Iowa Ornithologists' Union Colorado "Chicken" Trip, April 2005

Doug Faulkner, Arvada, CO, guided 15 of us on a whirlwind birding trip around CO. Ric Zarwell, Lansing, IA, led the Iowans through Nebraska to Colorado and Russ Widner drove up from Cave Creek, AZ. Fifty of the target species were found as well as many others. All of the participants had seen Greater Prairie-Chicken, Sharp-tailed, and Ruffed Grouse so we didn't try for those spp. Many people saw several life birds. The route began in Red Rocks Park, Bear Creek Canyon, with dinner at my home in Evergreen. We left April 3 Springfield where we saw the Lesser Prairie-Chickens on the lek as well as Eastern "Lillian's" Meadowlark. We birded our way through Cottonwood Canyon to Pueblo, Canon City, and Gunnison where we saw the Gunnison Sage-Grouse in the evening and the next morning. On the way out of town we found the three spp of rosy-finches and Hepburn's at a feeder.

We went over Hoosier Pass to Frisco where we enjoyed a leisurely Italian dinner. The next day at Loveland Pass, luck was with us as we found one calling White-tailed Ptarmigan! We birded the Arapahoe NWR and on to Walden. After a quick dinner, we checked the Coalmont Lek and saw some Greater Sage-Grouse on the lek in the evening sun, then on to Cameron Pass and were rewarded with a calling Boreal Owl who "guided" us to his perch and sat for all to see. Back to Walden for a short night and up early for the Greater Sage-Grouse on the lek. On April 7, we drove over the pass to Ft Collins where Rachael Hopper had found a flock of Bohemian Waxwings for us! The Iowans left for the Pawnee NG and Iowa, Russ for AZ, and Doug and I headed back to our respective homes in Arvada and Evergreen. The trip was good and Doug's birding skills were admired by all!

I didn't photograph many spp, since I was also a host for the trip. But a few photos, generally in chronological order, follow.

Click on photo to enlarge.

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6-5402 American Dipper, Bear Creek, Jefferson Co, CO, 2 Apr 2005

25-5403 Brandt, east side of Denver, CO, 3 Apr 2005

33-5404 Inca Dove, Pueblo, CO, 4 Apr 2005

37-5405 Williamson's Sapsucker, Summit Co, CO, 5 Apr 2005

49-5405 Red-naped Sapsucker feeding on aspen, Summit Co, CO, 5 Apr 2005

51-5405 Busy Red-naped Sapsucker!, Summit Co, CO, 5 Apr 2005

61-5405 Red-naped Sapsucker, Summit Co, CO, 5 Apr 2005

62-5405 Red-naped Sapsucker, Summit Co, CO, 5 Apr 2005

63-5406 Doug Faulkner, bird guide (back), and Jay Gilliam, photographer (front), on Loveland Pass, CO, 5 Apr 2005

43-5406 Russ Widner, Cave Creek, AZ, on Loveland Pass, CO, searching for White-tailed Ptarmigan, 5 Apr 2005

78-5406 Russ Widner, Cave Creek, AZ, on Loveland Pass, CO, 5 Apr 2005

88-5406 And there he is! Calling and hiding behind his rock! He refused to come out and we didn't want to stress him. White-tailed Ptarmigan, Loveland Pass, CO, 5 Apr 2005

102-5406 Nervous Cinnamon Teal in Arapahoe NWR, Routt Co., CO, 6 Apr 2005

106-5406 Cinnamon Teal in Arapahoe NWR, Routt Co., CO, 6 Apr 2005

113-5406 Sage Thrasher bathing, Arapahoe NWR, Routt Co., CO, 6 Apr 2005

132-5406 Sage Thrasher feeding after bathing, Arapahoe NWR, Routt Co., CO, 6 Apr 2005

134-5406 Rough-legged Hawk, Arapahoe NWR, Routt Co., CO, 6 Apr 2005

149-5406 Greater Sage-Grouse sparring, Coalmont Lek, Routt Co., CO, evening of 6 Apr 2005

10-5406 Greater Sage-Grouse, Coalmont Lek, Routt Co., CO, evening of 6 Apr 2005

21-5406 Greater Sage-Grouse, Coalmont Lek, Routt Co., CO, evening of 6 Apr 2005

141-5407 Bohemian Waxwing in flock of ~50, Ft Collins, CO, 7 Apr 2005