birdcore

Category: colorado

  • Project 5280: The Quest for New Bird Species in Colorado

    (Note: I wrote this article some time ago. I have made much progress since then. Here is the start of my quest.)

    Years ago I moved to Colorado from Illinois. Back then I wasn’t a birder. Birding as a hobby for me has only happened in the last 3 years. I often think about all of the species I missed out on seeing when I lived under the Mississippi flyway. Okay, I’ll be honest, I’m mainly thinking about warblers.

    I have also realized that to advance in my career I may have to take a position out of state. I don’t want to leave the front range of Colorado, but it might need doing to secure my financial future.

    My past and uncertain future have started to impend upon how I spend my time. In case I have to leave the state, I need to make the most out of my life in Colorado.

    Now to be clear, my time thus far has not been wasted. I am always outside somewhere. In terms of sites seen, I have done more than most people have or ever will. While birding in Colorado, I have seen 319 species and visited 46 of 64 counties. My top rarities are probably the Gunnison Sage Grouse, Yellow Grosbeak, Arctic Loon, and two Limpkins during the Hot Limpkin Summer.

    Still, I am missing an opportunity. I live here now. I should be focused on western species (which includes very few warblers unfortunately). Therefore, my new goal is to find birds that are either exclusively or primarily in Colorado. I’ll also be searching for birds that are plentiful in other western states, but that have small populations in Colorado.

    Not only will this approach give me lifers but it will add to my state list as well. 

    It occurred to me that my needs list may be of use to others. Below is the list of birds I still need to see. I have included some limited information on where to find them so that this isn’t just a list of names. 

    Black Rosy-Finch – Brown-capped Rosy-Finch – Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch – Two of these finches are endangered species and the other is listed as Least Concern. These finches call a few western states home. These birds summer in the high elevations of the mountains, often feeding above tree line. The easiest way to find these finches is to hope that they come to feeders at lower elevations during winter. Then hope that you are invited to said feeders by the homeowners (or that the feeder is viewable from the road).

    Cassia Crossbill – Once thought to be limited to a small portion of Idaho, birders here with the help of new technology have demonstrated that this species has likely been in Colorado right under, but mostly over, our noses the entire time. I have some extra skills to develop if I want to locate one of these. Specifically learning how to read the sound files and determine Cassia from other red crossbills.

    Common Poorwill – This species is seen across a wide range of states from Nebraska to California, and Montana south to Mexico. This is a good species to listen for at night in Colorado. More often heard than seen, I may have to settle for sound ID alone on this species. However, with a little luck a visual is possible.

    White-tailed Ptarmigan – These high elevation specialists are in prime habitat here. While any spot above the treeline yields the possibility for ptarmigan, a few places are better than others. Mt. Audubon trail, most easily accessed via Mitchell Lake Trailhead at Brainard Lake Recreation Area, is a popular hike that often provides a chance to meet these birds at 12,000 feet and above. If hiking up 1500 plus feet of vertical isn’t your jam then try Kite Lake, in Park County. You can drive to the lake at 12,000 feet elevation and then walk into the basin it occupies to search. Just be cautious and respectful as this spot borders a good deal of private land (marked by signs at the lake). There is extremely limited parking and the road is rough and unpaved but still passable for cars. The last mile of the road closes in winter (bring snowshoes just in case) and has to be traversed on foot.

    Flammulated Owl – This one is right up the road from me in Long Canyon. I just need to get into the foothills at night during summer to hear one. This one will probably get added as a lifer on sound alone.

    Black Rail – There are isolated sightings in southeastern Colorado, but the west side of John Martin Reservoir is known to hold some of this species in the summer. Most folks identify by sound at night and the reports drop off after early summer. No one seems to know whether they go silent or leave the area entirely.

    Dusky Grouse – Common on the westward slope these birds can also be found in lesser numbers along the foothills of the front range.

    Greater Sage-grouse  – A northwest Colorado species with accessible roadside lek sites.

    Lesser Prairie-chicken  – An occasional sighting happens along the southern Kansas and Oklahoma borders. Questions abound as to whether these are accurate identifications. Efforts to re-introduce this bird in Colorado have been nothing short of disastrous. Overgrazing by ranchers, both past and present, has made reintroduction near impossible. I don’t have high hopes of finding this species in Colorado but if I run out of other birds then I will be making trips down just in case. For this one I’ll probably have to visit Kansas.

    Ruffed Grouse  – According to eBird reports there is a small pocket of sightings in the extreme northwest corner of the state just north of Dinosaur National Monument. If I’m there I will look, but I honestly don’t think this one is worth the effort given the remote location and small chance of payoff.

    Scaled Quail  – The southeast corner of Colorado affords the opportunity to find this bird. Not many people go birding on the plains of Colorado so the limited sightings likely do not reflect the chances of seeing this species. I imagine this is a bird that I will find while looking for other birds.

    Sharp-tailed Grouse  – A northwest Colorado bird with lek sites that can be visited. There are some sightings along the plains that border the front range near Wyoming. 

    White-winged Crossbill  – A smattering of birds here and there. This is truly a remarkable species. White-winged Crossbills are nomadic. They travel looking for food and when that food is sufficient they settle in and raise a brood regardless of what time of year it is. If none are reported I just have to put myself in mountain forests and hope for the best.

    Least Tern – These nest at John Martin Reservoir.

    Piping Plover – Also a species that nests at John Martin Reservoir.

    Spotted Owl – Yes you read that correctly. There are spotted owls in Colorado. They are the Mexican subspecies. In the Wet Mountains there are small populations of owls that are being monitored. The locations are not widely known. Those who do know them don’t share them. I do not wish to disturb this sensitive species so all I really need is to hear a call or two. I’ll try for a visual another time in another place. 

    Gray Vireo – The area’s along the western slope should afford a view of this bird.

    Black Swift – Small populations consisting of a handful of birds can be seen in the state. Some years, my home county of Boulder will host a few nests at Ouzel Falls located in Rocky Mountain National Park’s Wild Basin. More reliably though are the waterfalls of the western slope, such as the one in Ouray at Box Canyon Falls.

    Chukar – An exotic species that has taken to living in the rocky, arid parts of Colorado’s western slope. Chukars can occasionally be found in other parts of the state but only count toward species totals (eBird) in a few areas. I imagine this species is easier heard than found. A reliable spot is Coal Canyon, the mouth of which sits at the former town site of Cameo. It is also a wild horse area so be on the lookout for those as well.

    Band-tailed Pigeon – These frequent the town of Allenspark during summer months.

    New State Birds

    The species below have populations in Colorado. I have seen all of them elsewhere but never in Colorado. These are my state lifer targets.

    Grace and Lucy Warblers – Both of these are on the western slope near wooded canyons. A trip to find one is likely to turn up the other.

    Greater Roadrunner – Found in the southern part of the state from Pueblo on down mostly. 

    Rufous-crowned Sparrow – These birds seem to prefer the arid southeast canyons of Colorado. This is interesting because when I found them in Arizona none were in this type of habitat.

    Alright. Now that I know what I’m looking for, let the quest begin!

    Checklists

    Here are the checklists for each species that I have found so far. I will update as I go. Click on the date to see the checklist.

    Black Rosy-Finch – 14 Jan 2024
    Brown-capped Rosy-Finch – 19 Nov 2023
    Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch – 19 Nov 2023
    Cassia Crossbill –
    Common Poorwill – 13 Jun 2024
    White-tailed Ptarmigan – 03 Sep 2023
    Flammulated Owl – 13 Jun 2024
    Black Rail –
    Dusky Grouse –
    Greater Sage-Grouse – 14 May 2024
    Lesser Prairie-Chicken –
    Ruffed Grouse –
    Scaled Quail – 26 Nov 2023
    Sharp-tailed Grouse – 21 Apr 2024
    White-winged Crossbill – 08 Jul 2024
    Least Tern –
    Piping Plover –
    Spotted Owl –
    Gray Vireo – 23 Jun 2024
    Black Swift – 23 Jun 2024
    Chukar – 23 Jun 2024
    Band-tailed Pigeon – 28 May 2024
    Grace Warbler – 14 Jun 2024
    Lucy Warbler – 29 Apr 2025
    Greater Roadrunner – 02 Nov 2024
    Rufous-crowned Sparrow – 15 Dec 2024

  • Birdwatching Adventures in Colorado’s Cottonwood Canyon

    It is slightly before 10 pm and I have just arrived in a small, rather depressing town (just like every other town) on the plains of Colorado.

    It’s one of those areas where the main show of wealth appears to be how much junk you can accumulate on your property. Some folks are weathering the recessions just fine.

    I pull into the only open gas station to top off with fuel. Next to me are three trucks full of young kids. Trucks nicer than kids can generally afford. I always expect to get hassled in situations like this. I forget that I’m not young anymore. To them I’m invisible, just another old person. As I leave, I notice that at least one of the vehicles is adorned with truck nuts. Of course it is, why wouldn’t it be?

    I park down the street at a hotel. As the lobby door closes behind me I hear the labored moan of spinning turbos on diesel engines fade away. The disheveled hotel clerk checks me in and has to help me with my door. Apparently, all it takes to open is a swift shoulder check. He acts like I should have known that, as if every hotel door opens this way.

    Most of the things in the room are broken in one fashion or another. I see a vent on the bathroom ceiling except that the switch to turn it on has been removed. This is, I should note, exactly the type of features I look for in a bathroom fan. When I turn the water on for the shower, the handle almost falls off in my hand. Just as well I think, the mold growing out of the shower caulk has me a bit concerned for my safety anyhow. Hopefully the fungi sees that as a feat of my strength and will leave me be during my shower. The rooms are always the second worst part of being out here.

    Politics are the worst part of being out here. It should be noted that the people are nice enough on the surface. As long as you only talk about the weather, you’ll be fine. Delve deeper and you’ll see that thin veneer of nicety fall away. I grew up in a place like this. Now as a trans person, I fly under the radar in rural areas for my safety. All it would take to put me in danger is one person who can’t cope with their insecurities. This topic deserves more attention as it pertains to queer folk in outdoor spaces, but for now I digress.

    Truthfully, if you were to look around the so-called grasslands of Colorado you would see that not much lives out here and with good reason. As soon as a blade of grass rises from the dirt, a farmer puts three cows on top of it. There are giant reservoirs here that are bone dry and full of tumbleweeds. If this is all that the plains of Colorado had to offer I would end the story here. I would go home and this article would motivate no one to come here (and perhaps that is still the case). 

    However, among the desolate, dry, overgrazed madness that reigns supreme there are small areas which hold more life than others and in these places, are birds. There aren’t many incredibly special species that reside out here, but the chance for vagrancy is always present. In a land full of nothing, a creek or a playa, even a human created irrigation ditch can create an irresistible stopping point for birds. It’s not a guarantee that you’ll find something special in any of these so-called migrant traps, but your odds are better. 

    Even in the off season when the creeks, rivers, and ditches are dry, the tree growth they afford towers above the scrub. This can offer insects a home and the birds a place to eat and rest. 

    Previous birds to this part of the state have been a Red-faced Warbler, Cactus Wren, Harris Hawk, Crested Caracara, and a Golden-fronted Woodpecker. These are the species I can remember from the last two years. I’m sure there have been others. As human driven climate change continues many folks, myself included, suspect these and other southern species sightings will become more frequent. 

    Two hours before sunrise, I set out for my destination which is called Cottonwood Canyon. On the approach, I was beginning to doubt this canyon’s existence. There are no rocky outcrops signaling a terrain change as happens with other canyons. Instead, cholla cactus and rubber rabbitbrush stretch out in an endless array as an occasional juniper breaks up the monotony. The smooth horizon is relatively uninterrupted and I soon discover why. As the dirt road continues, it drops down into the hidden canyon. A nifty little trick if I do say so myself.

    Cottonwood Creek, which carved this canyon over millions of years, is reduced to a series of puddles in December. Even here, in the southern part of the state, winter is creeping in. A skiff of ice has started to form on the water’s surface. 

    I’m here to try and relocate a Crissal Thrasher which is a first state record for Colorado. Only a few folks have been able to find it. Then again, only slightly more than a few folks have come looking for it. The odds are not in mine, or anyone’s favor, but long shots can pay off. After the six hour drive to get here, I’m definitely hoping for a reward. Birding is putting yourself in the right place at the right time, and then hoping for a little luck while you’re there.

    I have seen a Crissal Thrasher previously, but never in my home state.

    As the sun rose over the plains the first rays of direct light started to glow on the top of the canyon wall behind me. It was a very memorable and welcomed sight, both because of the visual it provided and for the promise of heat.

    By now another birder had joined me. Normally, I welcome help in finding a bird. However, thrashers can be skittish and elusive. I figured my best chance was to be quiet and to be by myself. No matter, as a person they were plenty nice and who knows, another set of eyes and ears could be helpful after all. 

    Eventually, we walked up a hill to a plateau surrounded on three sides by rock walls. Perhaps that makes it an inverse plateau. It made the triangulation of sound difficult as the bird songs were bouncing off the walls.

    While standing shoulder to shoulder, we saw a bird quickly fly by and land in some waist high bushes. My enthusiastic compatriot said “that was it, it had a long tail!” We were in Curve-billed and Sage Thrasher habitat and it had flown from a spot where Canyon Towhees had been calling. The field guides say this species runs, rather than flies, from predators. I remained unconvinced of our sighting. Perhaps they had a better look at it than I did. For me it was not enough proof. I needed to see the bill, throat stripes, or those orange undertail coverts. Later, I saw more Canyon Towhees flying from that same area to where we had seen the bird land previously. This added to my skepticism.

    They got their lifer and I did not add the bird to my state totals. 

    After a couple of hours I decided to give up on the Crissal Thrasher. I was happy with my effort and content to let this chance pass. Other birds of this species will eventually show up closer to home. Even if they don’t, life will somehow keep going.

    I went back down to the canyon road and walked it for about a quarter mile in each direction. I had heard from multiple folks that Rufous-crowned Sparrows could be found here and I needed a sighting for my Colorado list. Sure enough, numerous Rufous-crowned Sparrow songs rang out from the canyon walls above me. Simultaneously, one landed about fifty feet from my position. Farther down the road I found a winter wren feeding among the exposed tree roots in the creek bed.

    There was no need to salvage my day. I met a new birder, gained a state bird, and went to a place that very few folks will ever see. You don’t get here by accident after all. Afterwards, I drove another ten miles south into Oklahoma and logged my first ever checklist. From there I went into Kansas and did the same. I still have quite a few states in which to check off of my birding list. For now though, that’s two more down with only forty other states remaining.

    Another great experience is in the books, and to think that it happened out on the plains of Colorado.

    Rarities: 

    Sandhill cranes flying over Oklahoma. 

    Winter wren (not flagged as rare but I’m counting it)

    High counts: 

    20 Chestnut-collared longspurs in Kansas.

    Checklists:

    Cottonwood Canyon – https://ebird.org/checklist/S205498138

    Article soundtrack (bands): 

    Burn, Burn, Burn

    The Dollheads