San Luis Valley Birding

[Jack Bushong]

Hi all,

Today, my brother and I birded extensively around the San Luis Valley and into Chaffee County. We started at Smith Reservoir in Costilla Co., where there was a lingering Snow Goose among hundreds of Sandhill Cranes. Also present was a good variety of waterfowl, including two Horned Grebes, plus a pair of American Avocets resting on the shore. As the fog cleared, we then went to a sagebrush expanse just south of Fort Garland and found Pinyon Jays, Sage Thrashers, and two Sagebrush Sparrows.

After a brief stop at the disc golf course in Alamosa, which yielded three Tree Swallows among other birds, we headed to Monte Vista NWR. Virtually all of the geese (except for the breeders) have departed, and crane numbers have diminished to roughly 600. However, there were good densities of Cinammon Teal, a Marsh Wren, and a pair of nesting Great Horned Owls. We then made a brief stop at Home Lake SWA, where we were greeted by our first migrant shorebirds of the day: 18 Greater Yellowlegs and a flock of four early Long-billed Dowitchers. Also present were several pelicans and Western Bluebirds. We then made a quick stop at the Monte Vista WTP, which was largely devoid of birds save for a Great-tailed Grackle and two Common Grackles. 

After making a quick stop for gas, we continued to San Luis Lakes SP. Aside from good numbers of the more common waterfowl species, there was an assortment of interesting gulls, including California, Ring-billed, a single Bonaparte's, and the continuing Lesser Black-backed. Also present was another Greater Yellowlegs and Long-billed Dowitcher.

We then drove north into Chaffee County to bird for the remainder of the evening. Along CR 163, we flushed a Wilson's Snipe from a marshy area near the river. There was also a Virginia Rail grunting from the cattails. Later, at a pond near Buena Vista, we found Barrow's Goldeneye, a California Gull, Bushtits, and a female Hooded Merganser.

Collectively, we observed 71 species in the San Luis Valley and Chaffee County, with virtually none of those being songbirds. Migration definitely seems to have picked up in certain areas, and waterfowl concentrations are still high. However, there were surprisingly few raptors along the county roads and highways; perhaps most of them have already departed north.

Good Birding,

Jack Bushong,

Louisville, CO