, raise and spread their long spiky tail, then throw their heads back
on their shoulders as the air sacs are deflated with a bubbling, popping sound.
Other birds to look for in the area are Sage Thrasher and Mountain Bluebirds.
Before reaching Hayden we'll keep a look out for such mountain species as
Cassin's Finch, Pine Siskins, Evening.Grosbeaks, Stellars Jay and Townsend
Solitaires. The afternoon will be spent listening for the booming calls of
the interior race of Blue Grouse, which should led us to good views. Generally
solitary, males strut with tail raised and fanned, white neck feathers spread
to reveal an inflated purplish-red sac that produces these single low hoots.
Overnight: Craig
Location
of Craig
Day 8 ~ Friday April 20th
Begin Civil Twilight 5:56 am - Sunrise 6:24
Another pre-dawn start in order to witness the most amazing of North America's
avian dance rituals, that of the Sharp-tail Grouse. In NW Colorado this is
the 'Columbian' race. It will soon become apparent where the origins of the
Native American spring and fertility dances, known as 'chicken dances' came
from. With wings bowed to the side and tails cocked; feet stomping, sounding
like a drum roll; bent over and bowing, they perform their dance while rotating
in circles. By mid-afternoon, we'll walk Coal Canyon in Cameo in search of
Chukar, and introduced species that has been well established in the west.
They become more conspicuous in spring, when the harsh cackling chuk chuk
chukar of the territorial males echoes from the rocky cliffs. The canyon is
also good for Black throated Sparrow, Pinyon Jay, Lazuli Bunting and Rock
Wren. As we make our way towards an early dinner in Grand Junction, we'll
be on the lookout for Gambel's Quail. After dinner a 3 hour journey to Gunnison!
Overnight: Gunnison
Location
of Gunnison
Day 9 ~ Saturday April 21st
Begin Civil Twilight 5:57 am - Sunrise 6:24
This morning we visit the lek of the recently established new species, Gunnison
Sage Grouse. Smaller in size but just as stunning as the Sage Grouse, we'll
notice the subtle differences in calls as well as plumage as they strut on
their display grounds. They end their displays with a little tail-shaking!
From here we head east towards the Pueblo area, where we hope to locate our
eleventh 'chicken' the Scaled Quail.
Overnight: Pueblo
Location
of Pueblo
Day 10 ~ Sunday April 22nd
Begin Civil Twilight 5:54 am - Sunrise 6:13
Our final morning will be spent heading north through Phantom Creek Canyon
to Victor, where we'll check the feeders for rosy finches including the 'Hepburn's'
race of Gray-crowned. Arrive in Denver for a late afternoon flight to Philadelphia.
Civil Twilight is defined to begin in the morning, and to end in the evening when the center of the Sun is geometrically 6 degrees below the horizon. This is the limit at which twilight illumination is sufficient, under good weather conditions, for terrestrial objects to be clearly distinguished; at the beginning of morning civil twilight, or end of evening civil twilight, the horizon is clearly defined and the brightest stars are visible under good atmospheric conditions in the absence of moonlight or other illumination. In the morning before the beginning of civil twilight and in the evening after the end of civil twilight, artificial illumination is normally required to carry on ordinary outdoor activities. Complete darkness, however, ends sometime prior to the beginning of morning civil twilight and begins sometime after the end of evening civil twilight.