El Paso County: Dusky Grouse

[Aaron Driscoll]

My wife and I decided to hike the Catamount Reservoir Trail this morning.  We parked at Green Mountain Falls and walked up some really steep hills to get to the trail.  I was looking forward to seeing alot of bird activity, but was greatly disappointed.  We arrived at South Catamount Reservoir after a 1.5 hour hike, with very few birds seen.

On the way back it was a different story.

We spotted an Osprey eating something (too far away to confirm, probably a fish).

2 Williamson's Sapsuckers

Clark's Nutcracker

Dark Eyed Junco

4 Turkey Vultures

Mountain Chickadee

Unidentified Sparrow

Robins

 

When we were about 1 mile back down the trail, on our way back to Green Mountain Falls, we ran into a group of four hikers.  They probably saw my binoculars and camera strapped on my back and assumed we were birding.  Yes, we were!

One of the ladies in the group says to me: "We just saw two ptarmigan on the trail just a few hundred yards that way." (pointing east)

I thought to myself, this is going to be a good day, a new life bird.  But then I reallized that it was probably an incorrect identification.

I was right, they were Dusky Grouse.  But that's ok.  Got some really good looks up close.

 

A beautiful hike. 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/93843744@N06/

 

Aaron and Pati Driscoll

Colorado Springs, CO

 

 

[Aaron D.]

Correction:  After a few hours of thinking about this post, I realized the county is incorrect.

These sighting were in Teller County.

 

Aaron