A first visit to Colorado: bird watching did happen but very little bird photography since some health issues prompted me to leave the large lens at home.
We flew to Denver then drove to Boulder, an attractive little city with excellent street food and music—I do like me a good horn band—and falafels on the side were the cherry on top, so to speak …
The next day we made our way to Estes Park, our base for the Rocky Mountain National Park. Through the (relative) flatlands, we saw a Golden Eagle and a few Swainson’s and Red-tailed Hawks; the high pass and overlook just before Estes Park yielded the trip’s first Steller’s Jays, a Clark’s Nutcracker, and some Mountain Chickadees.
Just north of Estes Park, fields along Devil’s Gulch Road held Mountain and Western Bluebirds and American Pipits. Scrubby brush and conifers sheltered Song and Lark Sparrows, Pygmy and White-breasted Nuthatches, Bewick’s Wren, a Gray Jay, and a Lazuli Bunting.
On the 17th we drove (well, Heesun drove) the long and famous Trail Ridge Road across the park to Grand Lake and back. As might be expected at such altitudes and season, birds were somewhat scarce—but beautiful to see against such a backdrop. We saw (and heard) a young Golden Eagle, from above, ranked peaks, chasms, and gulfs of air below it, in a sudden snow squall. We saw American Pipits, Ravens, Red-tailed and Swainson’s Hawks, and more Steller’s Jays, Nutcrackers and Chickadees. No Rosy Finches or Ptarmigan, unfortunately, but we did see little gangs of Pica (amorous and active) and a Marmot (sleeping on a sunny snag, wind rippling its rich fur). We saw Elk (and heard their bugling) and a single Mule Deer.
High Altitudes
Clark’s Nutcracker—taken with a 35mm lens!
The next day we visited some lakes within the park. Avian highlight was an unobtrusive group of three juvenile Three-toed Woodpeckers. We also had very close looks at Striped Ground Squirrels.
Back toward Denver, we stopped at two parks—Barr Lake and Arsenal Grassland. The former held numbers of White Pelicans—majestic flyers with the bright cumulus clouds behind them—and a surprise, confiding, welcome pair of Baird’s Sandpipers—my closest ever views of this scarce visitor to the East Coast.
Arsenal was a hurried visit, since evening and the threat of closing gates came on fast. We saw a distant Bison (introduced here), many Prairie Dogs, several Red-tailed and Swainson’s Hawks, a Kestrel and a Bald Eagle. Some very distant ducks looked to be Green-winged Teal with one or two Cinnamon/Blue-winged types mixed in. Star passerine was a Say’s Phoebe.