The focus of this special spring trip to Colorado will be to witness 5 species of Grouse performing some of the most fascinating mating rituals in the bird world. We’ll visit the display grounds or “leks” of the Greater Prairie-Chicken, Lesser Prairie-Chicken, Sage Grouse, Gunnison Sage Grouse and Sharp-tailed Grouse as well as a search for Dusky Grouse, White-tailed Ptarmigan, Chukar, Bobwhite, and both Scaled and Gambel’s Quail……the ultimate chicken odyssey.
The staggering beauty of Colorado will be with us throughout this trip as we make our way through the Pawnee Grasslands where McCown’s and Chestnut-collared Longspurs and Mountain Plover will be in breeding plumage and Ferruginous Hawks and Golden Eagles soar; to Cottonwood Canyon where we have a chance to see south western species such as Roadrunner, Chihuahuan Raven, Canyon Towhee, Western Scrub Jay and Vermillion Flycatchers; to the western part of the state where we’ll be surrounded by the snow capped peaks of the Rockies as we visit Georgetown for all the Rosy-finches, and the reservoirs for a wide assortment of waterfowl including Barrow’s Goldeneye and Eared Grebe.
Itinerary
Day 1~ Arrive in Denver; transfer to motel
Upon evening arrival at Denver airport, transfer to the motel.
Day 2~ Denver vicinity; Genesee Mountain Park
We begin at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal where Horned Larks, Western Meadowlarks, Black-billed Magpies will be evident; Burrowing Owl’s nest in Black-tailed Prairie Dog holes and we’ll get a chance to sort through the various races of Juncos. At nearby reservoirs and the surrounding wet meadows, we’ll get our first looks at a number of waterfowl and gulls including Western and Clark’s Grebe, Franklin’s Gull, Yellow-headed Blackbird and Cinnamon Teal.
Heading into the Rockies, our first stop will be at Genesee Mountain Park where we’ll search the Ponderosa Pines for Pygmy Nuthatch, Western Bluebird, Mountain Chickadee, Red Crossbill and Williamson’s Sapsucker. If there are any local reports of Northern Pygmy-Owl we’ll make an effort to locate this small raptor.
Day 3~ White-tailed Ptarmigan; Windy Gap Reservoir; Arapaho NWR
We begin this morning searching the feeders in town in the hope of coming up with any rosy-finch, Evening Grosbeak and Cassin’s Finch. In areas of Subalpine Fir and Aspen we’ll look for Gray and Stellar Jay, Clark’s Nutcracker, Fox Sparrow, Red-naped Sapsucker and possibly Three-toed Woodpecker, while American Dipper can be seen along mountain streams. Our next target will be White-tailed Ptarmigan, an alpine species that resides above the timberline. As we head north towards Walden surrounded by snow-capped peaks, we enter the sagebrush flats and meadows of the North Park mountain valley. On the way we visit Windy Gap as well as Walden Reservoir, where Barrows Goldeneye, American White Pelican and Bald Eagle are possible. Arapaho NWR will provide a good variety of waterfowl including Redhead, Cinnamon Teal and Eared Grebe. Sage Thrashers will be signing from the tops of the sage, Golden Eagles will be hunting ground squirrels and we may even be lucky enough to see an American Badger.
Day 4~ Greater Sage Grouse; Dusky (Blue) Grouse
This morning we visit the lek site of the largest and most beautiful of North America’s Grouse, the Greater Sage Grouse. Here, sometimes in large groups, they strut with wings drooped, white chests puffed out, inflating two yellow-green air sacs, raise and spread their long spiky tail, then throw their heads back on their shoulders as the air sacs are deflated with a bubbling, popping sound. Other birds to look for in the area are Mountain Bluebirds and Rough-legged Hawks.
Before reaching Hayden we’ll look for such mountain species as Cassin’s Finch, Pine Siskin, Evening Grosbeak, Stellar’s Jay, Townsend Solitaire, Band-tailed Pigeon and Goshawk along a scenic fast running stream surrounded by spruce trees. Late afternoon will be spent listening for the booming calls of the Dusky Grouse, which should lead us to good views.
Day 5~ Sharp-tailed Grouse; Chukar
Another pre-dawn start in order to witness the most amazing of North America’s avian dance rituals, that of the Sharp-tail Grouse. It will soon become apparent where the origins of the Native American spring and fertility dances, known as ‘chicken dances’ came from. With wings bowed to the side and tails cocked; feet stomping, sounding like a drum roll; bent over and bowing, they perform their dance while rotating in circles.
By mid-afternoon, we’ll walk Coal Canyon in Cameo in search of Chukar, and introduced species that has been well established in the west. The canyon is also good for Black-throated Sparrow, Gray Flycatcher, Lazuli Bunting, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Canyon Wren as well as Black-chinned and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds. Nearby, we’ll be on the lookout for Gambel’s Quail, Western Screech Owl and Lewis’s Woodpecker.
Day 6~ Gunnison’s Sage Grouse; Royal Gorge; Canon City
This morning we visit the lek of the recently established new species, Gunnison Sage Grouse. Smaller in size but just as stunning as the Sage Grouse, we’ll notice the subtle differences in calls as well as plumage as they strut on their display grounds. Rosy-finches should be in the mountains, and if lucky we will get a chance at all 3 including the ‘Hepburn’s’ race of Gray-crowned.
From here we’ll search the sagebrush for Sage Sparrow; banks the Blue Mesa Reservoir for shorebirds and follow the Arkansas River east where Violet-green, Bank and Cliff Swallow are all possible and Bighorn Sheep are often seen on the hillsides. A stop at the precipitous Royal Gorge should yield White-throated Swifts and Peregrine and nearby Western Scrub-Jays, Rufous-crowned Sparrow and Canyon Towhee. After dinner we’ll look for Western Screech-Owl.
Day 7~ Canon City Riverwalk; Brush Hollow SWA;
A stroll along the Arkansas River Walkway in Canon City may produce a rarity or two, along with a few warblers and Bewick’s Wren, while amongst the pinyon junipers at Brush Hollow our targets will be Bushtits, Juniper Titmouse and Pinyon Jays. On the outskirts of sprawling suburbia we should be able to locate Scaled Quail and Curved-billed Thrasher before heading west.
Day 8~ Cottonwood Canyon;
Today we explore the scenic Cottonwood and Carrizo Canyon, an area of pinyon-juniper habitat. It is here that we encounter Chihuahuan Raven, Rock Wren, Vermillion Flycatcher, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Canyon Towhee and the colorful Lewis Woodpecker. Other possible species include Prairie Falcon, Mississippi Kite, Western Screech Owl, Roadrunner, Harris and Rufous-crowned Sparrow, and Lesser Goldfinch. Later we look for Long Billed Curlews and may even find a Mountain Plover in the Comanche Grasslands.
Day 9~ Lesser Prairie-Chicken; Nee-Noshe Reservoir; Bonny Lake;
Another pre-dawn start finds us on the display grounds of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken. Smaller and paler that the Greater, their dances are similar, but the booming notes are higher pitched and the Lesser fans its tail only at the beginning of the display sequence. Several species of sparrow including Clay-colored, Vesper, Lark and Sage, Lark Bunting, Scaled Quail and Catcus Wren inhabit the surrounding sage habitat, and the area farmlands may produce Bobwhite, Barn and Short-eared Owl.
We then depart for the long ride north, breaking up the journey with stops for for American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt with the possibility of a Baird’s Sandpiper or Snowy Plover, Ross’s and Snow Geese, Sandhill Crane and Long-eared Owl, before reaching the sand hills of Wray, where we will attend an introductory program on the Greater Prairie-Chicken.
Day 10~ Greater Prairie-Chicken; Pawnee Grasslands
At dawn we visit the last of our ‘chickens’ the Greater Prairie-Chicken on their dancing grounds. Here males inflate then deflate their bare orange sacs, creating a deep booming sound that can be heard a great distance away, all the while performing an intricate ‘dance’ as they take a few tiny steps, then rapidly stamp their feet.
From here we head west to explore the 775,000-acre Pawnee National Grassland where Golden Eagles, Ferruginous and Swainson Hawk’s abound. We’ll search the short Buffalo grass prairie for our target birds, McCown’s and Chestnut-collared Longspurs and Mountain Plover all in breeding plumage. Sparrows including Brewer’s, Cassin’s and Grasshopper along with Lark Bunting should be seen along fence-lines, while Pronghorn, Coyote and White-tailed Jackrabbits are likely in these grasslands.
Day 11~ Denver area
Our final morning will be flexible, giving us a chance to look for any species we may have missed or any rarity in the Denver area. The tour will end at Denver Airport around 12PM.
Note:
We will cover a great deal of territory during this trip, staying in a different location nightly and traveling about 2700 miles, but as you will see it is well worth it. Luck plays a great part in the overall success of this trip, as the weather conditions (and birds) will need to cooperate.
All commercial groups are now required by the CO Forest Service to have a permit to look for White-tailed Ptarmigan. We hope to be issued with one.
The itinerary, based upon weather conditions, permits, group viewing permits, is subject to change.
Cost:
$1,750.00 (based upon double occupancy) from Denver. Single Supplement: $375.00. You will be responsible for purchasing lunch, dinner and some breakfasts. Breakfast in Wray is included as part of the Greater Prairie Chicken package and most motels offer a free continental breakfast.
Group size:
The tour is limited to a maximum of 7 participants per van. A minimum of 5 is required to make this tour run. A second leader will be added should the group size dictate.
