Longspur & ptarmigan pics

[Tom Wilberding]

Hello birders,

Visited last week by a couple of old birding pals from Michigan. Their first trip to Colorado. Robert gave me a list of lifers they needed. Gulp, pressure was on. We spent one day on the northern grasslands, another day at Rocky Mountain NP. We enjoyed hearing & seeing birds skylarking on the prairie one day, tundra the next.

Found a few interesting species, thanks to recent eBird postings and good luck. Thank you eBirders, you made me look good!

 

Here is a 14 pic slideshow of my photos from our outings. http://twilberding.zenfolio.com/p779349016/slideshow

 

Where exactly did we see the longspurs? My camera’s GPS got accidentally turned off for the longspurs, so not sure what road, but around Weld County 114 and 37. I heard the chestnut-collareds first--sounded a little different than the many lark buntings everywhere. Later saw a couple of McCown’s on the road alongside horned larks, so we stopped and followed them onto the open prairie for better pics.

 

The ptarmigan at Rocky NP northeast of Medicine Bow Curve, about half-way out the trail.

 

Good birding & luck,

Tom Wilberding

Boulder, CO