It’s mid-March and I’m again in Colorado for conferences. After all, wonderful alternative to go birding with my associates Brad and Laura. Earlier than the conferences began we had three wonderful days of looking for out what we began calling “red-faced rascals” – the sequence of finches that appear like they’ve been dipped in raspberry coulis. My colleague Doug wrote me an e mail describing the whereabouts of those “rosy finches” and my spouse needed to handle my pleasure with horse tranquilizer… What a improbable little birds.
I flew into Denver from Mexico. I may need so as to add the Dallas airport workers to the checklist of issues Buffon was proper about. A little bit of rain brought on a two-hour delay on the flight in and, on my means again to Europe, they couldn’t discover the airplane (clue: large metallic factor with wings). If birders had been as inept discovering flying issues our life lists can be very brief certainly.
We would go away straight from the airport to the mountains so I had placed on the birding garments and appeared like a military veteran. Good factor: I used to be given precedence boarding. The “thanks on your service” felt undeserved although. After all, I made that up. What’s 100% true is the flight quantity I took into Denver: 420. I used to be excessive and joyful, not from “420” medicine however from the altitude and the anticipation of seeing woodpeckers and owls I had by no means seen earlier than. Alas, these sightings will likely be for one more time because the climate had thrown a spanner within the works: half a meter of snow had closed off our supposed vacation spot. Within the spirit of Denver 420 we had been so mellow and chill that we cried however a single tear. Whereas doing a fast tour of Ralston Creek, we made various plans, or higher: we determined to let fortune lead us. Each time we may bodily attain a “birdy” place we’d go and test it out.
Subsequent day, first cease – actually to get some wins after the frustration of the cancelled plans – was dependable Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR. Late summer season 2023 the lakes and ponds had been empty, presumably as a result of the geese and geese had been moulting. Empty no extra, the ponds had been now brimming with geese of all creeds and persuasions – it was spectacular. Giant teams of Hooded Merganser, Redhead, Franklin’s Gull, and different floaters had been simply noticed.
If there have been such a factor as a Periodic Desk of Geese we went from hydrogen to uranium: each duck possible was there. After a pleasing morning with geese, crisp snow and sunshine, we adopted the wildlife path on our means out. We admired the Bison within the frozen fields and noticed a juvenile Golden Eagle which was each lovely and a lifer for my hosts.
We slushed via the paths on the Audubon Heart & Trails within the Chatfield State Park to get to the feeders. Our hopes on this second cease for the day had been cruelly squashed because the feeders had little to supply. Nonetheless, there was a really confiding Cooper’s Hawk fortunately kek-kek-kekking. I feel he was laughing at us.
Remaining cease for the day, Tucker Lake. This city reservoir does appear to warrant a fast go to in response to the eBird listings though we noticed few birds and nothing new in comparison with what we already had seen earlier within the day. Not value a detour, however when within the neighborhood, do test it out.
We returned house for a very good dinner with associates, some wine and an evening dreaming of raspberry coulis, puppies and geese. Rising earlier than daybreak and on our means up via the one mountain move that had been cleared of snow. Our aim was the often very busy Staunton State Park. We had been fortunate and early so we had the tracks to ourselves. In contrast to the day earlier than at Audubon, the tracks had been easy-going (aren’t these state park rangers superb?). Quickly Steller’s Jay, each Downy and Furry Woodpecker, Mountain Chickadee, Pygmy Nuthatch and White-breasted Nuthatch had been in every single place. The snow appeared to amplify the sounds and I assumed I heard Tchaikovsky’s music. Because it wasn’t Christmas and we had been positively not in a ballet theater this might solely imply one factor: Clark’s Nutcracker. This can be a easy gray and black fowl however I’ve at all times wished to see one. And now I did. Additionally it is fowl 2100 on my life checklist. Happy to bits!
Our web analysis confirmed that someone in Pine County had all three (Black, Brown-capped, and Grey-crowned) Rosy Finches on the feeders of their backyard. We drove to the situation, however stranded 200 meters earlier than our supposed aim in a forest of menacing “no trespassing” indicators. My hosts, clearly understanding their countrymen higher than I do, strongly suggested me to not get out of the automobile. As an alternative, we should always head again to civilisation. Normally not one to hen out, the apprehensive and anxious appears to be like on their faces instructed me to not ignore the recommendation. These Coloradans are apparently armed and harmful. Naturally, after I spoke with one other birder he instructed me I used to be silly to not have walked up – in any case what’s the worst that would have occurred? Nonetheless, birders’ patron saint Saint Gall rewarded my obedience and my hosts’ frequent sense with a sighting of not one, however two Townsend’s Solitaires whereas on our means down. The identical Townsend’s Solitaire I dipped on final time in Colorado.
We had time for one more cease at Little Scraggy Trailhead. Though there was an individual decided to go tenting (why?) the paths had been empty. We walked via the deep snow – no shoveling park rangers right here – and obtained onto a flock of Crimson Crossbills virtually instantly. We had been joyful sufficient for we had been getting affordable views. My hosts may confidently tick off the species on their life checklist. Nonetheless, a mere 10 minutes later we obtained one other male Crimson Crossbill singing from the highest of a pine tree. That was undoubtedly the sighting of the day – this putting purple fowl in a white and darkish inexperienced panorama. Coming down from the emotional excessive we observed our grumbling stomachs: time to eat.
I’m not a fan of American eating places. The fast-food joints are boring and the top-line eating places do bizarre issues like “our tackle tiramisu” which interprets into “we’ve got taken out all important elements and made a load of [expletive deleted] garbage“. Nonetheless, return to the fifties and have lunch at a diner and also you get fairly the All American Expertise. We stopped at Rosie’s Diner. Sincere meals in a fifties’ diner whereas reminiscing about all these motion pictures you may have seen about diners within the fifties. I can suggest it.
We ended the day and the weekend with a fast go to to the Norman D Park. Junco Junction would have been a greater title – the Darkish-eyed Juncos had been plentiful. We obtained no less than three sub-species however the spotlight was a Wilson’s Snipe we flushed.
Though cautious preparation, subtle intel from actual ornithologists and plenty of planning had been derailed by half a meter of snow, we ended up scoring 63 species over the weekend. I ticked off 9 lifers. We additionally noticed Prairie Canines, Bison, Mule Deer, Abert’s Squirrel and Coyote. All fowl and animal photos are Brad’s. I’m very grateful for each his artistry and his driving.