San Luis Valley Bird Report, Sept. 14 to 16

[joe...@betterbirdwatching.com]

San Luis Valley area, September 14 to 16, 2018

Turkey Vulture- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Red-tailed Hawk- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Osprey- San Luis Lakes on 9-14

Dusky Grouse- 2 along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14

Mourning Dove- Great Sand Dunes on 9-14

Great Horned Owl- PM calling at campground Great Sand Dunes on 9-14, calling along trail to Willow Lake on 9-16

Northern Pygmy-Owl- 2 calling before dawn along trail to Willow Lake on 9-16

Common Poorwill- along entrance road at dusk Great Sand Dunes on 9-14, several calling after sunset and one right on the trail along trail to Willow Lake on 9-16

Callliope Hummingbird- along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14, Montville Nature Trail area at Great Snd Dunes on 9-15

Hairy Woodpecker- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Northern Flicker- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Northern Three-toed Woodpecker- along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14, along trail to Willow Lake on 9-16

Plumbeous Vireo- along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14, singing at Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Loggerhead Shrike- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Steller’s Jay- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Pinyon Jay- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Clark’s Nutcracker- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Common Raven- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Ruby-crowned Kinglet- singing along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14

Golden-crowned Kinglet- singing along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14

Bushtit- Campground area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15, along trail to Willow Lake on 9-16

Mountain Chickadee- Along trail to Ellingwood Point along summit ridge at about 13,000 feet, Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Mountain Bluebird- Great Sund Dunes on 9-15

Hermit Thrush- along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14

American Robin- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Townsend’s Solitaire- singing along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14, singing at Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

House Wren- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Canyon Wren- Mosca Pass Trail on 9-15

American Dipper- at Zapata Lake on 9-14, swimming in the lake and floating on top of the water, looked like a miniature gull

White-breasted Nuthatch- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Brown Creeper- singing along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14, Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

American Pipit- along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14, along trail to Challenger Point on 9-16

Wilson’s Warbler- along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14, Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15, along trail to Willow Lake on 9-16

Yellow-rumped Warbler- along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14, Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Spotted Towhee- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Green-tailed Towhee- along trail to Willow Lake on 9-16

Chipping Sparrow- along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14, Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Lark Sparrow- along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14

White-crowned Sparrow- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Dark-eyed Junco- Montville Nature Trail area at Great Sand Dunes on 9-15

Pine Siskin- along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14

Pine Grosbeak- along trail to Zapata Lake on 9-14

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch- along trail to Challenger Point on 9-16

Huge Bull elk near San Luis Lakes on 9-14 in early AM, in valley a few miles W of treeline

Joe LaFleur
Woodland Park, Teller Cty., 8500 feet

 

 

[mvjo...@gmail.com]

Nice list Joe. Thanks for sending.

John Rawinski

Monte Vista, CO

[joe...@betterbirdwatching.com]

Yes enjoyed my visit to SLV, highlights the Poorwills and Pygmy-Owls, also the Dipper swimming around Zapata Lake, had never really seen Dippers floating on open water like that