COLORADO GROUSE APRIL 6–16, 2018
Greater Sage-Grouse male in full display © Brian Gibbons
LEADERS: BRIAN GIBBONS & MICHAEL O’BRIEN LIST COMPILED BY: BRIAN GIBBONS
VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM
COLORADO GROUSE APRIL 6–16, 2018 By Brian Gibbons
Greater Sage-Grouse © Brian Gibbons
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 2 Colorado Grouse, 2018 We braved 16 to 86 degrees, prairie winds, thunderstorms, sleet, and the more mundane spring snows of Colorado this year. The grouse, for the most part, performed on schedule their ritual displays, as they have for eons. The sage-grouse were strutting in the sage of North Park, the prairie-chickens dancing and fighting on the plains, and the Sharp-tails spinning in the mountains. Stunning mountain scenery and stark prairies illustrated our trip across Colorado and Kansas. Our first day started with a southern diversion to avoid snow, ice, and closed roads in the mountains. We enjoyed stunning foothill scenery in Temple Canyon where the trees were crusted in beautifully delicate hoarfrost crystals—barbed wire, grass, trees, cactus, and fenceposts, nothing escaped the frost. The birds were still active on this cool morning, and we found Mountain Chickadees, juncos, Spotted Towhee, Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay, and Juniper Titmice. We also discovered that Townsend’s Solitaires aren’t so solitary. After our morning birding in the canyon, we returned to Cañon City to delight in a couple of stunning Lewis’s Woodpeckers hanging out in gnarly old cottonwood trees. Around Salida we enjoyed clear skies and a pile of Pinyon Jays moving through the woodlands, and a pair of American Dippers Monarch Pass © Brian Gibbons delighted us along the Arkansas River. Monarch Pass finally cleared up, and we made our way over to Gunnison. On the night preceding our visit to the Gunnison Sage-Grouse lek, it rained; then there was a thunderstorm, then sleet, and finally a light rain greeted us at dawn. With clear air, we scanned in vain for hours; no grouse came to the show that morning, undoubtedly scared off by the weather. After breakfast we made our way to Crested Butte and were not disappointed by a tree full of rosy-finches. It took us a few minutes, but eventually we found all three species: Black, Brown-
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 3 Colorado Grouse, 2018 capped, and Gray-crowned, including a few Hepburn’s subspecies. We made our way down the Arkansas River towards Pueblo for the night. Another thunderstorm greeted us on the prairie east of Pueblo. Sleet piled up in the fields and on the roads, but the storm had passed by the time we reached our birding locales. We found Sage Thrasher, Western Meadowlark, and Loggerhead Shrike before continuing east along the Arkansas River. A series of reservoirs produced great waterfowl sightings and good looks at a Clark’s Grebe. Yellow-headed Blackbirds, American Avocets, and Burrowing Owls were spotted near Lake Meredith. Just west of Lamar we found a huge flock of tardy geese; hundreds of Snow and Ross’s Brown-capped Rosy-Finch © Brian Gibbons rested before continuing on their northward journey. Comanche National Grasslands west of Campo had a few Long-billed Curlews and Burrowing Owls in the flatlands. We also found three active Ferruginous Hawk nests along the way, which made the prairie-dogs nervous. We then dropped into Cottonwood Canyon and a different world. Bewick’s Wrens sang from the junipers and oaks. On the canyon walls above, Canyon and Rock wrens kept an eye on things. Rufous-crowned Sparrows and Canyon Towhees also reside in this canyon, and we found both among the rocks and trees. In the flats we found a lazy herd of Bighorn Sheep and an equally restive herd of Mule Deer. On the long drive to Kansas the farmland was punctuated by dozens of Northern Harriers and Ring-necked Pheasants, but the prize was a handsome Badger excavating a burrow along the highway! The next morning was mild with a south wind near Greensburg, Kansas. The breeze helped bring the hoots, cackles, and pops of six male Lesser Prairie-Chickens right to us. They fluttered, faced-off, stomped, fought, and puffed air sacs for the females—a great show of this declining shortgrass prairie species. The long drive back to Wray, Colorado hastened our departure from this great show.
Lesser Prairie-Chicken males © Brian Gibbons
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 4 Colorado Grouse, 2018 Bob Bledsoe has been hosting VENT on his family ranch for decades. He described the operation of farming, grazing, and feeding Black Angus before an excellent dinner at Fourth and Main. The next morning, a spectacular display started before we could see. The chorus of coos drifted in the windows, punctuated by cackles. Soon the sun drifted high enough, and we were enjoying the antics of 32 male Greater Prairie-Chickens, their combs and air sacs inflated to a blazing yellow, with the edges of their air sacs rimmed in a beautiful purple. Never before have so many solicitations been ignored by the males, who were too busy dancing to notice (we did eventually see a few copulations). A few Burrowing Owls had front row seats to the show, like us. Next on the agenda was Pawnee National Grassland, where we had good looks at McCown’s Longspur, and some folks had a quick look at a Mountain Plover.
Greater Prairie-Chickens © Brian Gibbons
Poudre Canyon was windy and cold, yet we found a few birds including a Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Dippers, Belted Kingfisher, and a quick Goshawk. Moose Visitor Center provided a good place to picnic, and we enjoyed the feeders that hosted a few rosy-finches, Cassin’s Finches, and a Least Chipmunk. Walden Reservoir was chock-full of birds, and we nearly completed the waterfowl checklist there. After dinner we cruised back to Gould, hunting Moose; we found only a few, but we added our first Sandhill Cranes of the tour at dusk.
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 5 Colorado Grouse, 2018
Greater Sage-Grouse © Brian Gibbons
The Greater Sage-Grouse near Walden have done well the last few years. We were treated to an expansive lek with more than 40 males strutting for nearly 20 females. Eventually the females shifted into the sun, and we had front row seats to the displaying males and a few copulations.
Greater Sage-Grouse male in full display © Brian Gibbons
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 6 Colorado Grouse, 2018 Gulping air, the males inflate their massive chests covered in plasticine white feathers that produce the swishing noise of their displays. With their filoplumes raised, they strut and swish and inflate their boiled egg yolk-colored air sacs, all this with their spiky tails raised. An amazing performance in the sage. Later we made our way to Steamboat Springs for our final lek, the Sharp-tailed Grouse. In the evening we searched for Dusky Grouse near the Yampa River; we were granted only a fly-by, as there were few displaying males this year. The next morning the Sharp-tails were spinning and stomping with their tails held high. Neil spotted one sitting in an oak tree, and we had great looks at this single bird. Leaving the Sharp- tails behind, we had great looks at Sandhill Cranes on the return to Steamboat. Climbing out of the Yampa River Valley, we headed towards Silverthorne and our final grouse of the tour. While the conditions were acceptable, the White-tailed Ptarmigan never revealed itself for us. Our final descent to Denver was interrupted by our trip to Genesee Mountain Park where we added our last new bird, the diminutive Brown Creeper, as it hitched along a Ponderosa Pine.
Greater Prairie-Chicken © Brian Gibbons
Thank you for traveling with VENT. I look forward to our next birding adventure, wherever in the world that might be. -Brian Gibbons
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 7 Colorado Grouse, 2018 7 April 2018 - Temple Canyon, Highland Avenue in Canon City, Pinon Hills, Sands Lake State Wildlife Area 8 April 2018 - Waunita Hot Springs lek, Mount Crested Butte, Monarch Pass, Poncha Springs 9 April 2018 - IL Road Pueblo County, Boone, Lake Meredith, Lake Henry, Lake Cheraw, John Martin Reservoir State Park Lake Hasty Campground, Verhoeff Reservoir 10 April 2018 - Campo Café, Comanche National Grassland, Cottonwood Canyon, Baca County, Johnson City Kansas, 11 April 2018 - M Street lek 43rdxM Greensburg, Haigler Nebraska, Bledsoe Cattle Company 12 April 2018 - Bledsoe Cattle Country Greater Prairie-Chicken lek, Wray State Fish Hatchery, Haxtun Sewage Ponds, Pawnee National Grassland. 13 April 2018 - Silver Grille Café, Poudre Canyon, Poudre Park, Cameron Pass, Moose Visitor Center, Gould, Walden Reservoir, Moose Cruise late 14 April 2018 - Coalmont Greater Sage-Grouse lek, Walden Reservoir, California Park Road 15 April 2018 - California Park Road, County Road 46, Muddy Creek Pass, Loveland Pass, Genesee Mountain Park
Waterfowl Anatidae Greater White-fronted Anser albifrons Goose A single at Walden Reservoir Snow Goose Anser caerulescens Verhoeff Reservoir & Walden Reservoir Ross's Goose Anser rossii Verhoeff Reservoir Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii Haxtun Sewage ponds & Walden Reservoir Canada Goose Branta canadensis Seen almost daily Wood Duck Aix sponsa Haxtun Sewage ponds Gadwall Mareca strepera Common American Wigeon Mareca americana Common Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Common Blue-winged Teal Spatula discors First around Southeast Colorado (SECO) Cinnamon Teal Spatula cyanoptera Gunnison, SECO & reservoirs Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata Common Northern Pintail Anas acuta Haxtun & Walden Reservoir Green-winged Teal Anas crecca Seen 6 days first near Gunnison Canvasback Aythya valisineria Numerous at Walden Reservoir Redhead Aythya americana Numerous at Walden Reservoir Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris SECO first and a few days thereafter Greater Scaup Aythya marila Haxtun Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Common on lakes and reservoirs
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 8 Colorado Grouse, 2018 Bufflehead Bucephala albeola Hasty Campground at John Martin Reservoir State Park Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula Sands Lake State Wildlife Area first Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus Hasty Campground at John Martin Reservoir State Park Common Merganser Mergus merganser Arkansas River, SECO, Poudre Canyon and Walden Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Seen on many lakes and reservoirs New World Quail Odontophoridae Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus Heard Only (HO) at Bledsoe Cattle Company Scaled Quail Callipepla squamata Pueblo County Pheasants, Grouse & Phasianidae Allies Ring-necked Pheasant (I) Phasianus colchicus Many roadside birds along road to Kansas Greater Sage-Grouse Centrocercus urophasianus 43 males & 18 females in an excellent show near Walden Dusky Grouse Dendragapus obscurus A quick flyby on California Park Road Sharp-tailed Grouse Tympanuchus phasianellus Displaying birds West of Steamboat Springs Greater Prairie-Chicken Tympanuchus cupido 32 males & 12 females at Bledsoe Cattle Company Lesser Prairie-Chicken Tympanuchus pallidicinctus 6 males & 5 females near Greensburg, KS Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo A couple sightings near Wray Grebes Podicipedidae Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps SECO reservoirs & Walden Reservoir Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus Lake Cheraw Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis SECO reservoirs & Walden Reservoir Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis SECO reservoirs & Walden Reservoir Clark's Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii Lake Meredith Pigeons and Doves Columbidae Rock Pigeon (I) Columba livia Seen daily Eurasian Collared-Dove (I) Streptopelia decaocto Seen daily Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Seen most days White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica Flyby in Boone, CO & KS Swifts Apodidae White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis Canon City Hummingbirds Trochilidae Broad-tailed Hummingbird Selasphorus platycercus A male in fri gid conditions at Poudre Park Rails, Gallinules and Rallidae Coots American Coot Fulica americana Common on lakes and reservoirs
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 9 Colorado Grouse, 2018 Cranes Gruidae Sandhill Crane Antigone canadensis Near Walden and many West of Steamboat Springs Stilts and Avocets Recurvirostridae American Avocet Recurvirostra americana Lake Meredith & Lake Hasty Plovers and Lapwings Charadriidae Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Seen many days Mountain Plover Charadrius montanus Pawnee National Grassland Sandpipers and Allies Scolopacidae Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Comanche National Grassland & Walden area Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii Lake Henry Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata Near Walden Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Comanche National Grassland & Lake Cheraw Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Lake Hasty Gulls, Terns and Laridae Skimmers Bonaparte's Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia Lakes Meredith and Cheraw & Walden Reservoir Franklin's Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan Walden Reservoir Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis SECO and mountain lakes California Gull Larus californicus Lake Meredith & Walden Reservoir Cormorants Phalacrocoracidae Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Seen at most lakes and reservoirs Pelicans Pelecanidae American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos SECO & Walden Reservoir Herons, Egrets & Ardeidae Bitterns Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Seen daily New World Vultures Cathartidae Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Seen daily Osprey Pandionidae Osprey Pandion haliaetus Seen a few times along mountain rivers Hawks, Eagles and Kites Accipitridae Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus Lake Meredith, Fort Collins & mountains Northern Harrier Circus hudsonius Most numerous on drive to Kansas Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus A few seen here and there Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii A few seen here and there Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis Poudre Canyon & Steamboat Springs Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni Seen 6 days, most numerous on the plains Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Seen daily
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 10 Colorado Grouse, 2018 Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus Seen 5 days! Numerous near Wray & Walden Ferruginous Hawk Buteo regalis Three nests in SECO! Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Near Crested Butte & Walden Owls Strigidae Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus Best view at nest near Wray Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia SECO, many near Lake Meredith Kingfishers Alcedinidae Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon Woodpeckers Picidae Lewis's Woodpecker Melanerpes lewis Good looks near Canon City Red-naped Sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis Steamboat Springs Hybrid Sapsucker S. varius x S. ruber Lake Hasty, a fine bird Ladder-backed Picoides scalaris Woodpecker Cottonwood Canyon (CC) Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens Lake Hasty & CC Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus CC Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus Seen all but 1 day, Red-, Yellow- and Orange -shafted Falcons and Caracaras Falconidae American Kestrel Falco sparverius Commonly seen roadside Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 1 dive-bombing the hordes of waterfowl at Verhoeff Prairie Falcon Falco mexicanus 1 overhead in CC Tyrant Flycatchers Tyrannidae Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe CC Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya Seen 5 days primarily on the plains Shrikes Laniidae Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Seen 3 days on the plains Crows, Jays & Magpies Corvidae Pinyon Jay Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus Near Salida, a nice flock Steller's Jay Cyanocitta stelleri Seen a few times in the mountains Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata Boone, CO Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma woodhouseii Temple Canyon Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia Seen most days in CO American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos Seen most days in the mountains Chihuahuan Raven Corvus cryptoleucus A few seen in SECO Common Raven Corvus corax Seen daily near the mountains Larks Alaudidae Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Seen most days Swallows Hirundinidae Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor Sands Lake in Salida
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 11 Colorado Grouse, 2018 Bank Swallow Riparia riparia Sands Lake in Salida Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Sands Lake in Salida Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Sands Lake in Salida Chickadees and Tits Paridae Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus Crested Butte first, Mountains Mountain Chickadee Poecile gambeli Temple Canyon and Mountains Juniper Titmouse Baeolophus ridgwayi Temple Canyon Long-tailed Tits Aegithalidae Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus CC Nuthatches Sittidae Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis Poncha Springs & Steamboat Springs Pygmy Nuthatch Sitta pygmaea Best looks at Genesee Mountain Park Creepers Certhiidae Brown Creeper Certhia americana Genesee Mountain Park Wrens Troglodytidae Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus CC Canyon Wren Catherpes mexicanus CC Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris Lake Hasty Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii Temple Canyon and CC Dippers Cinclidae American Dipper Cinclus mexicanus Arkansas River at Sands Lake Kinglets Regulidae Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula HO at CC Thrushes and Allies Turdidae Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana Good looks near Salida & Genesee Mountain Park Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides Good looks near Salida Townsend's Solitaire Myadestes townsendi Temple Canyon where they weren't solitary American Robin Turdus migratorius Plagues of robins were common this year Mockingbirds & Mimidae Thrashers Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre SECO Sage Thrasher Oreoscoptes montanus SECO & Pawnee National Grassland Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Kansas Starlings Sturnidae European Starling (I) Sturnus vulgaris Daily Waxwings Bombycillidae Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum A single flock near Colorado Springs Old World Sparrows Passeridae House Sparrow (I) Passer domesticus Daily
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 12 Colorado Grouse, 2018 Siskins, Crossbills & Fringillidae Allies Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Leucosticte tephrocotis Crested Butte & Moose Visitor Center Black Rosy-Finch Leucosticte atrata Crested Butte Brown-capped Rosy-Finch Leucosticte australis Crested Butte & Moose Visitor Center House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus Seen almost every day Cassin's Finch Haemorhous cassinii First in Poncha Springs, seen well at Moose VC Pine Siskin Spinus pinus Best looks at Lake Hasty American Goldfinch Spinus tristis Lake Hasty Longspurs & Allies Calcariidae Chestnut-collared Calcarius ornatus Longspur HO at Lesser Prairie -Chicken lek McCown's Longspur Rhynchophanes mccownii Pawnee National Grassland New World Warblers Parulidae Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata Lake Hasty New World Sparrows Passerellidae Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus Temple Canyon & California Park Road Rufous-crowned Sparrow Aimophila ruficeps CC Canyon Towhee Melozone fusca Temple Canyon & CC Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus Common along roadsides, SECO first Lark Bunting Calamospiza melanocorys Comanche National Grassland Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Comanche National Grassland Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum Kansas at the LEPC lek Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca Gould, CO Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia Gunnison, CO first Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Gunnison, CO first White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys Gunnison, CO first Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis (Slate-colored Junco) J. hyemalis/carolinensis Crested Butte (Oregon Junco) J. hyemalis oreganus seen a few times (Pink-sided Junco) Junco hyemalis mearnsii Fai rl y common (Gray-headed Junco) Junco hyemalis caniceps The most numerous form we saw Cardinals and Allies Cardinalidae Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis HO in Nebraska Troupials and Allies Icteridae Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Common Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Kansas where they mixed with the following species
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 13 Colorado Grouse, 2018 Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta Seen daily Yellow-headed Blackbird X. xanthocephalus SECO and best views at Walden Reservoir Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus A single flyby in Kansas Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula Seen most days Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Salida, SECO, & Kansas Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater Seen a few days
MAMMALS Squirrels & Allies Sciuridae Eastern Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger Colorado in the mountains and plains Least Chipmunk Tamias minimus Gunnison & Moose Visitor Center Wyoming Ground-Squirrel Spermophilus elegans Common in the sagebrush areas 13-lined Ground-Squirrel S. tridecimlineatus Near Pawnee National Grassland Rock Squirrel Spermophilus variegatus CC Black-tailed Prairie-Dog Cynomys ludovicianus Eastern Plains White-tailed Prairie-Dog Cynomys leucurus Walden area Gunnison Prairie-Dog Cynomys gunnisoni Gunnison Kangaroo Rat Heteromyidae Ord's Kangaroo Rat Dipodomys ordii Predawn near Wray
Pocket Gophers Geomyidae Yellow-faced Pocket Cratogeomys castanops Lake Hasty, we watched this thing for Gopher several minutes as it fed above ground. I believe this is the correct ID based on the large eyes of this species Rats & Mice Muridae Common Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus Lake Hasty Porcupines Erethizonitidae North American Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum California Park Road Rabbits & Hares Leporidae Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus Kansas Desert Cottontail Sylvilagus audubonii Most of our sightings in Colorado pertain to this species Mountain Cottontail Sylvilagus nuttallii California Park Road Black-tailed Jackrabbit Lepus californicus Garden City, Kansas White-tailed Jackrabbit Lepus townsendii California Park Road Dogs Canidae Coyote Canis latrans A fine specimen West of Steamboat Red Fox Vulpes vulpes Gould, CO
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 14 Colorado Grouse, 2018 Weasels Mustelidae American Badger Taxidea taxus Fine looks at one in Kansas Deer Cervidae Moose Alces alces on the moose cruise near Walden White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus Kansas and Walden Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus Seen a few times in Colorado Elk Cervus elaphus Seen a few times in the mountains Pronghorn Antilocapridae Pronghorn Antilocapra americana Seen several days, best looks in Pueblo County Bison, Sheep & Goats Bovidae Bighorn Sheep Ovis canadensis Crested Butte and CC
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 15 Colorado Grouse, 2018