Mysticete
Well-known member
This weekend I engaged in yet another insane short birding trip. I always refer to these trips as mad dashes because the almost always involve insane amounts of driving and punctuated by long monontonous stake outs. The last couple have been short trips to Texas in Spring, tracking down resident birds and strays for Mexico. This trip was a bit different.
This trip originally came about because I had done relatively little birding stateside this summer, largely because of a work schedule that pretty much forbid any sort of trip of a day or more. Also, I hadn't managed any new ABA area birds since May, and I didn't even have the luxury of getting an armchair tick from this years AOU update.
Having a weekend free (unusual for this summer), I decided to hit up the road and correct the above problems. I decided on doing the Gunnison area of Colorado, for several reasons:
1. It was far enough off the beaten track that I felt I wouldn't be swamped with tourists (see Rocky Mountain National Park) on a weekend
2. The area seemed small enough that I could realistically cover it in a couple of days, unlike Yellowstone or the Black Hills. I had at most only 3 days I could afford to take off between work and a advisor meeting on Monday.
3. Despite living in SE Wyoming, one of my greatest weaknesses for the ABA are the grouses. Previously, I have only seen Ruffed, Sharp-tailed, Greater Sage, and Sooty, along with both arctic dwelling Ptarmigan. Colorado is the undisputed Grouse capital of the US, with 8 species total (plus several introduced species gamebirds present or in adjacent states). The Gunnison area seemed like a good option. It is home to one of the most endangered birds in North America, the range-restricted Gunnison Sage Grouse. Most birders see this bird in spring on the lek, but recently CR 38 S has become a reliable spot in late summer for this species. Additionally, Black Canyon of the Gunnison was nearby, which offers perhaps the best and most reliable spot in the states for Dusky Grouse (and remote odds for Chukar and Northern Pygmy Owl). Beyond these species, I would also have a chance at Gunnison Prairie dog, and perhaps a few other mammals. Gunnison thus seemed a good bet.
I'll continue in the next post on day 1 of the trip.
This trip originally came about because I had done relatively little birding stateside this summer, largely because of a work schedule that pretty much forbid any sort of trip of a day or more. Also, I hadn't managed any new ABA area birds since May, and I didn't even have the luxury of getting an armchair tick from this years AOU update.
Having a weekend free (unusual for this summer), I decided to hit up the road and correct the above problems. I decided on doing the Gunnison area of Colorado, for several reasons:
1. It was far enough off the beaten track that I felt I wouldn't be swamped with tourists (see Rocky Mountain National Park) on a weekend
2. The area seemed small enough that I could realistically cover it in a couple of days, unlike Yellowstone or the Black Hills. I had at most only 3 days I could afford to take off between work and a advisor meeting on Monday.
3. Despite living in SE Wyoming, one of my greatest weaknesses for the ABA are the grouses. Previously, I have only seen Ruffed, Sharp-tailed, Greater Sage, and Sooty, along with both arctic dwelling Ptarmigan. Colorado is the undisputed Grouse capital of the US, with 8 species total (plus several introduced species gamebirds present or in adjacent states). The Gunnison area seemed like a good option. It is home to one of the most endangered birds in North America, the range-restricted Gunnison Sage Grouse. Most birders see this bird in spring on the lek, but recently CR 38 S has become a reliable spot in late summer for this species. Additionally, Black Canyon of the Gunnison was nearby, which offers perhaps the best and most reliable spot in the states for Dusky Grouse (and remote odds for Chukar and Northern Pygmy Owl). Beyond these species, I would also have a chance at Gunnison Prairie dog, and perhaps a few other mammals. Gunnison thus seemed a good bet.
I'll continue in the next post on day 1 of the trip.
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