In 2004 I did a "Chicken Tour" to find the grouse and prairie-chickens in Colorado with some success
albeit with a farcical amount of backtracking and circumnavigating around Colorado in 10 days.
I decided to recreate it a decade later in 2014 with a more compressed schedule and combined
it with a Colima Warbler hike (Big Bend NP) and a quick break in the return leg of the trip at Houston
for a day on the coast during migration. I did not manage to fit a Lesser Prairie-Chicken search into
the schedule - the Campo Lek has been closed for several years, and the leks around Milnesand NM
are suffering from ongoing drought (the last two years they appear to have canceled their Prairie-Chicken
festival). Having seen that species once, I suspect I might never see one again unless I go on a specific trip to KS
or OK soon (or if the drought ever breaks and the species rebounds). The general decline in grouse and prairie-chickens
was what spurred me to recreate the trip anyway - Gunnison's Sage-Grouse and Lesser Prairie-Chicken hover on the edge of
being classified as endangered species and most of these family exhibit dwindling populations.
Colorado remains the definitive place to give you the best chance of seeing a combination of these species,
although there are better places to e.g. see Chukar than in Colorado where they have a limited range and low-ish numbers.
USPS mail hold: CAH182918470
Airlines and Rental Cars
I've shifted from United Airlines ("the antichrist in the form of an airline") who have repeatedly messed with the flights I was on,
and switched to South West who while not impeccable are at least on average better. I managed to score three of four flight legs
for this trip off South West (EWR-DEN, MAF-HOU, HOU-EWR) of frequent flier miles (points), and only had to pay for the DEN-MAF
with actual cash for which United were the only airline to offer a direct flight.
Everybody else's car rental experience has suffered over the last several years and it's no different for me: for some places I prefer to
use Dollar based on decent experiences at MIA and DEN, but have started paying more attention to Yelp reviews having narrowly dodged the
bullet on the apparently routinely awful Dollar at LAX. My LAX experience with Enterprise was nothing short of exceptional
but I imagine this is an outlier on the other side of things - if they were universally that good everyone would be using them.
I've realized that I've experienced Dollar "slowing the line" when they run out of cars at MIA and SFO, and
while I suspect this is not unique to Dollar it does make me wary that there's been a company-wide trend of reducing the fleet. Thrifty once stuck
me in line for 90 mins at SEA-TAC so I pay attention to negative "out of car" reviews. For the HOU car rental *all* the companies had
negative reviews of that sort, some companies had little operations that weren't open past noon on Saturday (that counts you out, Enterprise),
and I was anticipating enough inconvenience that I double-booked rental car companies that were within walking distance. I never do that, but
that was a narrow 26 hour window trip break and I'm not spending 20% of that in a car rental lot.
General Birding Resources
Holt's "Birder's Guide to Colorado" was published in 1997 so is close to 20 years old in content and therefore nowhere
near as useful as it was on my first trip in 2004. It appears that ABA have largely stopped sponsoring the development of
such books which is a real shame. Instead, much of the relevant location and sightings info has moved to the web,
where there is a parallel effort in sites and email lists from the Colorado Birding Society and Colorado Field Ornithologists.
I have no idea what the back story is on having two apparently competing organizations but the sightings data, at least, is
rather complementary so both sets of sightings have to be monitored. Plus eBird.
I tend to find CoBus more useful, although the website presentation is somewhat archaic. Ironically the CoFO site
is a more modern design but visually distracting.
Colorado Birds list https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/cobirds
Cobirders list https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/cobirders/conversations/messages
CoBus (recent): http://coloradobirdingsociety.net16.net/
CoBus Chickens: http://coloradobirdingsociety.net16.net/grouse.htm
CoBus Sites by County http://coloradobirdingsociety.net16.net/countymap.htm
Sightings spring 2014 http://coloradobirdingsociety.net16.net/springbirds14.htm
CoFO Sites by County http://coloradocountybirding.org/
CoFO Specialties http://coloradocountybirding.org/Specialties.aspx
Colorado Birding Trail http://coloradobirdingtrail.com/
Colorado Counties map http://www.digital-topo-maps.com/county-map/colorado.shtml
New Mexico Hotline http://www.nmbirds.org/?page_id=15
Birding SE NM: http://www.rt66.com/~kjherman/4BSENM.html
Year Bird/Life Bird http://www.philjeffrey.net/yblb/yblb_py.cgi
ABA list archive TX http://birding.aba.org/maillist/TX
ABA list archive NE http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NE
ABA list archive CO_1 http://birding.aba.org/maillist/CO01
Accuweather Denver http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/denver-co/80203/daily-weather-forecast/347810
Accuweather Steamboat http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/steamboat-springs-co/80487/daily-weather-forecast/332189
Accuweather Gd Junctn http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/grand-junction-co/81501/daily-weather-forecast/327349
Accuweather Gunnison http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/gunnison-co/81230/daily-weather-forecast/332170
Accuweather Wray http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/wray-co/80758/daily-weather-forecast/332195
Driving Times
Denver:Gunnison 3:41/200 mi
Denver:Sterling 1:50/128 mi
Denver:Steamboat Springs 2:52/156 mi
Denver:Wray 2:40
Craig:Gunnison 4:40/262mi (via Grand Junction)
Nominal Schedule
All of this is extremely weather-dependent
Weds Apr 9: PM flight to DEN
1pm depart Princeton
Sunrise 6:30, Sunset 7:30
FLIGHT 3:50pm/6:15pm SW-1974 Conf 7BK438
Rental Car Enterprise Intermediate SUV Confirmation # 260894164 (303) 342-7350
FROM BAGGAGE CLAIM, PROCEED OUT OF THE DOUBLE DOOR EXITS ON EITHER SIDE
OF THE TERMINAL. FROM THE EAST OR WEST SIDE OF THE TERMINAL, GO TO THE SHUTTLE
PICK-UP MARKED ENTERPRISE, LOCATED ON THE FOURTH ISLAND FROM THE DOUBLE DOORS.
THE SHUTTLE PICKS UP APPROXIMATELY EVERY 10 MINUTES FROM 400AM TO 1000PM DAILY.
SELF-SERVICE KIOSKS AT THIS LOCATION CAN MAKE YOUR RENTAL TRANSACTION QUICK AND EASY.
Likely won't escape the airport much before sunset
BEWARE E-470 CASHLESS TOLL ROAD ALSO NORTHWESTERN PARKWAY
Instead take Pena to I-170 to I-270 to I-25
Pena to Tower Road then EAST 3.4 miles along 96th and Quincy - BURROWING OWL
"Burrowing Owls (Stevens, 3/21) at the Prairie Dog Town 3.4 miles east of Tower Road & 96th Avenue"
Distance is problematic - looks like this is adj DIA along Quincy - north on SR-470 to 96th
o/n Fort Morgan or Sterling - Sterling is the best compromise option
Crest Motel
516 South Division Avenue
Sterling CO 80751
970-522-3753
Room #5, door code 8694
Thurs Apr 10: Wray (Gtr Prairie Chicken)
Gtr Prairie Chicken sites in the sandhills near Wray
Probably about 1:15 to CR-45 via US-6 and US-385
Leave 0500 for 0615 arrival (twilight)
Yuma Co45 lek
map: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zdOAx4uHMuR0.kggw8AsuXz9E
From Wray, drive North on Highway 385 for 10.0 miles to CR 45.
Drive east from US 385 on Rd 45 about 1.5 miles until you see the windmill on the south side of the road appear over the horizon.
Keep driving east for a total of 1.7 miles. You should be on the crest of a hill just before the top. Get out and setup up your
scopes pointing west and find the windmill. From the windmill scan south (left) until the ridge behind the windmill descends
to a point where ridge further west becomes the horizon line. Note that there is now a closer lower ridge that is greener and
barer than the other two and into which the first ridge recedes behind. This is the lek and if you are there between first light and the
next two hours during the lekking season (See Lane bar graphs) you may have a good chance of viewing the birds. Note that the tops
of the yucca plants have be flattened and disarrayed from the males jumping up and sitting on them. At the time we were there a red
irrigator pipe was visible between the west most ridge and the east most ridge and the lek was below this pipe on the east
most ridge mentioned.
Wray: 4/3 Harris's Sparrow was at the east end of the Sandhiller Hotel Parking lot. Railroad Avenue and 2nd
Wray: 4/5 Harris's Sparrow 0.1 mi west of city park
Wray: 4/5 Harris's Sparrows at SW woodpile at Stalker Pond
Wray Fishing Unit: GH Owl and Barn Owl
Sand Sage Wildlife Area (west of Wray) - recent Pheasant and Bluebird reports
other "hotspot" was at Yuma CR 51 and US 385
North Sterling Reservoir - Thayer's - no recent reports
Tamarack Ranch SWA north-east of Sterling - many geese in area, Sandhills
(Pioneer Park at west side of Sterling)
Prewitt Reservoir - s. of Sterling along US-6, much waterfowl or backtrack from Brush/US-34
(Messex Wildlife Area) - uncertain if this is any use
From Interstate 76, take Merino Exit 102
Travel North 2.0 miles to highway 6
then 1.75 miles northeast to County Road R
Drive North 1.5 miles on CR R and then west 0.5 miles to property.
HWY 36 through Joes, Cope, Anton, and Lindon where we counted 5 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, 3 RED-TAILED HAWKS and 1 FERRUGINOUS HAWK
US-36 parallels US-34 but is further south of Wray
Jackson Reservoir WNW of Fort Morgan - en route to Pawnee - $7
check Andrick Ponds SWA south-west of there, or try Route 4 (north edge) or Route 5 south of Bb
Pawnee Grasslands -
(west of Keota)
Crow Valley Campground
Murphy's Pasture
MOUNTAIN PLOVER 1.5 mi west of CR 77, south of CR 96).
MOUNTAIN PLOVER CR 83/north of CR 96
EASTERN SCREECH-OWL at Crow Valley Campground
BURROWING OWL (CR 90/CR 51
SAGE THRASHER (CR 51, south/CR 90).
probably too far out: Banner Lakes Wildlife Area owls: I-76 ne of Denver, CO-52 south of I-76
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zdOAx4uHMuR0.krcHLPy32ucM SR-14 from Pawnee to US-85 through Ault - to Black Hollow Reservoir (north on CR-19 from SR-14)
Black Hollow Reservoir ne of Ft Collins - Thayer's 3/29 - CR-19 north of CO-14
Return CR-14, west a mile or so then south on SR-257 to CR-74, EAST on CR-74 to Severance then CR-29 heads south?
CR-74 and CR-29 west of Greeley - waterfowl
Either CR-74 or US-34 (further south) towards Loveland
Front Range Reservoirs for Thayer's ?
THAYER'S GULL at Lake Loveland 4/6
Lake Loveland is at US-34 just past US-287, west of I-25 in Loveland, Loveland being NORTH of Longmont
There's a park at the north-west corner of the lake parking via North Lake Park Rd
Union Reservoir: THAYER'S GULL - this is relatively far south-west
Union Reservoir sw. of Greeley (Weld Co) - CR26 and CR28 at eastern edge of Longmont
30 mins south of Loveland via US-287
Black Hollow Reservoir ne of Ft Collins - Thayer's 3/29 - CR-19 north of CO-14
Douglas Reservoir north of Ft Collins - Thayer's 3/24
Off SR-1, near US-287 and the CR-14 Walden traverse
Evening Grosbeaks along the Spring Creek Trail near Cottonwood Glen Park (just north of Spring Canyon Park along the trail)
Cottonwood Glen Park is just south of SR-14 for the traverse to Walden in Fort Collins
Assuming "done by 8am at Wray, done by noon at Pawnee" - going to be tight to take in more than 1 or 2 reservoir sites
Greeley to Walden is 2:40 - we need to push (well) before 2pm
Fort Collins to Walden is 2:00 - we need to push (well) before 2:30pm
Puts me into Walden area mid PM, Steamboat late PM,
Check Walden Lake - California Gull etc
Steamboat Springs to Walden is 1:10
Steamboat Springs to Hayden is :30 so overall 1:40 Walden-Steamboat
leave Walden area by 5pm
65 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS along Fall River Road, Rocky Mountain National Park - likely to be too far out of the way and is from Front Range
30 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS along Hwy 72, north of Nederland
AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS at Wild Basin, Rocky Mountain National Park
one BROWN-CAPPED ROSY FINCH at Fawnbrook Inn, Allenspark
Boreal Owl sites at Cameron Pass ? - during the day ?? - odds so remote barely worth stopping except for generic boreal sp.
Colorado State Forest Visitor Ctr/Cameron Pass
Walden Reservoir
Check Sage-Grouse lek sites west and south-west of Walden
Rt-26 Sage Grouse lek: map: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zdOAx4uHMuR0.kF4fhSIVD4Xg
Arapahoe NWR Sage Grouse lek: map: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zdOAx4uHMuR0.kv_j1fDHOEUc
considered very low odds on CoBus website
Delaney Butte Lakes Sage Grouse lek: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zdOAx4uHMuR0.k1ph1n9kJZFU
this is west of Walden, west of CR-5 just south of intersection with CR-5c (SR-14 to JCR-9 to JCR-18 to JCR-5)
CR-12 W from south end of Walden Reservoir turns into JCR-18
Do a pre-check of the 26B leks for distance/timing/location
On CR-26B about 1/4 to 1/3 mile south of CR-26
Roughly equidistant from CR-26 to a small side road heading west (ranch?)
leave Walden area by 5pm
Steamboat Hotel
3195 South Lincoln Ave
970-879-5230
Confirmation ZF9L9SQL9
Checkin 3pm Checkout 11am
(west side of Rt-40, south side of town)
Dusk at 80 route if at all possible - this takes priority over Walden grouse sites
If 80 route is blocked, try ST Grouse leks at dusk
Steamboat Springs to Walden is 1:10
Steamboat Springs to Hayden is :30 so overall 1:40 Walden-Steamboat
leave Walden area by 5pm
Greater Sage-Grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse
(Dusky Grouse)
80 Route may well be snow bound for the duration
Sunset 7:30
OVERNIGHT STEAMBOAT SPRINGS (see above)
Fri Apr 11: Craig-Hayden-Walden1: Greater Sage-Grouse
31 Greater Sage-Grouse at the County Road 26b leks (Walden) - Walden now seems a better bet than Craig
On CR-26B about 1/4 to 1/3 mile south of CR-26, west of CO-14, sw of Walden. About an hour from Steamboat - closer to Steamboat than Craig
Lek appears to be west of road, uncertain distance.
Timberlake lek: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zdOAx4uHMuR0.kTKd6eNAIBl8 - this is CR-4 not CR-3
Greater Sage-Grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse
(Dusky Grouse)
Walden backtrack (Arapahoe NWR?)
Sat Apr 12: Craig-Hayden-Walden 2: Sharp-tailed Grouse
80 Route Leks map https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zdOAx4uHMuR0.kzr6MO3Z7Vjk
From Hayden & highway 40, take California Park Road (Walnut Street) North
Travel to end of road (less than 0.6 miles) at "T" with CR 76
Turn Right (East) and travel 2.8 miles to intersection with Route 80.
Turn Left (North) onto Route 80 and mark odometer.
There are three cattle guards in the next 2.7 miles.
At the second Cattle Guard (road cuts through hill)
A male and female Dusky Grouse have been observed (2009).
NOTE: Dusky Grouse come out first and last daylight
to road or small clearing on east side of road.
Just past the third cattle guard the road passes a red gate (to east/right)
UPDATED LEKS 2009 (best to least in number):
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE:
1. Continue past red gate to rise and sign for Jimmy Dunn Trust Land
(park just before rise to top and look in Sage on east side of road.
2. Return South to dirt road going east (to Wolf Mountain Ranch)
(look in sage just east-south-east 50 feet, just beyond ranch sign)
3. Sage either side of hill just below 2nd cattle guard
GREATER SAGE-GROUSE:
1. (best) continue to red wooden gate on east side of road.
park just north of gate and look to west about 100 yards.
2. At the second red gate Greater Sage-Grouse have been booming to the west (2002-2005).
3. The Sage Grouse (2005) were off Route 80 (Between the third cattle guard and
the Jim Dunn Gulch sign; on the left hand side of the road; about 100 yards out)
20 Route Lek
4.8 miles East of Hayden (0.5 miles East of Power Plant)
Turn South on Routt County Road 27 (20-Mile Road)
After passing the pond on the west side of 20-mile road,
as you start up the hill, there is an old gate on east side.
Grouse display to the west of 20-mile road, even with this gate.
Greater Sage-Grouse
Hayden 80 Route, 20 Route
drive to Gnd Junction (2:30 from Craig)
side trip to Carbondale from Rifle for low odds Pinyon Jay
eBird sites along Craig-Grand Junction show almost nothing
two BOREAL OWLS on the Grand Mesa (south of Spruce Grove Campgrounds)
LEWIS'S WOODPECKER at the Eckert Post Office north of Delta
Escalente Chukar site ? - 12 miles nw of Delta, se of Gd Junction
From Delta, travel 12.0 miles north on highway 50 to Escalante Canyon turnoff.
Drive west (on 650 Road) for 4.0 miles southwest into Escalante Canyon.
Ranches in canyon attract Chukar, especially early morning and late evening.
Also potential Sagebrush Sparrows
two Chukar at 6806 Escalante Canyon
Escalente to Cameo is approx an hour
Cameo Chukar evening run - low #s reported from there
Chukar @ north side of the old stone House up Coal Canyon
National Monument late day trails ?
campgrounds for Pinyon Jay
entrance trail for Titmouse etc
Grand Mesa Lodge had heard-only Boreal Owl
two BOREAL OWLS on the Grand Mesa (south of Spruce Grove Campgrounds)
(Gd Junction??) Highline State Park where the Great Horned Owls have taken over a heron nest
[Hayden to Gunnison is 5 hours]
Sun Apr 13: Grand Junction area including Unaweep and The Monument: Chukar
FORECAST FOR SUNDAY IS TO START WITH RAIN
Chukar @ north side of the old stone House up Coal Canyon
Rock Wren
Vesper Sparrow, Sage Thrasher, Bluebirds, Titmice
Pinyon Jays and Juniper Titmice at Colorado NM campgrounds
Gambek's Quail, Black-thr Sparrow at southern entrance
Ash-thr Flycatcher, Rock and Cyn Wrens at first picnic area
Gray Vireo, Plumbeous Vireo on road to Visitor Ctr
Juniper Titmice, Bushtit at Visitor Center
Gray Vireo on trails north of Visitor Ctr
?? Glade Park for Vesper Sparrow and Sage Thrasher
(Gd Junction??) Highline State Park where the Great Horned Owls have taken over a heron nest
This seems like a "soft" day in the afternoon
Ouray seems pointless
any hotspots around Montrose ?
Along Baxter Pass Road: SAGEBRUSH SPARROWS, LONG-EARED OWL (Trappett, 3/23) and CHUKAR
http://coloradobirdingtrail.com/site/baxter-pass/
This is significantly north of Grand Junction
Escalente Chukar site - 12 mi west of Delta
two Chukar at 6806 Escalante Canyon
Lewis's Woodpecker at the Eckert Post Office, Delta County
Eckert is north of Delta along SR-65
Confluence Park at Delta (via Gunnison River Dr after US-50 turns south)
Fruitgrower's Reservoir ne of Delta off Co-65 and Fruitgrower's Rd, also north end of it
Black Cyn of the Gunnison in evening: Dusky Grouse
Check for alerts at http://www.nps.gov/blca/index.htm
(970) 249-1914 extension 423
Sunset is 7:30pm
drive to Gunnison about 1:15 - late arrival
Days Inn or perhaps the Alpine Inn and Suites are the best deals
Econolodge (former Super8) expensive, Rodeway Inn also viable
Mon Apr 14: Gunnison: Gunnison Sage-Grouse
need to be at Waunita at 5:30am - leave Gunnison at 0445 (snacks but only limited beverages)
CR-887 (Waunita Hot Springs Road) is 15 miles east of Gunnison mainly via US-50
what options after this ?? - this is another soft day
AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER (Stevens, 4/5) north of hwy 50, at Monarch Ski Area Rest Stop
seems to be not far east of Sage-Grouse road
Buena Vista north to Vail/Breckenridge - Rosy-Finches unlikely to be findable given lack of recent reports
45 PINYON JAY along Pinyon Hills Drive, Buena Vista
PINYON JAY along CR 251, west of Hwy 285 - this is a little north of the US-50/US-285 intersection nr Salida
Front Range options are more compelling IMHO
any call to do a southern-tier route towards Pueblo (Holcim Wetlands, Lake Pueblo)?
Pinyon Jays at Brush Hollow State Wildlife Area From Penrose, go 1.5 miles north on CO 115, 1.7 miles west on County Road 123
Penrose is west of Pueblo
drive to Denver area/PM in canyons for 3-toed etc (via the Vail route)
Golden-crowned Sparrow Boulder (if still around)
Golden-crowned Sparrow at Teller Lake #5 windbreak 4/5
Harris's Sparrows ?
Front Range mountain hikes and reservoirs, in particular Reynold's Park
THIS, IF PSYCHOTIC ENOUGH, WOULD BE THE MAIN OPTION FOR NEBRASKA/COMMON CRANE
Gunnison to Nebraska, just a little 6 hour sprint along the expressways
Buffalo Creek Rd, Buffalo, Nebraska
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6963099,-99.3926239&ll=40.6963099,-99.3926239
Elm Creek, Buffalo, Nebraska
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.7185097,-99.3770027&ll=40.7185097,-99.3770027
Gunnison to Denver is 3:45
ZANZIBAR 2046 Larimer, Denver
Downtown-ish I-25 exit 211/212, east of I-25.
Tue Apr 15: Colorado padding day (Craig etc or Denver local/Pawnee)
TOTAL MOON ECLIPSE STARTING ~1am
Sunrise 6:22am
Reynolds Park 3/30
American Three-toed Woodpecker: female, northeast of the Oxen Draw, Raven's Roost, Eagle's View trails
map: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zdOAx4uHMuR0.kPLOPU_eL-Tg
Northern Pygmy-Owl: Songbird trail, between the two parking lots
Williamson's Sapsucker: (20 yds/east/Elkhorn Tr & Service Road).
Williamson's Sapsucker: (Raven's Roost Tr/40 yds/south/Eagle's View Tr)
Williamson's Sapsucker: Raven's Roost trail, just south of the old service road
American 3-toed Woodpecker at Pike Valley Ranch Park
map: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zdOAx4uHMuR0.kKcrUSnn2YAw
trail map: http://coloradobirdingsociety.net16.net/pikeforest.htm
Pawnee NG; US-85 to Chalk Bluff Rd (Wyoming) for Longspurs
FLIGHT DEN-MAF 2:39pm/5:23pm UA-5380 Conf HQN3F3 FF BT327431
2:40pm flight requires 12:30 at DEN (8:30am depart Gunn, 9am depart Hayden)
Car rental reservation Budget Conf 40205250US1 432-563-1640
Fort Stockton is 1:40 from Midland
Chisos Mountain Lodge is 4 hours-ish from Midland and is not viable
Local birding site before dusk - Monahans Sandhills State Park
??? other sites via eBird ???
Sunset 8:30pm in TX
There is NOTHING around Fort Stockton
overnight Fort Stockton
Wed Apr 16: Fort Stockton to Big Bend pre-dawn: Colima
Sunrise 7:30am
Fort Stockton is 100mi/1:42 from Park Boundary
Perhaps 40 miles from Park Boundary to Chisos Basin
hike for Colima - if we start 30 minutes early leave Ft Stockton 4am.
Pinnacles Trail followed by Boot Spring, Laguna Meadows
Local Big Bend (Sam Nail, Cottonwood Campground)
Rio Grande Village at Hot Springs Trail - Common Black Hawk
Rio Grande Village - Gray Hawk at end of road
North to Alpine/Fort Davis
Fort Davis to Fort Stockton is 90 minutes, or 2 hrs via the mountain route
Lawrence Wood picnic area
Lake Balmorhea might be visitable en route if not too late
some backtracking if we stay at Van Horn
Camp Washington Ranch, 18 Rattlesnake Springs Road, Carlsbad, NM 88220, 575.785.2228
http://campwashingtonranch.org/
Sunset 8:30pm in TX
overnight Van Horn (Pecos too expensive, Carlsbad very likely too far)
Motel 6 $44; Whitten Inn $49; Knights Inn $50; Super 8 $51
or overnight in Big Bend for Colima retry - this has to be a reserve-on-the-fly day
Thu Apr 17: Carlsbad/Rattlesnake Springs
This is the Big Bend Backup day
If staying at Van Horn start at McKittrick and TX-Guadalupe Mtns sites at dawn
Van Horn to McKittrick is ~~1 hour
Cassin's Sparrow reports along CR-418/Washington Ranch Rd
McKittrick to Rattlesnake Springs is ~40 mins
Fort Stockton to Carlsbad is 2:20
Streak-backed Oriole at Rattlesnake Springs and other migrants - recent report April 5th
south side of the main pond (to the east of the office) in the tops of the tall cottonwoods and
then moved to the north end of the ranch complex
Cave Swallows at Carlsbad Caverns entrance
(Melrose Migrant Trap is waaaaay too far north)
Lesser Prairie-Chicken sites are non-viable so concentrate on passerines the entire day
Slaughter Cyn (NM)
McKittrick Cyn (TX) in Guadalupe Mtns is viable and is 35 miles away
overnight Odessa???
Fri Apr 18: flight to HOU
sunrise MAF 7:15am, car return 9:30am
strictly local birding sites via eBird - Carlsbad is not an option
FLIGHT MAF-HOU 11:30am/12:50pm SW-959 Conf 7UH43Z
one site on Galveston Island
Lafitte's Cove and check local recent sightings
Galveston- Sportsman / 8 Mile Rd. (UTC 066)
(note non-Ruff reported from there - likely a Pec)
Galveston ferry http://traffic.houstontranstar.org/ferrytimes/ferrywaittimes_travel.html
Bolivar Beach (permits - $10)
High Island
Anahuac
Smith Woods
sunset HOU 7:50pm
o/n Port Arthur or Beaumont
Sat Apr 19: flight to EWR
Sunrise HOU 6:50am
High Island
Rollover, Anahuac
assume that Rollover and in particular Bolivar Beach, will be swarming with the unwashed on a weekend
Smith Woods - this is about as far away as one can get
Port Arthur to Houston Hobby is 1:30 but should allow for closer to 2pm to factor in Sat PM traffic
Return car 4pm to HOU
FLIGHT HOU-EWR 6:05pm/10:35pm SW-2171 Conf 78N43S
Dusky Grouse this year
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch
Black Rosy-Finch
Evening Grosbeak
Pine Grosbeak
Target Species
COLIMA WARBLER Pinnacles/Laguna Meadow trail at Big Bend NP
STREAK-BACKED ORIOLE Rattlesnake Springs/Washington Ranch (trees around pool 3/22; nr office 4/1; unspecified 4/2)
THAYER'S GULL Front Range reservoirs - most recently Union (Greeley)
Larimer Co: Timnath Reservoir, North Poudre Reservoir #3, Cobb Lake
COMMON BLACK-HAWK Big Bend, Davis Mtns
GRAY HAWK Big Bend, Rattlesnake Springs
MOUNTAIN PLOVER Pawnee NG
GREATER SAGE-GROUSE Walden, Hayden, Craig, Delaney Butte Lakes
GUNNISON SAGE-GROUSE Waunita
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE Hayden 20 and 80 routes
GREATER PRAIRIE-CHICKEN Wray CR-45
WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN most recent: north side of the pass, seen well through scopes from the parking area looking west
most recent: five WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN at the west side of Loveland Pass (from upper parking lot)
Loveland Pass (hill, west of Hwy 6, viewed from 2nd pullover, south of Summit)
pair of WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN at Loveland Pass (0.75 miles up the west side trail)
CHUKAR single report from Cameo but this (Coal Cyn) seems to be best, Escalente Cyn
DUSKY GROUSE sparse reports, 1 from Gunnison Cyn
PINYON JAY
MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR Murphy's Pasture low #s
CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR Murphy's Pasture very low #s
WY: "can't miss" for Chestnuts or Mccown's is Chalk Bluffs Road up Hwy 85 three miles past CO/WY border on east.
Runs about 20 miles in length--there are many (of both) there through the breeding season.
ROSY-FINCHES Kremmling - se of Steamboat (914 Eagle Avenue), Silverthorne (Interstate)
250 Rosy-Finches of all 3 species were reported by Filby at Snowmass Ski Area on March 19 - up top of ski lift, inaccessible
On March 22, Gieszl reported all 3 species of Rosy-Finches at the feeder at the top of Village Express at Snowmass
Western Grebe
Eared Grebe
California Gull Front Range reservoirs, Walden
Franklin's Gull
Scaled Quail
Golden Eagle
Barn Owl
Long-eared Owl
Great Horned Owl "Doubletree Hotel Pond" in Colorado Springs
Eastern Screech-Owl Bonny Reservoir nr Wray, Spring Canyon Community Park at Fort Collins
Western Screech-Owl Conflience Park/Delta, Rocky Ford Wildlife Area east of Pueblo
Bohemian Waxwing Yampa River crossings/Steamboat - no recent reports
American Dipper
Cave Swallow Carlsbad Caverns NP
Black-billed Magpie
Western Scrub-Jay
Three-toed Woodpecker Reynolds/Pine Valley Ranch
Juniper Titmouse
Mountain Chickadee
Pygmy Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Sedge Wren Anahuac?
Pine Grosbeak Scattered montane sightings, often w/ Rosy Finches
Evening Grosbeak Scattered montane sightings, often w/ Rosy Finches
Harris's Sparrow
Cassin's Sparrow CR418 to Slaughter Cyn (NM), otherwise very scattered sightings
Golden-crowned Sparrow continues at Teller Farms north parking lot, off Valmont Rd. Look in the cedar windbreak to the south.
Pine Siskin