Big Green Year update, trip to Crow Valley CG, Weld county
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Rick
Jun 8, 2013, 7:47:38 PM6/8/13
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Greetings -
Well, with spring migration coming to a halt, I figured it would be a good time to try for some of the resident birds out on the Pawnee Grasslands and at Crow Valley Campground. I decided to camp overnight, so I wouldn't have to ride back the same day. Yesterday was a good day for biking and birding. Nice temps, and almost no wind. I saw most of my grassland targets, including mountain plover, burrowing owl, sage thrasher, lark bunting, and McCown's longspur. At Crow Valley CG, I added northern mockingbird, brown thrasher, orchard oriole and blue-gray gnatcatcher. The large numbers of Swainson's thrushes reported recently have dwindled - I saw two individuals. The bike ride back today was spent fighting a 20-30 mph crosswind (not in the forecast!), and I did not add any new birds on the ride back home.
My year total is now at 173 species. I think the rest of the year will consist of adding a new species here or there, but I don't anticipate any more big days. I continue to enjoy this project, and all of the good birds and exercise it is bringing.
Rick Schroeder
Fort Collins, CO
Well, with spring migration coming to a halt, I figured it would be a good time to try for some of the resident birds out on the Pawnee Grasslands and at Crow Valley Campground. I decided to camp overnight, so I wouldn't have to ride back the same day. Yesterday was a good day for biking and birding. Nice temps, and almost no wind. I saw most of my grassland targets, including mountain plover, burrowing owl, sage thrasher, lark bunting, and McCown's longspur. At Crow Valley CG, I added northern mockingbird, brown thrasher, orchard oriole and blue-gray gnatcatcher. The large numbers of Swainson's thrushes reported recently have dwindled - I saw two individuals. The bike ride back today was spent fighting a 20-30 mph crosswind (not in the forecast!), and I did not add any new birds on the ride back home.
My year total is now at 173 species. I think the rest of the year will consist of adding a new species here or there, but I don't anticipate any more big days. I continue to enjoy this project, and all of the good birds and exercise it is bringing.
Rick Schroeder
Fort Collins, CO
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