Hi all
On Saturday 30 folks joined me for a fun afternoon in rural, and not so rural, Mesa and Delta Counties, in search of owls. In the evening some of us continued to the Grand Mesa, despite a poor weather forecast of wind and snow as it didn’t look bad up there, looking up from Clifton. The weather forecast was incorrect – it was idyllic up there early evening!
We started out in search of Burrowing Owls near the Utah border, and enjoyed at least four Golden Eagles as well as plenty of Horned Larks and White-tailed Prairie-Dogs. It took much searching before a couple of us glimpsed a Burrowing Owl, very distantly, that unfortunately promptly disappeared. We then headed into the nearby washes and searched the tamarisks for Long-eared Owls. After finding an owl pellet under a roost tree, we later had a glimpse of a flying owl, before seeing a female incubating on a nest in the depths of a tamarisk thicket. Watching from a distance with a scope, she seemed unconcerned - indeed she was facing away the whole time we were there, so although the views were less than stellar, we felt very privileged to see her at all. We left her in peace, wishing her good luck for breeding success and lack of disturbance. Please don’t ask me where she was! Next stop was Highline State Park where the Great Horned Owls have taken over a heron nest, and all the herons have left the other nests in the tree! That’s the way it works! It was very nice to enjoy great views in the scope.
Heading back east along 6/50 we spotted some aerial action in the form of two Peregrine Falcons doing their best to catch a Franklin’s Gulls. Despite having a tag team of combatants intent of a meal, it seemed the Franklin’s managed to avoid become dinner. Dave then invited us to his yard where a Western Screech Owl has been in the nest box every day for recent weeks, but unfortunately it was not present today. We tried other boxes in the Redlands later, but all without success.
In Clifton we tried for a Barn Owl, but it wasn’t co-operating, although three Ospreys flying around provided some excellent alternative viewing. By now it was nearly dark so those of that were up-for-it decided to head up onto the Grand Mesa, as the weather looked fine up there.
Well, the weather was just fine when we arrived. We stopped at dusk and search the lower aspen groves for a Northern Pygmy Owl, but not a hoot or any other sign.. With the weather still and perfect for listening, we headed up on top and stopped at many spots on both sides of the summit, hoping to hear a Boreal Owl, but tonight they just were not singing. Soon it started to snow, although there was no wind, we decided that we’d had the best of the day and so we left the 12F temps behind and went homewards. A Porcupine was at the side of the road as we headed down.
For me, I had to head back to my desk to finalise details of next year’s Snow Leopard tour and get it on sale.
All in all a good day, filled with humor and good company.
Thanks all and good birding,
Dick Filby
Carbondale CO
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