Lucy Warbler, Mesa Count questions

[Brian Johnson]

Hello,
I'm going camping this coming week and
I have seen reports of Lucy's Warblers
At a ebird hot spott called Gateway Cottonwoods. I have not been to Mesa County before and would appreciate some info on how to get there and where to go to hopeful find them. I tried to look this place up on the internet but I could only find a resort. Do I need to stay visit the resort to reach the birds?
Thank you
Brian Johnson,
Good birding

[George Miller]

Use eBird's Explore to get to the Top Hotspots of Mesa County. 

Click on number nine, Gateway Cottonwoods.

At the left, click on any list.

Under the Date at the top of the list is a the location and a Flag that will take you to the location.

[Joe Roller]

TO find the site, go to the hotspot map on eBird and enter "Gateway Cottonwoods".

Chances of seeing Lucy's here are low this late in the year.

PLease respect these birds, which are nesting in this County for the first time.

Please do NOT play a tape, or do anything to disrupt them.

A better place to find Lucy's is in MOntezuma County, Yellowjacket County, late April, early May.

Lucy's breed here and need to be respected here too.

From CFO site "County Birding"

Yellow Jacket Canyon - Montezuma County

Ownership: None Listed 

Description: This ribbon of riparian habitat is the undisputed crown jewel of southwestern birding locations. Yellow Jacket Creek has water flowing through it all year, and an extensive riparian corridor lines it for at least two miles. Unfortunately, much of it, including the best stuff, is on private property.

The reason most birders come here is to look for Lucy's Warbler, first discovered breeding here in 2004 and seen in numbers every summer since then. A pair typically nests right on the public property boundary (see below), and up to three other pairs have been seen upstream from there on public land. They usually arrive in late April and are present through July, though they get increasingly harder to find after mid-June.

Lucy's Warblers are far from the only reason to come, though. Summer Tanagers have maintained territories here in 2006 and 2007 and likely breed; rarities such as Yellow-throated Vireo have been seen, and the potential here is phenomenal. Gray Vireo is common along the road in, along with other PJ species such as Pinyon Jay, Common Poorwill, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Black-throated Sparrow, and others. A few Scott's Orioles can typically be found in the sparser PJ closer to McElmo Canyon. 

Habitat: Pinyon/Juniper Forest, Lowland Riparian, Stream 

Elevation: 

Directions: From the intersection of McElmo Canyon Road (CR G) and US-160/491 just south of Cortez head west on CR G for 20.2 miles to an unmarked and gated road on the right. Open the gate and head north for 2.4 miles, heading straight over the cattle guard at a junction at 1.5 miles, past a National Monument sign for Cannonball Mesa, well off the road. Just before the junction at 2.4 miles you will cross a (usually) dry arroyo. Take a left at 2.4 miles onto an inconspicuous and rough track. Drive down it as far as you can and walk the rest of the way (about 1.5 miles total; bring water!). When you get towards the end of the road, you'll be getting close to the top of some short rimrock cliffs above the cottonwood gallery. If you're in the right place, the road should split shortly before the cliff. Take the right (lower) fork, but watch for a broken-down, unposted fenceline. Do not follow the road through the fence line--it is the beginning of private property that birders are specifically forbidden from accessing. Instead follow the fenceline to the right, until you reach the top of the short cliff. Below you'll see how the road does a hairpin turn and comes back out into public land through the continuation of the fenceline. Head right (northeast) along the cliff until you find a safe place to descend. Stay east of the fence. In 2006, at least one Lucy's territory seemed to stretch along about 100 meters of stream bottom, roughly centered on the fenceline. Everything down-canyon from here is private property; you can bird upstream from here to about the first side canyon on the right and stay on public land. 

To navigate around this area you will probably want to use the Bowdish Canyon Quadrangle topographic map or the Cortez area BLM map. 

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[John Malenich]

The pair of Lucy's at Gatewood Cottonwoods were still present yesterday.  From 141 turn northwest on 4 1/10 Rd.  Go 1 mile to an access road on the right with a small brown marker (stake) noting allowed types of vehicles.  This is Gateway Cottonwoods.  The Lucy's were primarily seen in a tree that overhangs this access road just a very short ways down this road fairly close to a wooden tee-pee made out of branches that you can't miss and before the road comes to what looks like an open area used for parking/camping that has a rock firepit.  The male was singing frequently, making him easy to locate.  

As Joe rightly noted, these birds are breeding here, out of their normal range, and this is a first Mesa County record of breeding Lucy's, so please avoid playing songs or calls, pishing, or anything else that would cause disturbance to their breeding.  Good luck!

John Malenich

Boulder, CO 

[Brian Johnson]

Thank you to everyone who has helped mr with the info. I'm heading out tomorrow. Fingers crossed they make an appearance for me.
Brian Johnson
Englewood CO