Southeast CO, 7-8 Nov. 2015, Bay-breasted and...

[Mark Peterson]

COBirders,

The last two days while not sitting in a meeting room, a few of us were able to do some birding down in southeast Colorado.  Today, Mike Kiessig, Mike Henwood, David Gillilan and myself started at John Martin Reservoir.  Although some of the white geese have shown up the bulk of the waterfowl have not.  Lots of times by the time the CBC rolls around (assuming it has not frozen too hard yet) there will be tens of thousands of birds on the reservoir.  If you take away the 2000ish white geese form today then we probably had just over a 1000 birds.  The largest numbers were of AMERICAN WHITE PELICANs and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTs that I think we gave a conservative estimate of 300 apiece.  We really could not find anything real noteworthy on the reservoir but we did have a handful of BONAPARTE'S GULLs and at least one COMMON LOON.  The last was significant for me because I have birded Bent county a fair bit over the past 13+ years and that was the first I have seen in the county.  Apparently I am just a slacker.

Next we headed below the dam to work Hasty campground.  It was virtually birdless in the campground itself for the first 10 or so minutes.  Finally we found a nice little mixed flock that consisted of DARK-EYED JUNCOs, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETs, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERs, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHes, a NORTHERN FLICKER, DOWNY WOODPECKER and a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE.  Further to the north there was a calling RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and a BROWN CREEPER made an appearance.  Mike Henwood spotted a GREATER ROADRUNNER far off on top of a rock outcropping soaking in some sun.  Then we came across a couple of EASTERN BLUEBIRDs.

After the Bluebirds we were headed back to the car as one of the bunch of us had about 6.5 hours of driving yet to do.  Within about 50 or so yards of the car we ran back into that original flock.  This time there was an individual though that we did not see the first time.  There was a rather bright fall BAY-BREASTED WARBLER.  We were all finally able to get decent looks and at one point it was almost at eye level and in the open instead of half behind the leaves or twigs of the Siberian Elms that it was working.  We were able to stay with it for a few minutes before the flock seem to head back to the center of the campground.  We did not see the bird with the original flock the first time and I kind of think it was not with them.  Then it seem to somewhat join them but I know at least one person looked later and refound the flock but was not able to refind the Bay-breasted.  Anyhow, if anyone goes to look for the bird it might be hanging by itself???

We hit a couple of other spots after that in Bent county but did not find much else of real note, except for two CATTLE EGRETs along JJ near BCR 17 in with the cattle.  After I had split off from the group I did take a very quick look at Cheraw on my way home and had a LONG-TAILED DUCK that was visible from the causeway.  I really did not spend much time there and there may have been something else noteworthy but I did not have the time to really work it.

I'll make the rest of this short.  Early Saturday morning I ran down to Two Buttes before the meeting started and was able to find a couple of things of interest, at least to me.  First stop was the reservoir.  There were decent numbers of some divers but the most significant things to me were three RED-BREASTED MERGANSERs and one BONAPARTE'S GULL.  Below the dam the highlights were a very tardy HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, two WINTER WRENs, a HERMIT THRUSH and a GRAY CATBIRD.

It's always fun birding southeast Colorado and even better with great company.

 

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Mark Peterson
Colorado Springs