American Three-toed Woodpeckers, Clear Creek County
Andrews Robert
Hello all,
On July 24, Michael Kiessig and I saw seven American Three-toed Woodpeckers on the north side of Guanella Pass, Clear Creek County. Several were along the dirt road leading to the Silver Dollar Lake trailhead from the parking lots at the paved Guanella Pass road, and others were along the lower portions of the Silver Dollar Lake Trail. None of the birds were seen in the morning when we were hiking up; all were seen in the afternoon as we were hiking back down. Four of the birds involved were two separate adult males feeding single young birds following the males and being fed by them. A third bird was seen near one of the male-fledgling pairs and may have been the female parent. Two other single birds were also seen. A female Hairy Woodpecker was seen in the same area, so woodpeckers need to be checked carefully. The area was birdy, with many fledgling Yellow-rumped Warblers, Wilson’s Warblers, Lincoln’s Sparrows, and White-crowned Sparrows. Several Pine Grosbeaks were also seen and heard.
Tom Wilberding
