A quick update on my trip. I'll try and write up a trip report but really busy currently so no guarantees, hence the brief reflections below.
Timing a trip to Colorado can be tricky, and most going for the 'chicken run' will do so anytime in April. The earlier you go the better the chances of good stuff at various feeders, but also the chance of adverse weather. The later you leave it the weather will be warmer, you have a chance of some early spring migrants, you may be able to benefit from others' eBird sightings, but the wintering stuff will be thinning out. My trip started on 10 April which in my view was optimum.
All of the chickens are accessible on public roads or public viewing areas, except for Lesser Prairie Chickens. It's sadly now necessary to travel to west Kansas to see this bird through prior arrangement with a number of private ranches (who are doing a great job to save this bird from extinction).
Colorado had un-seasonally warm weather in the fortnight before my trip, to such an extent that I was worried whether Black Rosy-finch and Evening Grosbeak would desert the various feeding stations. eBird data was showing a reduction in numbers and I therefore prioritised these two species on arrival, reorganising my itinerary quite radically. This dragged me west of Denver and probably why I endured the only miss of the trip - Ferruginous Hawk - which I would have seen had I back-tracked and gone east of Denver after the feeders to focus on the grassland / prairie species.
I saw all the Colorado specialities (except Ferruginous Hawk) and more in 9 days, including: Gunnison's and Greater Sage Grouse, Greater Prairie Chicken, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Scaled Quail, Gambel's Quail (Cat C), all three species of rosy-finch, Vesper's, Brewer's, Clay-coloured and Grasshopper Sparrows, Lark Bunting, Canyon Towhee, Curve-billed Thrasher, both Thick-billed and Chestnut-collared Longspurs, Evening Grosbeak, Prairie Falcon, Mountain Plover, Williamson's Sapsucker, Lewin's Woodpecker, and even a bonus Harris's Sparrow. Bird of the trip was a displaying male Dusky Grouse which I watched for over an hour. I even managed to jam American Goshawk on my last morning (day 10) at a raptor watchpoint.
Surprisingly, Thick-billed Longspur was the toughest bird to find, and I spent over 11 hours over three visits before finally finding 3 males and a female. My best find is probably one that that will ultimately get away as I don't have a camera, but a surprise Crested Caracara flying over Pawnee Grasslands is the first record for Colorado since 2017.
I was lucky with Dusky Grouse as I trusted to finding one hiking the trails west of Denver instead of at Black Canyon, arguably the best site in Colorado. At the time of my visit to Black Canyon one key trail was too dangerous and icy to walk on, and I was limited to driving the road in the hope of stumbling across one, or walking a seemingly less than optimum trail. Not only that but from what I could pick up from very few reported sightings was that only a female was being seen and I really wanted to see a male. After three hours of this I decided it wasn't for me and trusted to luck further on in the trip.
Such was the way I made time up in Colorado I decided to go to Arizona for California Condor (half day) - a bird I missed in California years ago - coming back via Utah (2.5 days). Not only did I have great views of Condor, but the birding proved to be excellent, with some vis-mig too. Highlights included Western Screech-owl, Crissal Thrasher, Abert's and Green-tailed Towhees, Black-chinned and Black-throated Sparrows, American Grey Flycatcher, Grey Vireo, Cedar Waxwing, Lucy's and Virginia's Warblers, Gambel's Quail (Cat A), Canyon and Cactus Wren, four species of Hummingbird (Black-chinned, Anna's, Costa's and Broad-tailed), and an amazingly close encounter with Greater Roadrunner. SW Utah was a revelation with great walking and scenery too.
A half day drive to west Kansas and the Lesser Prairie Chicken was an amazing experience, enhanced by a single Greater Prairie Chicken trying it on. Brilliant to directly compare the two with their very different vocalisations and more subtly different plumages.
I booked late and was lucky I could still get into a Kansas ranch for Lesser Prairie Chicken. But by booking late I got a great deal on a direct flight with BA from Heathrow to Denver, and an even better deal on car hire. I hadn't intended to but I ended up camping most nights and the total cost of the trip was around $1,700. Most tour companies are now charging $4,000+ (not a fair comparison as they stay in hotels). Hotels aren't cheap, though fuel is a lot cheaper than in the UK and typically I was paying $2.98 to $3.20 a gallon. I was fortunate (given the distances travelled) that my hire car was frugal too.
It has long been my ambition to do the 'chicken run' and loved it. Do it if you can, and hope these limited notes help! Feel free to ask any questions.
Mike
