03 – 13 APRIL 2022
By Jacob Roalef
Overview
This eleven-day set departure birding tour of Colorado commenced in Denver, Colorado on the 3rd of April 2022 and concluded back in Denver on the 13th of April 2022. The tour circled the state of Colorado and also had short stints to Kansas and Utah. We visited many fantastic birding locations such as Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Bledsoe Cattle Ranch, Abel Ranch, Wildernest community, Mt Crested Butte, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado National Monument and Genesee Park.
Sharp-tailed Grouse was the overall favorite species of the trip!
This tour connected with amazing target birds, including several of the game bird species such as Gunnison, Sharp-tailed and Dusky Grouse and Greater and Lesser Prairie-Chickens. Other great avian species seen were White-throated Swift, Western and Clark’s Grebes, Mountain Plover, Golden Eagle, Ferruginous Hawk, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Pinyon Jay, Juniper Titmouse, Canyon Wren, American Dipper, Sage Thrasher, Chestnut-collared and Thick-billed Longspurs and all three rosy finch species, Black, Grey-crowned, and Brown-capped Rosy Finches. We also managed to score a rarity for the lower 48 states in the form of a Yellow-billed Loon.
A total of 143 bird species were seen on this trip with none recorded as heard only. In addition to the birds, some fantastic mammals were spotted including Yellow-bellied Marmot, Gunnison’s Prairie Dog, Elk, Bighorn Sheep, Pronghorn and American Bison. Full bird and mammal checklists can be found at the end of the report.
This striking Steller’s Jay was found in the high elevations of the Rockies.
Detailed Report
Day 1, 3rd April 2022. Arrival in Denver and transfer to Pueblo
Today marked the beginning of a great adventure. Four of the six participants managed to squeeze in some birding at the nearby Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR while waiting for the others’ flights to arrive. Things were very birdy for a cloudy and chilly day in Denver. We picked up several ducks including American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Hooded Merganser and Common Goldeneye. We also really enjoyed a pair of Franklin’s Gulls in their pink-hued breeding plumage.
After we gathered up the rest of the group, we headed south towards Pueblo. Along the drive we scored Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawk. It began to drizzle a bit and the clouds were looking dark, but we decided to make one quick birding stop along the way to check some farm fields that were covered in Cholla. After a decent search in some chilly and wet conditions we finally pulled out three Mountain Plovers, a fantastic sighting anytime, especially day one! Along with the plovers, we scored a nice Burrowing Owl and then, while we were driving out, a gorgeous Golden Eagle perched on a telephone pole. We made it to Pueblo for a tasty dinner and discussed the plans for the next few days before heading to the hotel to rest.
Day 2, 4th April 2022. Pueblo to Oakley, Kansas
After some breakfast, we headed off to a small neighborhood west of Pueblo to begin our first full day of birding. The rain held off as we cruised the streets, locating several nice species in the arid grassland habitat, including Say’s Phoebe, Curve-billed Thrasher and Canyon Towhee. A few Black-tailed Prairie Dogs were hanging out in someone’s backyard along with a Common Raven. We headed to Lake Pueblo State Park to do some scanning for waterbirds, and we were not disappointed. Right away we were on a Common Loon, along with Horned Grebe, American Coot and Northern Shoveler. After a bit of scanning, we spotted a true rarity, Yellow-billed Loon! This bird tested our patience as it was constantly up and down, diving in the water and covering a lot of area. Eventually, we all managed to get some nice scope views of this bird. Other species around the area included Townsend’s Solitaire, Western Grebe, Common Merganser, Western Osprey and a Rock Wren singing in the distance. Just before we packed up to leave, we got onto another loon in the distance, only this time it was a Pacific Loon! An incredible stop in Colorado with three loon species. We continued to another section of the park, labeled as the gravel pit and this small body of water was loaded with birds. We spent some time scanning through everything and picking out many species such as Snowy Egret, California and Bonaparte’s Gulls, Cinnamon Teal, Hooded Merganser, Wood Duck, American Avocet and Lesser Yellowlegs. While walking to and from the water we noted some nice forest birds as well like Black-capped Chickadee, Bushtit and House Wren.
From here we continued our way towards Kansas, with a couple of quick stops at reservoirs along the way. First up was Holbrook Reservoir where we scanned the water while enjoying a picnic-style lunch. This place was loaded with waterbird species, including Black-necked Stilt, Long-billed Dowitcher, Northern Shoveler and Double-crested Cormorant. After lunch we ventured onwards to Neenoshe Reservoir. The wind was really starting to pick up, a theme for the next few days, unfortunately. Between the large waves on the water, we managed to spot about 40 American White Pelicans as well as close swimming Clark’s Grebe. We kept driving and finally made it into Kansas where we came across our first Rough-legged Buzzard (Hawk) of the trip. We grabbed some dinner and went to our hotel in Oakley.
Day 3, 5th April 2022. Prairie-Chicken Lek and over to Wray
Getting up and out of the hotel before 5am, in cold and windy conditions, isn’t usually the easiest thing, but today it was no problem because we were all excited for our first lek of the trip! We met up with Jim and followed along to a private ranch where he had converted an old trailer into a bird blind. Once we were settled in, we waited for the sun to rise and the star birds to appear. With the first glimmer of light, we could make out the silhouettes of the Lesser Prairie Chickens on lek here in Kansas. We watched on in awe as they boomed and danced for us. Amazingly, a couple of Greater Prairie-Chickens were also visiting this lek, a little bit removed from the lesser in their own area. It was incredible to see both species close up next to each other for easy comparison! It was an absolutely perfect morning, followed up with coffee and warm breakfast. We then packed our things and heading out of Kansas.
The booming Greater Prairie-Chicken was a real treat to see.
The remainder of the day was mostly spent driving, in the now very windy conditions, towards Wray, Colorado and the Bledsoe Ranch to meet up with the owner, Bob. We stopped along the road at a small pool of water and noted a few new species including Long-billed Curlew and Savanah Sparrow. We eventually met up with Bob and listened to his stories and interesting history of the ranch, before heading out into the field to see the lekking location we were to visit the following morning. Amazingly, Bob pointed out a Great Horned Owl in what seemed like the only tree in the fields. We could barely make out the ear tufts in the tree cavity. After saying goodbye to Bob, we headed for dinner and sleep in preparation for our early morning the following day.
Day 4, 6th April 2022. More chickens, Pawnee National Grasslands, and back to Denver
This morning was another early start, as we needed to be in position at the lek before sunrise so we wouldn’t spook the birds. After navigating the various gates and dark farm lanes, we arrived at our position. It didn’t take long before our van was completely surrounded by booming Greater Prairie-Chickens! Everywhere we turned, there was another male showing off and strutting his stuff. A few females would come by and do some window shopping before presumably moving on to another lek on the ranch. We waited until the birds had finished their displaying before heading off. We stopped in a nearby field and managed to flush out three Northern Bobwhites, but relocating them after they landed in the tall grass was impossible. The wind was really howling now with gusts up to 60mph (95km/h). Any smart bird would be seeking cover and protection at this point. We had some coffee and tasty breakfast before packing our things and hitting the road.
The extreme wind certainly made our long drive more difficult, and birding was a real challenge. We made it to the Pawnee National Grasslands after lunch and cruised the roads. The only problem was that most birds were hunkered down, so finding anything was like pulling teeth. However, with our determination (and a little bit of luck) we managed to get great views of a few Thick-billed Longspurs foraging on the ground. Then with more determination (and a little less luck) we spotted a Chestnut-collared Longspur, but it only gave brief views to a few of us in the van. Our efforts to get out and bird were futile, as the second anyone stepped out, a hat would go flying and land about 100 yards away across the field. On our way out of the grasslands, we did get views of a Sage Thrasher on some barbed wire fencing. Despite the poor conditions, we still managed several nice species before heading back to Denver for the night.
Day 5, 7th April 2022. Denver to Gunnison, through the mountains
The first loop of the tour was complete and today marked the beginning of the second loop, covering the western portion of Colorado. We started through the Rocky Mountains, where we climbed in altitude and made a stop in Loveland Pass. Unfortunately, the conditions up there were absolutely brutal, with freezing temperatures and blistering winds making birding nearly impossible. We didn’t stay long and instead headed to the town of Silverthorne, which was slightly more protected. Here we stopped at a small local pond that wasn’t frozen and noted a few ducks including American Wigeon, Common and Barrow’s Goldeneye and Ring-necked Duck. We continued through the neighborhoods searching out feeders and any activity we could find. Eventually we discovered a small feeder setup which was busy with birds coming in and out. We had our first taste of finches with Grey-crowned and Brown-capped Rosy Finches, Red Crossbill and Pine Siskin all making visits. In addition to the finches, we noted other species in the neighborhood including Mountain Bluebird, Mountain Chickadee, Pygmy Nuthatch and Dark-eyed Junco.
This Mountain Bluebird was perched up nicely on a toy truck.
We continued our long journey of the day, down the mountains towards Gunnison. After lunch we made stops in the towns of Buena Vista and Salida. It took some time and wandering through a neighborhood, but eventually we found our target, Lewis’s Woodpecker. This green gem was a real treat to see and had just arrived on breeding territory. Additionally, during our visit we picked up Clark’s Nutcracker, Hairy Woodpecker, Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay and White-breasted Nuthatch. From here we wound our way out of the mountains and eventually arrived in Gunnison for dinner, enjoying the amazing scenery along the way.
Day 6, 8th April 2022. Early lek and Mt Crested Butte
Today was probably our earliest start yet as we headed off for another lek, well before sunrise. Unfortunately, due to the current Endangered status [IUCN], viewing Gunnison Grouse leks needs to be done from a safe distance so as not to disturb the birds. We waited until ample light was available and managed some fine scope views of this amazing species, head bobbing and booming in the distance. This was certainly worth the early morning rise. From here we headed off for a much-deserved breakfast and coffee before heading up to Mt Crested Butte, a small ski town in southern Colorado. On our way up, we made a quick stop at a small bridge crossing over some fast-moving water and enjoyed views of a pair of American Dippers, a real star bird. We even heard them singing every once in a while! Up on top of the mountain, we cruised the neighborhoods searching for feeders and wandering flocks. Here we managed to get on a big flock of rosy finches which were mainly made up of Brown-capped Rosy Finches with a couple of Grey-crowned Rosy Finches. After speaking with a local and observing the finches for a while, we headed off to the area we thought might have another feeder. As soon as we pulled over, there was a Black Rosy Finch on the ground right next to the car! This bird was incredibly tame, allowing all of us to get amazing views and pictures. At one point it was picking grit under the vehicle! In addition to the rosy finches, we managed to see some other nice species such as Northern Flicker, Steller’s Jay, Mountain Bluebird and Cassin’s Finch.
This Black Rosy-Finch put on quite a show for us.
We enjoyed a tasty lunch in this lovely town before making our way back down the mountain towards Gunnison. The afternoon was spent at Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery, where we enjoyed a lovely hike around the ponds and picked up several great species including Wilson’s Snipe, Cinnamon Teal, Osprey, Bald Eagle and Song Sparrow. We continued onwards and spent some time at the McCabe wetlands which produced Tree Swallow, Green-winged Teal, Spotted Towhee and another American Dipper. It was then time for dinner and some much-needed rest.
Day 7, 9th April 2022. Black Canyon of the Gunnison and over to Grand Junction
This morning was a normal start time for once, so we loaded up our van, grabbed some breakfast and hit the road. Our first stop was the campground at Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP, where we spent some time walking the empty roads and camping spots, which were still covered in snow. A beautiful Slate-colored Fox Sparrow showed long enough for the whole group to eventually see. The area was rather quiet with only a few other species showing off, such as Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay, Cassin’s Finch and Spotted Towhee. We did however enjoy some beautiful scenery and nice weather while we were there. We continued our drive towards Grand Junction with a few stops at some local bodies of water in Delta. Things were a bit flatter in this area and as such, the wind started picking up again. Fortunately, we did manage to get nice views of Western Grebe before moving on through Grand Mesa.
A quick restroom break yielded some very curious Steller’s and Canada Jays. We enjoyed watching these clever birds eat some snacks that had fallen out of another vehicle (maybe it was deliberate to feed the birds…) We continued up through this mountainous region and spent some time at the Powderhorn Ski Resort, a ghost town for now because the skiing season was over. We managed to get into a nice mixed flock with Red-naped Sapsucker, Wild Turkey and Red-winged Blackbird as the highlights. While finishing our drive, we picked up Black Phoebe and White-throated Swift before making it to Grand Junction for the evening.
A Pinyon Jay perched up nicely for the group to enjoy before flying off.
Day 8, 10th April 2022. Colorado National Monument to Steamboat Springs
We set off early this morning with a lot of distance to cover and birding to do. First up was a small neighborhood outside of Colorado National Monument, where we picked up on a lovely Western Bluebird in the morning light, as well as a small covey of Gambel’s Quail. We continued on to some of the scenic overlooks and scanned the nearby Juniper trees and distant cliffs. Way off in the distance was a Peregrine Falcon perched on the rocky outcrop, as well as a Golden Eagle waiting for the sunlight to heat up the air, so they could begin hunting. As we scanned, a very curious and adorable Canyon Wren belted off a song almost under our feet and gave us some lovely views. On our way out, we heard the calls of a small flock of Pinyon Jays, and it wasn’t long before we spotted them and enjoyed their gorgeous color along with a noisy Bewick’s Wren in the nearby scrub. Along our next stop, we scoured the trees until we found a nice group of birds which included Juniper Titmouse, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Bushtit.
From here we grabbed some coffee and headed west to the Utah/Colorado boarder to some great sagebrush habitat. It was here that we scored a nice Sagebrush Sparrow (technically in Utah) although it didn’t perch up close or for very long. Our last stop of the day was the Cameo and Coal Canyon which also doubles as a shooting range. Bad luck for us, some sort of competition was going on making birding very difficult. We still managed to find a few nice birds such as Black-throated and White-crowned Sparrows and Rock Wren. We finished the long drive to Steamboat Springs and checked into the hotel where we would spend the next two nights.
Bighorn Sheep were one of several mammal species enjoyed by our group.
Day 9, 11th April 2022. Early lek near Steamboat Springs
Another early morning, another lek. This time we set off towards Hayden and in the dark of the night, a Dusky Grouse almost ended up being roadkill! Unfortunately, only a couple of us managed a visual before it took off. We made it to the lekking area for the Sharp-tailed Grouse but there were no birds to be seen. We waited until after the sun rose before deciding that these birds must have been spooked off the site early, so we ventured out in search of them. It wasn’t much further up the road where we spotted a few birds in a field, which were then flushed and one landed in the top of a tree! We all managed scope views before getting a bit closer. Eventually, we got onto two displaying males right along the road with a few females watching nearby. We observed these birds from the safety and blind of our van from a super close distance and even watched as they passed right in front of the vehicle! These Sharp-tailed Grouse were certainly a highlight experience of the trip. We began the journey back to Steamboat Springs and along the way, out of the corner of my eye, I caught the silhouette of a very funny shaped bird with a long neck perched on a wire. At first, I thought it was a goose, so I pulled off safely to check this out, as a wire is a weird place for a goose to perch. Turns out it was not a goose but rather a Dusky Grouse!! Still a strange bird for a high wire, but we all managed a view of this one before it dropped down and out of sight. What a bizarre sighting that was.
Back in Steamboat Springs, we cruised around the neighborhoods, enjoying the view and architecture of some of the mansions there. We did see some birds as well and eventually found a mixed flock with Dark-eyed Junco, Evening Grosbeak, Pine Siskin and Red-breasted Nuthatch, as well as a Yellow-bellied Marmot off the road. We continued to some open farm fields in the Coalmont area, taking in some scenery and scanning for anything. Most of the birds were Horned Larks, but we did spot a few Golden Eagles and Mountain Bluebirds. On our way out we came across a stunning Ferruginous Hawk perched up on a snowbank. We watched it for a while until it flew off a bit and displayed even more of its beauty. This was a great way to end the day.
We were all ecstatic to catch up with this Ferruginous Hawk on one of the final days.
Day 10, 12th April 2022. Back to Denver through Silverthorne
Today we had high hopes of another lek but unfortunately the weather had other ideas. The forecast was calling for snow overnight and we started off in the morning well before sunrise. We were greeted with snow covered roads and poor visibility, not a great combination if planning to drive over the mountains. However, we were not deterred and set off slowly towards the lek, eventually getting behind a plow truck. It was going decently well until suddenly the plow swerved and got stuck in the snowbank on the side of the road. We were stuck behind the plow because they were blocking traffic and a large semi-truck was stuck in the opposite lane. There was nothing we could do and quite frankly, it was probably a good thing since the road conditions were not good. We waited for over two hours while the amazing Colorado emergency tows got everyone unstuck and on their way. Needless to say, no lek today and our main goal just to get back to Denver safely.
We took things slowly and conditions did improve enough to allow us time to stop for lunch back in Silverthorne. We checked out some more feeders in the area and got one last experience with all three rosy finch species, Black, Brown-capped and Grey Crowned Rosy Finches. It was an amazing sight to see approximately 200 rosy finches swirling through the air and coming into the feeders. Other birds included Mountain Bluebird, Cassin’s Finch and Evening Grosbeak. On the eastern side of the mountains, the weather was beautiful and clear. We made a stop at Genesee Park and enjoyed the weather as well as Downy Woodpecker, Say’s Phoebe and White-breasted Nuthatch. Although this day had not gone according to plan, it could have been much worse, and we were thankful for what we had achieved.
Day 11, 13th April 2022. Departure day with some final birding
After an early morning airport drop-off for some folks, a few others decided to venture out for another loop around the Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR. It was a gorgeous morning to be out and although we didn’t see any new species for the trip, we did enjoy viewing some beautiful wildlife like Western Meadowlark, Red-tailed Hawk, American Bison and White-tailed Deer. We headed back to the hotel to gather our things and a few participants who had opted out of the morning birding, and then headed to the airport. I asked everyone what their top five birds of the trip were, a tough question with so many great species. After some discussion, the top five for the group, in no particular order, were Sharp-tailed Grouse, Black Rosy Finch, Greater Prairie-Chicken, Lesser Prairie-Chicken and Canyon Wren. This concluded a fantastic tour.
Quietly observing a Lesser Prairie-Chicken dancing was certainly a top highlight.
Bird List – Following IOC (12.1)
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Ducks, Geese, Swans (Anatidae) | |
| Tundra Swan (Rarity) | Cygnus columbianus |
| Canada Goose | Branta canadensis |
| Wood Duck | Aix sponsa |
| Cinnamon Teal | Spatula cyanoptera |
| Northern Shoveler | Spatula clypeata |
| Gadwall | Mareca strepera |
| American Wigeon | Mareca americana |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Northern Pintail | Anas acuta |
| Green-winged Teal | Anas crecca |
| Canvasback | Aythya valisineria |
| Redhead | Aythya americana |
| Ring-necked Duck | Aythya collaris |
| Greater Scaup | Aythya marila |
| Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis |
| Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola |
| Common Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula |
| Barrow’s Goldeneye | Bucephala islandica |
| Hooded Merganser | Lophodytes cucullatus |
| Common Merganser | Mergus merganser |
| Ruddy Duck | Oxyura jamaicensis |
| New World Quail (Odontophoridae) | |
| Northern Bobwhite | Colinus virginianus |
| Gambel’s Quail | Callipepla gambelii |
| Pheasants & Allies (Phasianidae) | |
| Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo |
| Gunnison Grouse (Endemic) – EN | Centrocercus minimus |
| Dusky Grouse | Dendragapus obscurus |
| Sharp-tailed Grouse | Tympanuchus phasianellus |
| Greater Prairie-Chicken | Tympanuchus cupido |
| Lesser Prairie-Chicken – VU | Tympanuchus pallidicinctus |
| Ring-necked Pheasant (Introduced) | Phasianus colchicus |
| Grebes (Podicipedidae) | |
| Horned Grebe – VU | Podiceps auritus |
| Eared Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis |
| Western Grebe | Aechmophorus occidentalis |
| Clark’s Grebe | Aechmophorus clarkii |
| Pigeons, Doves (Columbidae) | |
| Rock Pigeon (Introduced) | Columba livia |
| Eurasian Collared-Dove (Introduced) | Streptopelia decaocto |
| Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura |
| Swifts (Apodidae) | |
| White-throated Swift | Aeronautes saxatalis |
| Rails, Crakes & Coots (Rallidae) | |
| American Coot | Fulica americana |
| Cranes (Gruidae) | |
| Sandhill Crane | Antigone canadensis |
| Stilts and Avocets (Recurvirostridae) | |
| Black-necked Stilt | Himantopus mexicanus |
| American Avocet | Recurvirostra americana |
| Plovers (Charadriidae) | |
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus |
| Mountain Plover | Charadrius montanus |
| Sandpipers, Snipes (Scolopacidae) | |
| Long-billed Curlew | Numenius americanus |
| Long-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus |
| Wilson’s Snipe | Gallinago delicata |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes |
| Gulls, Terns, Skimmers (Laridae) | |
| Bonaparte’s Gull | Chroicocephalus philadelphia |
| Franklin’s Gull | Leucophaeus pipixcan |
| Ring-billed Gull | Larus delawarensis |
| California Gull | Larus californicus |
| American Herring Gull | Larus argentatus |
| Loons (Gaviidae) | |
| Common Loon | Gavia immer |
| Pacific Loon (Rarity) | Gavia pacifica |
| Yellow-billed Loon (Rarity) | Gavia adamsii |
| Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoracidae) | |
| Double-crested Cormorant | Nannopterum auritum |
| Pelicans (Pelecanidae) | |
| American White Pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos |
| Herons, Bitterns (Ardeidae) | |
| Great Blue Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax |
| Snowy Egret | Egretta thula |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax |
| New World Vultures (Cathartidae) | |
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura |
| Ospreys (Pandionidae) | |
| Western Osprey | Pandion haliaetus |
| Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae) | |
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos |
| Northern Harrier | Circus hudsonius |
| Cooper’s Hawk | Accipiter cooperii |
| Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus |
| Swainson’s Hawk | Buteo swainsoni |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis |
| Rough-legged Buzzard (Hawk) | Buteo lagopus |
| Ferruginous Hawk | Buteo regalis |
| Owls (Strigidae) | |
| Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus |
| Burrowing Owl | Athene cunicularia |
| Woodpeckers (Picidae) | |
| Lewis’s Woodpecker | Melanerpes lewis |
| Red-naped Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus nuchalis |
| Downy Woodpecker | Dryobates pubescens |
| Hairy Woodpecker | Leuconotopicus villosus |
| Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus |
| Caracaras, Falcons (Falconidae) | |
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus |
| Tyrant Flycatchers (Tyrannidae) | |
| Black Phoebe | Sayornis nigricans |
| Say’s Phoebe | Sayornis saya |
| Shrikes (Laniidae) | |
| Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus |
| Crows, Jays, and Magpies (Corvidae) | |
| Canada Jay | Perisoreus canadensis |
| Pinyon Jay – VU | Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus |
| Steller’s Jay | Cyanocitta stelleri |
| Blue Jay | Cyanocitta cristata |
| Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay | Aphelocoma woodhouseii |
| Black-billed Magpie | Pica hudsonia |
| Clark’s Nutcracker | Nucifraga columbiana |
| American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos |
| Northern (Common) Raven | Corvus corax |
| Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice (Paridae) | |
| Black-capped Chickadee | Poecile atricapillus |
| Mountain Chickadee | Poecile gambeli |
| Juniper Titmouse | Baeolophus ridgwayi |
| Larks (Alaudidae) | |
| Horned Lark | Eremophila alpestris |
| Swallows (Hirundinidae) | |
| Tree Swallow | Tachycineta bicolor |
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica |
| Long-tailed Tits (Aegithalidae) | |
| Bushtit | Psaltriparus minimus |
| Kinglets (Regulidae) | |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Corthylio calendula |
| Nuthatches (Sittidae) | |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta canadensis |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis |
| Pygmy Nuthatch | Sitta pygmaea |
| Wrens (Troglodytidae) | |
| Rock Wren | Salpinctes obsoletus |
| Canyon Wren | Catherpes mexicanus |
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon |
| Bewick’s Wren | Thryomanes bewickii |
| Dippers (Cinclidae) | |
| American Dipper | Cinclus mexicanus |
| Mockingbirds, Thrashers (Mimidae) | |
| Curve-billed Thrasher | Toxostoma curvirostre |
| Sage Thrasher | Oreoscoptes montanus |
| Starlings, Rhabdornis (Sturnidae) | |
| Common (European) Starling (Introduced) | Acridotheres tristis |
| Thrushes (Turdidae) | |
| Western Bluebird | Sialia mexicana |
| Mountain Bluebird | Sialia currucoides |
| Townsend’s Solitaire | Myadestes townsendi |
| American Robin | Turdus migratorius |
| Old World Sparrows (Passeridae) | |
| House Sparrow (Introduced) | Passer domesticus |
| Finches, Euphonias (Fringillidae) | |
| Evening Grosbeak – VU | Coccothraustes vespertinus |
| Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch | Leucosticte tephrocotis |
| Black Rosy-Finch – EN | Leucosticte atrata |
| Brown-capped Rosy-Finch – EN | Leucosticte australis |
| House Finch | Haemorhous mexicanus |
| Cassin’s Finch | Haemorhous cassinii |
| Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra |
| Pine Siskin | Spinus pinus |
| Longspurs and Snow Buntings (Calcariidae) | |
| Chestnut-collared Longspur – VU | Calcarius ornatus |
| Thick-billed Longspur | Rhynchophanes mccownii |
| New World Sparrows (Passerellidae) | |
| Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina |
| Slate-colored Fox Sparrow | Passerella schistacea |
| Dark-eyed Junco | Junco hyemalis |
| White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys |
| Sagebrush Sparrow | Artemisiospiza nevadensis |
| Savannah Sparrow | Passerculus sandwichensis |
| Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia |
| Canyon Towhee | Melozone fusca |
| Spotted Towhee | Pipilo maculatus |
| Oropendolas, Orioles, Blackbirds (Icteridae) | |
| Western Meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta |
| Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | Molothrus ater |
| Brewer’s Blackbird | Euphagus cyanocephalus |
| Common Grackle | Quiscalus quiscula |
| Great-tailed Grackle | Quiscalus mexicanus |
| New World Warblers (Parulidae) | |
| Myrtle (Yellow-rumped) Warbler | Setophaga coronata |
| Audubon’s (Yellow-rumped) Warbler | Setophaga auduboni |
| Total Seen | 143 |
| Total Heard | 0 |
| Total Recorded | 143 |
Mammal List
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Rabbits and Hares (Leporidae) | |
| Eastern Cottontail | Sylvilagus floridanus |
| Mountain Cottontail | Sylvilagus nuttallii |
| Black-tailed Jackrabbit | Lepus californicus |
| Squirrels and Allies (Sciuridae) | |
| Bryant’s Fox Squirrel | Sciurus niger |
| Colorado Chipmunk | Neotamias quadrivittatus |
| Nevada Ground Squirrel | Urocitellus elegans |
| Rock Squirrel | Otospermophilus variegatus |
| Yellow-bellied Marmot | Marmota flaviventris |
| Gunnison’s Prairie Dog | Cynomys gunnisoni |
| Black-tailed Prairie Dog | Cynomys ludovicianus |
| Dogs (Canidae) | |
| Coyote | Canis latrans |
| True Deer (Cervidae) | |
| Elk | Cervus canadensis |
| Mule Deer | Odocoileus hemionus |
| White-tailed Deer | Odocoileus virginianus |
| Cloven-hoofed Mammals (Bovidae) | |
| Bighorn Sheep | Ovis canadensis |
| American Bison | Bison bison |
| Pronghorn (Antilocapridae) | |
| Pronghorn | Antilocapra americana |
| Total seen | 17 |
This is a sample trip report. Please email us ([email protected]) for more trip reports from this destination.
