Wild Basin (Boulder) 3/29/15 and Lookout Mtn (Jefferson) 3/27/15

[Bill Blackburn]

Cobirders,

Hannah Espy and I decided to try and relocate the Dusky Grouse at the Boetcher Mansion and Lookout Mountain Nature Center on Friday (3/27).  I know some have been having trouble locating it, so I thought it worth mentioning that we first found it at 2:00 PM under a tree in front of the last parking space on the right as you are looking at the mansion entrance.  When we left at 4:00 PM it had crossed the pavement to under a tree on the left side.  The reports that I have seen posted so far all seem to be from the afternoon.  Maybe it forages somewhere else in the morning.  We also had 3 Western Bluebirds (2 were at the Lookout Mountain Park), several Mountain Bluebirds, and 4 Rosy-finches that flew overhead at the Nature Center.

On Sunday (3/29), I headed up to the Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park just north of Allenspark to try and relocate the American Three-toed Woodpeckers.  I did finally have one almost exactly halfway up the trail to Ouzel Falls, about 100 yards past the first wooden bridge for the cascades and 1.4 miles from the Ranger Station/Trailhead.  It was quietly foraging on a tree immediately to the left of the trail and was kind enough to hang around for about 10 minutes.  If you do head up there, use caution as the trail is currently ice packed and very slick on the way down.  As an able-bodied 30 year old in hiking boots, I was frequently sliding downslope with no control and I did have a rough fall near the bottom of the trail.  I personally would not try the hike again until conditions improve.  Other than the one Three-toed, the hike was pretty quiet with not much around.  I did stop by the Fawnbrook Inn in Allenspark on the way home and had an Evening Grosbeak and several Cassin's Finches at the feeders there.  

Bill Blackburn

Broomfield, CO