Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Denver
Day 2: Eastern Plains and Foothills
Day 3: White-tailed Ptarmigan; Rosy-finches
Day 4: Gunnison Sage Grouse; Dusky Grouse
Day 5: Chukar; Yampa Valley
Day 6: Sharp-tailed Grouse; North Park
Day 7: Greater Sage Grouse; Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge
Day 8: Temple Canyon; Royal Gorge; Arkansas River
Day 9: Lesser Prairie-chicken; Comanche Grasslands; Cottonwood Canyon
Day 10: Greater Prairie-chicken; Pawnee National Grasslands
Day 11: Pawnee National Grasslands Mountain Plover and Longspurs.
The itinerary, based upon weather conditions, permits, group viewing permits, is subject to change.
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; Arkansas River to Gunnison
We begin this morning searching the feeders in town in the hope of coming up with any Rosy-finches, 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.
The afternoon will be spent heading towards Gunnison where we hope to come across Rosy-finches along the way.
Day 4~ Gunnison’s Sage Grouse; Dusky Grouse
This morning we visit the lek of the endangered 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 head west searching the sagebrush for Sage Sparrow; the banks the Blue Mesa Reservoir for any early arriving shorebirds and lingering waterfowl. We will listen for the booming calls of the Dusky Grouse, which should lead us to good views. We finish the day searching for the localized Lewis's Woodpecker amongst stands of Cottonwoods.
Day 5~ Chukar; Yampa Valley
We begin by walking the scenic Coal Canyon in Cameo in search of Chukar, an 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.
Gambel's Quail inhabit this part of the state and we'll look for beautiful bird before making our way north to the Yampa Valley. Here Bald Eagle patrol the river and pairs of Sandhill Cranes can be seen in the adjacent wet meadows.
Day 6~ Sharp-tailed Grouse;
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.
Before reaching Walden we’ll look for such mountain species as Cassin’s Finch, Pine Siskin, Evening Grosbeak, Stellar’s Jay, Townsend Solitaire, Band-tailed Pigeon, Gray Jay and any Rosy-finches. The area around Arapaho 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 7~ Greater Sage Grouse; Windy Gap Reservoir;
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.
It will be hard to leave snow-capped peaks, sagebrush flats and meadows of the North Park mountain valley, but we have a long drive south. On the way we visit Windy Gap where Barrows Goldeneye and American White Pelican are possible.
Heading along the Arkansas River, Bighorn Sheep are often seen on the hillsides, and we will search for our targets, Western Scrub Jays, Bushtits, Juniper Titmouse and Pinyon Jays amongst the Pinyon-Junipers. On the outskirts of sprawling suburbia we should be able to locate Scaled Quail and Curved-billed Thrasher. In the evening we will look for Western Screech Owl.
Day 8~ Cottonwood Canyon; Comanche Grasslands
If we need any of the Pinyon-Juniper specialities we will make another try for them before making our way to the south-eastern corner of the state.
Today we explore the scenic Cottonwood and Carrizo Canyon. 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. We end the day across the state border in Kansas!
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 and Scaled Quail 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 by 12PM.
This special trip to Colorado focuses on seeing the spring mating rituals of grouse, among the most fascinating behavior in the bird world. Our visit is timed to witness the particular courtship displays of Greater Prairie-Chicken, Lesser Prairie-Chicken, Greater Sage Grouse, Gunnison Sage Grouse and Sharp-tailed Grouse on their display grounds or “leks.” With chests puffed enormously and long tail feathers spiked straight up, the proud Sage Grouse struts in remarkable display, giving everything they’ve got to out-compete rival males and attract a female’s attention.
