FieldGuidesTourReport

COLORADOGROUSEI2019

Apr6,2019toApr16,2019TomJohnson&NedBrinkley

Colorado is full of incredible vistas, but this fiery sunrise in North Park on our final full day of birding together was particularly special. A spread of booming anddancing Greater Sage-Grouse helped to complete this panorama. Photo by guide Tom Johnson.

For our tour description, itinerary, past triplists, dates, fees, and more, please VISIT OUR TOUR PAGE.

This spring found us back in Colorado in pursuit of the most uniquely North American birds of all: the lekking grouse of the Great Plains and AmericanWest. We had a wonderful time finding the five species of lekking grouse (Greater & Lesser prairie-chickens, Sharp-tailed Grouse, and Gunnison &Greater sage-grouse), plenty of other fancy chickens (Dusky Grouse, Scaled Quail, and Wild Turkey come to mind), lots of non-chicken birds (all 3rosy-finches, Pinyon Jays, Juniper Titmouse, Sagebrush Sparrow, Mountain Plovers) and an incredibly varied landscape as we inscribed a giganticfigure-8 in the middle of the continent with the wheels of our vans.

A few featured highlights of our tour will follow, but for details on each species, please read down through the annotated list below.

One new feature of this year's tour was a change in venue for viewing Lesser Prairie-Chickens. We gained access to a private ranch in western Kansasand set up in blinds on two adjacent leks. One lek had ~50 Lesser Prairie-Chickens in attendance, while the other had a smaller number of Lessers but amix that included several Greaters and two hybrids as well! We look forward to returning to this gem of a site in future years.

Another fine memory of the tour was our visit to the Hynes residence near Telluride. Eric (AKA Field Guides leader Golden Eagle) and Christine Hynesinvited us over and we enjoyed the spectacle of hundreds of rosy-finches that included over 20 Black Rosy-finches. We surrounded the feeding station,and the Hynes daughters Molly and Rita helped Eric serve seed to the huge flock of finches. It was really special to share this intimate bird frenzy withpart of the wonderful Field Guides family.

Even though we had to contend with a few snowstorms along the way, the group worked together very well and we'd like to thank you for doing yourpart to make this an enjoyable experience. Additional thanks go to our tour manager Sharon Mackie for her support from Austin, and to co-leader NedBrinkley for his wisdom and humor along the way.

Good birding!

Tom

KEYS FOR THIS LISTOne of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a =austral migrant, b = boreal migrant

BIRDSAnatidae(Ducks,Geese,andWaterfowl)ROSS'SGOOSE (Anserrossii) –Wesawdistantflocksofthesesmall,whitegeeseatVerhoeffReservoirandNeenosheReservoironthePlains.CACKLINGGOOSE (Brantahutchinsii) –OnewasattheValenteOpenSpacenearDenveronourfirstafternoontogether;later,wesaw10inatown

parkinFortMorgan,CO.ThesewerebirdsthatwejudgedtobegoodandproperCacklingGeeseinsteadoftheodd,smallCanadatypesthatplaguetheregion.

CANADAGOOSE (Brantacanadensis) –Widespread.WOODDUCK (Aixsponsa) –AsingledrakemadeanunexpectedflybyatNeenosheReservoir.BLUE-WINGEDTEAL (Spatuladiscors) –ThesesmallduckswereatLakeMeredithandagainatWindyGapReservoir.CINNAMONTEAL (Spatulacyanoptera) –Scatteredsightingsinwetlandsaroundthestate.NORTHERNSHOVELER (Spatulaclypeata) –Commonandwidespread.

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GADWALL (Marecastrepera) –Commonandwidespread.AMERICANWIGEON (Marecaamericana) –Fairlywidespread.MALLARD (Anasplatyrhynchos) –Commonandwidespread.MEXICANDUCK (Anasdiazi) –TwomaleswereararefindontheflatsatWindyGapReservoironourfinalday.Thisspecieswasrecentlysplitfrom

Mallardandresemblesadarkbrownversionofthatspecies(withthemalelackingthegreenhead&ornamentationofamale"Northern"Mallard).Thoughhybridizationhascloudedidentificationabit,theseindividualsappeartorepresenttypicalMexicanDucks.ThespeciesisrareinColorado,withmostrecordsfromthereservoirsoutsidethemountainsintheGreatPlains/FrontRangearea.

NORTHERNPINTAIL (Anasacuta) –WesawafewpairsandtriosinwetlandsinthewesternpartofColorado.GREEN-WINGEDTEAL(AMERICAN) (Anascreccacarolinensis) –Commonandwidespread.CANVASBACK (Aythyavalisineria) –WesawsinglesatafewlocationsbeforearrivingatWaldenReservoirandfindingabout15birdsthere.REDHEAD (Aythyaamericana) –Repeatedsightingsofthisfancydivingduck,including15atWindyGapReservoirand30atWaldenReservoir.RING-NECKEDDUCK (Aythyacollaris) –Fairlycommonatafewlakesonourroute,includinganimpressive60atWindyGapReservoir.LESSERSCAUP (Aythyaaffinis) –Quitecommonandwidespreadonlakes.BUFFLEHEAD (Bucephalaalbeola) –Smallnumbersonafewoccasionsonlargerpondsandlakes.COMMONGOLDENEYE (Bucephalaclangula) –AfewwereatValenteOpenSpaceandWaldenReservoir,andthenwesawatleast50atWindy

GapReservoir.BARROW'SGOLDENEYE (Bucephalaislandica) –Animpressive30ofthesefancyducks(highlylocalinspringinColorado)weremixedinwith

scoresofotherwaterfowlatWindyGapReservoir.HOODEDMERGANSER (Lophodytescucullatus) –OnewasattheValenteOpenSpacenearDenver.COMMONMERGANSER (Mergusmerganser) –Commonandwidespread.RED-BREASTEDMERGANSER (Mergusserrator) –Scarcemigrants;wesaw8onFruitgrowersReservoirandanother6onSweitzerLake.RUDDYDUCK (Oxyurajamaicensis) –HundredswereattheValenteOpenSpaceandLakeMeredith,andsmallernumberswereatotherlakesalong

theway.

Odontophoridae(NewWorldQuail)SCALEDQUAIL (Callipeplasquamata) –ApairwerealongadirttrackthroughgrasslandsnearNeenosheReservoir.GAMBEL'SQUAIL (Callipeplagambelii) –SixofthesebeautifulquailwereinadesertneighborhoodoutsideofGrandJunction.

Phasianidae(Pheasants,Grouse,andAllies)RING-NECKEDPHEASANT (Phasianuscolchicus) –WesawafewintheplainsofKansasandeasternColorado. [I]GREATERSAGE-GROUSE (Centrocercusurophasianus) –OnourfirstafternooninNorthPark,wefoundfiveofthesemassivegrousewalking

throughthesageflatsnearCoalmont.Thenextmorning,weenjoyedaspectacularlekdisplayofabout60birds,acombinationofdancingmalesandprospectingfemales.EverytimeIseetheflared,spikeytailsofdisplayingmaleGreaterSage-Grouse,Ican'thelpbutfeelthereisn'tasinglebirdmoreemblematicoftheWestthanthis.

GUNNISONSAGE-GROUSE (Centrocercusminimus) –Heavysnowandicethreatenedourchancesatfindingthisrareandlocalizedgrouse,sowewerepleasedtowatchamaledancingandrestingonthesnow.Excellentviewsthroughourscopes.

DUSKYGROUSE (Dendragapusobscurusobscurus) –TwomalesdisplayedandhootedalongthesideofaroadthroughBlackCanyonoftheGunnisonNationalPark.

SHARP-TAILEDGROUSE (Tympanuchusphasianelluscolumbianus) –Wefoundtenoftheselovely,silver-browngrouseinthehillsnearSteamboatSprings.Initialviewsincludedbirdsinflightandperchedupintreetops,butafterabitoftime,severalmalesassembledandbegantheirwing-splayeddancerightinfrontofus.

GREATERPRAIRIE-CHICKEN(PINNATUS) (Tympanuchuscupidopinnatus) –About35birdssurroundeduswiththeirbooming,cackling,andscreamingaswewatchedthedancefromjustafewyardsawayinthesandhillsoftheBledsoeranch.WealsogottocompareGreatersandLessersonalekinwesternKansas.

LESSERPRAIRIE-CHICKEN (Tympanuchuspallidicinctus) –Forthefirsttime,wevisitedaprivateranchinwesternKansastoseeLesserPrairie-chickensupcloseontheirleks.Wehadgreatsuccess,with~50LessersshowinguptoonelekandasmallernumbershowinguptoamixedlekthatalsofeaturedafewGreaterPrairie-chickensandhybrids.Whatashow!

WILDTURKEY (Meleagrisgallopavo) –ScatteredsightingsatseveralplacesacrossColorado,plusanicepre-dawn"gobblechorus"inthegrasslandsofwesternKansas.

Podicipedidae(Grebes)PIED-BILLEDGREBE (Podilymbuspodiceps) –NedscopedoneinthedistanceatVerhoeffReservoir.HORNEDGREBE (Podicepsauritus) –AbouteightwereattheValenteOpenSpaceonourfirstafternoontogether.EAREDGREBE (Podicepsnigricollis) –FourwereinlovelybreedingplumageonHolbrookReservoir.WESTERNGREBE (Aechmophorusoccidentalis) –ThesebiggrebeswereonafewlargereservoirsontheeasternplainsaswellasatWindyGap

Reservoirinthemountains.CLARK'SGREBE (Aechmophorusclarkii) –Excellentstudies(andcomparisonswithWesternGrebes)atLakeMeredithandNeenosheReservoir.

Columbidae(PigeonsandDoves)ROCKPIGEON (Columbalivia) –Commonaroundlargertownsandcities. [I]EURASIANCOLLARED-DOVE (Streptopeliadecaocto) –Commonaroundhumans. [I]MOURNINGDOVE (Zenaidamacroura) –Widespread,butmuchlesscommononthetourthanEurasianCollared-Dove.

Apodidae(Swifts)WHITE-THROATEDSWIFT (Aeronautessaxatalis) –These"aeronauts"werecirclinglowtothegroundatColoradoNationalMonumentand

alongsideI-70nearFruita.It'sreallyenjoyabletogetgoodviewsofswifts-itdoesn'thappenveryoften!

Trochilidae(Hummingbirds)

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BLACK-CHINNEDHUMMINGBIRD (Archilochusalexandri) –ArecentlyarrivedmalebuzzedbyafewofuswhileweweresearchingforthatGrayFlycatcheratColoradoNationalMonument. [*]

Rallidae(Rails,Gallinules,andCoots)AMERICANCOOT (Fulicaamericana) –Commonandfairlywidespread.

Gruidae(Cranes)SANDHILLCRANE (Antigonecanadensis) –ThesebigbeautieswereinriverineagriculturalareasandgrasslandsbetweenCraigandSteamboat

Springs.

Recurvirostridae(StiltsandAvocets)BLACK-NECKEDSTILT (Himantopusmexicanus) –ThreewereatHolbrookReservoir,andthenwesawafewsinglesinwesternColoradoaswell.AMERICANAVOCET (Recurvirostraamericana) –NinewereatHolbrookReservoirontheplains,andwealsosawafewscatteredmigrantsin

westernColorado.

Charadriidae(PloversandLapwings)KILLDEER (Charadriusvociferus) –Widespreadinopenhabitats.MOUNTAINPLOVER (Charadriusmontanus) –Apairofthese"PrairiePlovers"(they'rereallynotintomountains!)showedwellinaprairiedog

towninthePawneeNationalGrasslandinnortheasternColorado.

Scolopacidae(SandpipersandAllies)LONG-BILLEDCURLEW (Numeniusamericanus) –WesawafewpairsofthesedistinctiveshorebirdsintheplainsandalsoinNorthPark.MARBLEDGODWIT (Limosafedoa) –FourwereinthemarshatFruitgrowersReservoir.WILSON'SSNIPE (Gallinagodelicata) –OnewascallinginthepredawngloamingoutsideourhotelinSteamboatSprings. [*]GREATERYELLOWLEGS (Tringamelanoleuca) –Wefoundafewofthesebigyellowlegsduringtheirspringmigrationthroughtheplainsandalso

inwesternColorado.

Laridae(Gulls,Terns,andSkimmers)BONAPARTE'SGULL (Chroicocephalusphiladelphia) –MigrantswereatLakeMeredith,HolbrookReservoir,andFruitgrowersReservoir.FRANKLIN'SGULL (Leucophaeuspipixcan) –TwoofthesestrikingmigrantgullswereatNeenosheReservoir.RING-BILLEDGULL (Larusdelawarensis) –Fairlycommononmanylakesthatwevisitedduringthetour.CALIFORNIAGULL (Laruscalifornicus) –Thesehandsome,breedinggullsweregatheredonicyWaldenReservoir.

Gaviidae(Loons)RED-THROATEDLOON (Gaviastellata) –Thismid-continentraritywasattheValenteOpenSpacenearDenverontheopeningafternoonofthe

tour.

Phalacrocoracidae(CormorantsandShags)DOUBLE-CRESTEDCORMORANT (Phalacrocoraxauritus) –Thiswastheonlycormorantthatweencounteredduringourjourney.

Pelecanidae(Pelicans)AMERICANWHITEPELICAN (Pelecanuserythrorhynchos) –Thesehugewaterbirdswereonseverallakeswevisited,bothontheplainsandonthe

ColoradoPlateau.

Ardeidae(Herons,Egrets,andBitterns)GREATBLUEHERON (Ardeaherodias) –Commonandfairlywidespread.

Cathartidae(NewWorldVultures)TURKEYVULTURE (Cathartesaura) –Commonthroughoutourjourney.

Pandionidae(Osprey)OSPREY (Pandionhaliaetus) –ThesefamiliarfishhawkswereseenseveraltimesoverlakesandriversinwesternColorado.

Accipitridae(Hawks,Eagles,andKites)GOLDENEAGLE (Aquilachrysaetos) –Wefoundthesehugeraptorstobealmostcommon,especiallyinwesternColorado,withsightingsof17

individuals.OneeffectivelyendedthemorningwatchataLesserPrairie-ChickenlekinColoradowhenitblastedpast,sendingthechickenstoallpointsonthecompass.

NORTHERNHARRIER (Circushudsonius) –Repeatedsightingsinthegrasslandsoftheeasternplains.COOPER'SHAWK (Accipitercooperii) –WesawafewofthiswidespreadAccipiterduringourtimeinwesternColorado.BALDEAGLE (Haliaeetusleucocephalus) –Common,especiallyalonglakesandriversinwesternColorado.SWAINSON'SHAWK (Buteoswainsoni) –Ouronlysightingofthislong-wingedButeowasinthePawneeNationalGrassland. [N]RED-TAILEDHAWK (Buteojamaicensis) –Commonandwidespread.ROUGH-LEGGEDHAWK (Buteolagopus) –Atleast3wereinthepasturesofNorthParkonourfinalfulldayofbirdingtogether.FERRUGINOUSHAWK (Buteoregalis) –OneofthesehugehawkscircledoverheadaswewatchedfromtheroadsideeastofPawneeNational

Grassland.

Strigidae(Owls)GREATHORNEDOWL (Bubovirginianus) –WesawoneadultsittingonanestinabrokentreesnagattheBledsoeCattleCompany.BURROWINGOWL (Athenecunicularia) –Afewoftheselovely,colonialowlswereclusteredinvariousspotsontheeasternplains.

Alcedinidae(Kingfishers)BELTEDKINGFISHER (Megacerylealcyon) –AlongriversnearTellurideandRifle.

Picidae(Woodpeckers)

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RED-NAPEDSAPSUCKER (Sphyrapicusnuchalis) –AmigrantflewpastuswhilewewerewatchingPinyonJaysnearBlackCanyonoftheGunnison.

DOWNYWOODPECKER (Dryobatespubescens) –Thesesmall,familiarwoodpeckerswereattheWrayFishHatcheryandalsoinSilverthorne.LADDER-BACKEDWOODPECKER (Dryobatesscalaris) –OnewasexploringapatchoflowchollacactusontheILRoadeastofPueblo.HAIRYWOODPECKER (Dryobatesvillosus) –OnewasinthebigcottonwoodtreesattheWrayFishHatchery.NORTHERNFLICKER(RED-SHAFTED) (Colaptesauratuscafer) –Commonandwidespread.

Falconidae(FalconsandCaracaras)AMERICANKESTREL (Falcosparverius) –Widespreadinopenhabitats.MERLIN (Falcocolumbarius) –Oneflewoverusaswewatchedaflockofrosy-finchesinSilverthorne.PRAIRIEFALCON (Falcomexicanus) –WefoundthesesandybrownfalconsnorthofRifle,andagainnearCraig.

Tyrannidae(TyrantFlycatchers)GRAYFLYCATCHER (Empidonaxwrightii) –ThisrecentlyarrivedmigrantEmpidonaxwastail-dippinginthepinyonjuniperwoodlandsnearthe

visitorcenteratColoradoNationalMonument.SAY'SPHOEBE (Sayornissaya) –Wefoundtheseopen-landflycatchersalongtheedgeofNeenosheandWaldenreservoirs.

Laniidae(Shrikes)LOGGERHEADSHRIKE (Laniusludovicianus) –WefoundtheseshrikesafewtimesatthePawneeNationalGrassland,nearMack,andatWalden

Reservoir.

Corvidae(Crows,Jays,andMagpies)PINYONJAY (Gymnorhinuscyanocephalus) –AboutadozenflewpastusandperchedupinsomebaretreesjustoutsideofBlackCanyonofthe

GunnisonNationalPark.Thesefinegray-bluejaysmakeoneofmyfavoritecallsofanyNorthAmericanbird.STELLER'SJAY(INTERIOR) (Cyanocittastellerimacrolopha) –Weenjoyedseveralsightingsofthesebig,crestedjayswhileinthemountains.BLUEJAY (Cyanocittacristata) –OnemadeabriefflybyatHolbrookReservoir.WOODHOUSE'SSCRUB-JAY (Aphelocomawoodhouseii) –Ourbestsightingsofthisinteriorscrub-jaywereinthescrubbyforestnearBlack

CanyonoftheGunnisonNationalPark.BLACK-BILLEDMAGPIE (Picahudsonia) –Fairlycommonandwidespread.CLARK'SNUTCRACKER (Nucifragacolumbiana) –TwosightingsofthismontanecorvidatBlackCanyonoftheGunnison.AMERICANCROW (Corvusbrachyrhynchos) –Commonandwidespread.COMMONRAVEN (Corvuscorax) –Commonandwidespread.

Alaudidae(Larks)HORNEDLARK (Eremophilaalpestris) –ParticularlycommonontheplainsofeasternColoradoandKansas.

Hirundinidae(Swallows)NORTHERNROUGH-WINGEDSWALLOW (Stelgidopteryxserripennis) –TwowerewiththebigswallowflockatSweitzerLake.TREESWALLOW (Tachycinetabicolor) –About130wereinthebigswallowflockatSweitzerLake,andwehadafewelsewhereaswell.VIOLET-GREENSWALLOW (Tachycinetathalassina) –About60werewithfiveotherspeciesofswallowsatSweitzerLake.BANKSWALLOW (Ripariariparia) –AtleastfivewereintheSweitzerLakeswallowflock.BARNSWALLOW (Hirundorustica) –JustafewsightingsintheareaaroundDelta.CLIFFSWALLOW (Petrochelidonpyrrhonota) –OnewaswithotherswallowsatSweitzerLake.

Paridae(Tits,Chickadees,andTitmice)BLACK-CAPPEDCHICKADEE (Poecileatricapillus) –OurbestviewswereincomparisontoMountainChickadeeattheMooseVisitorCenter

feeders.MOUNTAINCHICKADEE (Poecilegambeli) –GreatviewsattheHynesfeedersinTellurideandincomparisonwithBlack-cappedChickadeesatthe

MooseVisitorCenter.JUNIPERTITMOUSE (Baeolophusridgwayi) –Theseplaingraytitmicewereinpinyon-juniperhabitatatBlackCanyonoftheGunnisonaswellasat

ColoradoNationalMonument.

Sittidae(Nuthatches)RED-BREASTEDNUTHATCH (Sittacanadensis) –Surprisingly,ouronlysightingwasattheWrayFishHatchery.WHITE-BREASTEDNUTHATCH (Sittacarolinensis) –WefoundoneintallcottonwoodsbetweenColoradoSpringsandPueblo.PYGMYNUTHATCH (Sittapygmaea) –TwowerewithothersongbirdsnearfeedersinSilverthorne.

Troglodytidae(Wrens)ROCKWREN (Salpinctesobsoletus) –AmigrantwasalongafencelineattheBledsoeCattleCompany;anotherwasinmoretypical,rockyhabitatat

CoalCanyon.CANYONWREN (Catherpesmexicanus) –WeheardoneofthesememorablewrenssingingfromthecliffsatColoradoNationalMonument. [*]MARSHWREN(PLESIUSGROUP) (Cistothoruspalustrisplesius) –TwoweresingingfromthewatersidemarshatFravertReservoir. [*]

Cinclidae(Dippers)AMERICANDIPPER (Cinclusmexicanus) –WesawafewoftheseplumpsongbirdsinrushingstreamsinthevicinityofTelluride(includingrightin

themiddleofthesnowydowntown).

Turdidae(ThrushesandAllies)WESTERNBLUEBIRD (Sialiamexicana) –ApairwereperchedupontreetopsandwiresalongtheborderofBlackCanyonoftheGunnisonNP.MOUNTAINBLUEBIRD (Sialiacurrucoides) –Manyscatteredsightingsinthewestern,montanepartofColorado.TOWNSEND'SSOLITAIRE (Myadestestownsendi) –WehadaquickflybylookatoneatBlackCanyonoftheGunnison.

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AMERICANROBIN (Turdusmigratorius) –Commonandwidespread.

Mimidae(MockingbirdsandThrashers)CURVE-BILLEDTHRASHER(CURVIROSTREGROUP) (Toxostomacurvirostreoberholseri) –Apairinteractedandonebirdsangindesert

scrubeastofPueblo.SAGETHRASHER (Oreoscoptesmontanus) –Wesawatleastfourofthesesmall,streakythrashersinthesameareathatheldCurve-billedThrashers

nearPueblo;anotheronewassingingattheGreaterSage-GrouselekinNorthPark.

Sturnidae(Starlings)EUROPEANSTARLING (Sturnusvulgaris) –Commonneartowns. [I]

Fringillidae(Finches,Euphonias,andAllies)EVENINGGROSBEAK (Coccothraustesvespertinusbrooksi) –WefoundthesefinefinchesinTellurideandalsoatBlackCanyonoftheGunnison

NP.PINEGROSBEAK(ROCKYMTS.) (Pinicolaenucleatormontana) –TwowereinthetreetopsofSilverthorne,andanothertwowerealongtheSouth

RimofBlackCanyonoftheGunnison.GRAY-CROWNEDROSY-FINCH(HEPBURN'S) (Leucostictetephrocotislittoralis) –Twoweremixedinwiththebigrosy-finchflockattheHynes

residenceinTelluride.Hepburn'sisthecoastalsubspecieswiththepalegraycheeks.GRAY-CROWNEDROSY-FINCH(GRAY-CROWNED) (Leucostictetephrocotistephrocotis) –These"interiorwest"Gray-crownedRosieswere

greatlyoutnumberedbyBrown-cappedRosy-finches,butwestillmanagedtopickthemoutbothinSilverthorne(1)andinTelluride(2).BLACKROSY-FINCH (Leucosticteatrata) –Wewereoverwhelmedbythefabulousviewsoftheselocalizedbeauties-over20individualsvisitedthe

HynesfeedersinTellurideduringourvisit.Thiswasahighlightformanymembersofthegroup,understandably!BROWN-CAPPEDROSY-FINCH (Leucosticteaustralis) –ThecommonColoradorosy-finch-Wesaw~150inSilverthorneand~350attheHynes

feedersinTelluride.Asnowstormoffinches!HOUSEFINCH (Haemorhousmexicanus) –RegularsightingsinwesternColorado.CASSIN'SFINCH (Haemorhouscassinii) –OurbestviewsofthiswesternfinchcameatBlackCanyonoftheGunnisonNP.REDCROSSBILL (Loxiacurvirostra) –Weheardonecalling"kipkipkip"asitflewoveratSilverthorne. [*]PINESISKIN (Spinuspinus) –Greatup-closeviewsontheHynesfeedersinTelluride.AMERICANGOLDFINCH (Spinustristis) –Atleastoneflewpastus,calling,atourhotelinSteamboatSprings.

Calcariidae(LongspursandSnowBuntings)CHESTNUT-COLLAREDLONGSPUR (Calcariusornatus) –Amigrantflockof~70jumpedupfromthecornstubbleattheBledsoeCattle

Company,offeringagreatlistenandgoodflightviews.WealsofoundsingingbirdsalongthefencelinesatPawneeNationalGrassland-theseposedforsomegreatscopeviews.

MCCOWN'SLONGSPUR (Rhynchophanesmccownii) –Atleast10werealongalonelystretchofroadatthePawneeNationalGrassland,mixedwithChestnut-collaredLongspurfornicecomparisons.

Passerellidae(NewWorldSparrows)GRASSHOPPERSPARROW (Ammodramussavannarum) –OnesangafewtimesatBledsoeCattleCompanyduringourGreaterPrairie-chicken

watch. [*]CHIPPINGSPARROW (Spizellapasserina) –AmigrantjoinedsomesingingBrewer'sSparrowsforanicecomparisonviewinthesageflatswestof

GrandJunction.BREWER'SSPARROW (Spizellabreweri) –Afewsingingbirdsperchedupandshowedofftheirsuper-understatedplumagedneartheUtahborder.BLACK-THROATEDSPARROW (Amphispizabilineata) –SuperbviewsontheoutskirtsofColoradoNationalMonument.DARK-EYEDJUNCO(PINK-SIDED) (Juncohyemalismearnsi) –Wesawafewmigrantsinthemountainwest.DARK-EYEDJUNCO(GRAY-HEADED) (Juncohyemaliscaniceps) –ThisisthewidespreadbreedingjuncoofwesternColorado,andwesawit

manytimes.WHITE-CROWNEDSPARROW(GAMBEL'S) (Zonotrichialeucophrysgambelii) –Wesawbigflocksalongroadsidesontheeasternplains.SAGEBRUSHSPARROW (Artemisiospizanevadensis) –WemadeanexcursiontothesageflatsneartheUtahborder(westofGrandJunction)tofind

thislovelydenizenoftheGreatBasin.Thiswasabigtargetspeciesforafewmembersofourgroup,andwesawitwell.SONGSPARROW (Melospizamelodia) –Widespreadinriparianareas,evenincludingthesnowystreamcorridorindowntownTelluride.CANYONTOWHEE (Melozonefusca) –ThesebigsparrowswereindeserthabitatalongtheILRoadnearPueblo.SPOTTEDTOWHEE (Pipilomaculatus) –GoodviewsinwesternColorado,includingintheforestatBlackCanyonoftheGunnison.

Icteridae(TroupialsandAllies)YELLOW-HEADEDBLACKBIRD (Xanthocephalusxanthocephalus) –SeveraltreetopswerefullofbrightmalesnearLakeMeredith.WESTERNMEADOWLARK (Sturnellaneglecta) –Abundantinmanyopenhabitats,especiallythePlains.RED-WINGEDBLACKBIRD (Agelaiusphoeniceus) –Commonandwidespread.BROWN-HEADEDCOWBIRD (Molothrusater) –MixedinwithotherblackbirdsonthePlains.BREWER'SBLACKBIRD (Euphaguscyanocephalus) –OnewaswithaflockofrobinsthatflewoverusinSilverthorne-unusualhere!COMMONGRACKLE(BRONZED) (Quiscalusquisculaversicolor) –CommononthePlains.GREAT-TAILEDGRACKLE (Quiscalusmexicanus) –WesawplentyofthesebigblackbirdsonthePlains.

Passeridae(OldWorldSparrows)HOUSESPARROW (Passerdomesticus) –Commonintownsandcities. [I]

MAMMALSDESERTCOTTONTAIL (Sylvilagusaudubonii) –Theseweretheonlysmallbunnieswefoundonthetripthisyear.WHITE-TAILEDJACKRABBIT (Lepustownsendi) –OnecrossedtheroadinfrontofusinNorthPark.

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BLACK-TAILEDJACKRABBIT (Lepuscalifornicus) –WesawafewoftheseimpressivecrittersontheplainsofeasternColoradoandKansas.YELLOW-BELLIEDMARMOT (Marmotaflaviventris) –AfewroadsideanimalsposedforusbetweenCraigandSteamboatSprings.WHITE-TAILEDANTELOPESQUIRREL (Ammospermophilusleucurus) –SeveralscrambledovertherocksofCoalCanyonwiththeirtailsup

overtheirbacks.WYOMINGGROUNDSQUIRREL (Urocitelluselegans) –ThecommonsmallbrownsquirreloftheopenlandsofwesternColorado.THIRTEEN-LINEDGROUNDSQUIRREL (Spermophilustridecemlineatus) –AfewwereroadsidenearthePawneeNationalGrassland.ROCKSQUIRREL (Spermophilusvariegatus) –Justacoupleofwell-spacedsightings,includingafewinaranchyardnearLakeMeredith.BLACK-TAILEDPRAIRIEDOG (Cynomysludovicianus) –Commonontheeasternplains.WHITE-TAILEDPRAIRIEDOG (Cynomysleucurus) –Theseweretheprairie-dogswesawinNorthPark.GUNNISONPRAIRIEDOG (Cynomysgunnisoni) –AfewquicklooksintheTelluridearea-mostofthetownsofthisspeciesthatwepassedwere

stillcoveredinsnow!FOXSQUIRREL (Sciurusniger) –GoodviewsattheWrayFishHatchery.REDSQUIRREL (Tamiasciurushudsonicus) –OnescamperedaroundnearthebirdfeedersatSilverthorne.ORD'SKANGAROORAT (Dipodomysordii) –OnebouncedacrossinfrontofusaswedroveouttotheGreaterPrairie-ChickenlekattheBledsoe

CattleCompany,butonlyafewofusglimpsedit.MUSKRAT (Ondatrazibethica) –MichaelspottedoneinalakeduringourdrivetoSteamboatSprings.REDFOX (Vulpesvulpes) –Twoindividualswerespottedduringourtimeinthewesternmountains-theonejustoutsideofBlackCanyonofthe

GunnisonNPputonagoodshowforonevan.COYOTE (Canislatrans) –Severalsightings,includingtwoanimalstogetheralongtheArkansasRiverValleynearLaJunta.ELK (Cervuscanadensis) –AfewanimalswerealongtheroadsidesnearMontrose.MULEDEER (Odocoileushemionus) –Thecommondeerwithbigearsinthewest.MOOSE (Alcesalces) –WesawtwoduringoureveningmoosecruiseeastofWalden.PRONGHORN (Antilocapraamericana) –Afewwereontheeasternplains,andwesawmoreinthesageflatswestofGrandJunction.BIGHORNSHEEP (Oviscanadensis) –Wesawtheselarge,distinctivemammalsintheRockiesonfourdifferentdays.It'sprettystartlingtoseethem

walkingaroundontheshoulderofI-70!

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Totals for the tour: 150 bird taxa and 22 mammal taxa

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