Chalk Bluffs Road, CPER and Estes Park Weekend

[The "Nunn Guy"]

Over the weekend visited the following ... photos at http://coloradobirder.ning.com/photo

Chalk Bluffs Road (Friday 830-11am)--does not disappoint once again!  Hwy 85 to WY border; 3 miles turn right.  Chalk Bluffs Road runs 8 miles paved; turns north for 1 mile; returns east 4 more miles.  I probably did 3-7mph entire length.  Listen, stop, get out--view grasslands.  At 3 mile mark Rosetta Lane goes south 1.5m.

• Chestnut-collared Longspur (easy)
  
• McCown's Longspur (easy)
  
• Lark Bunting (lots)
• Grasshopper Sparrow (dozen+ or so)
• Horned Lark (lots)
• Common Grackle
• Barn Swallow
• Swainson's Hawk
• Northern Harrier
• Mourning Dove
• Western Meadowlark (lots)
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Common Nighthawk
• American Robin
• Western Kingbird
• House Sparrow
• European Starling
• Blue Grosbeak
• Loggerhead Shrike
• American Kestrel

Estes Park (Saturday)

• Found and photographed Broad-tailed Hummingbird nest (2 nestlings) along sidewalk behind shops along river
• Played "Park Ranger Host" to tourists pointing out nest and mother hummer to right of nest--lots of "look-y-loos"

CPER/Nunn (Sunday) - joined up with Denver Audubon trip and McCown's researcher

• Many McCown's in study area north and along Weld CR 114
• Prairie Falcon
• Burrowing Owls 10+ along Weld CR 114 at Weld CR 45; .5m east of intersection on south
• Burrowing Owls 4+ along Weld CR 114 at Weld CR 37; 1.5m east of intersection on south; .2m east is another dog colony
  
• Golden Eagle nestling doing well

Thanks Gary Lefko, Nunn

http://coloradobirder.ning.com/

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