[cobirds] San Luis Valley recap

Hi, everybody.

With Bill Schmoker and participants in a "naturalists' workshop" with The Nature Conservancy, I had a nice visit to the San Luis Valley this past weekend. Photos and commentary here:

http://tinyurl.com/SLV-TNC-2016

Brief highlights follow:

Lathrop State Park, Huerfano Co. (not in the San Luis Valley), Thurs., Mar. 17. 31 cackling geese, 6 horned grebes, 6 western scrub-jays, 5 juniper titmice, 25+ bushtits, 2 Bewick wrens, 3 Townsend solitaires, 1 curve-billed thrasher, and 2 sage thrashers. eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28415034

Fort Garland, Costilla Co., Thurs., Mar. 17. 9 great-tailed grackles as I rolled through town. eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28415201

Smith Reservoir State Wildlife Area, Costilla Co., Thurs., Mar. 17. 1 cackling goose, 1 greater scaup, 1 hooded merganser, huge, eBird-queried numbers of common duck species, 2 horned grebes, 600 sandhill cranes, 3 killdeer, 1 herring gull, and 1 merlin. eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28415281

Piñon Hills, Conejos Co., Fri., Mar. 18. 1 loggerhead shrike, 1 rock wren, and 4 sagebrush sparrows. eBird checklists: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28415768, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28415642, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28415718

Sego Springs State Wildlife Area, Conejos Co., Fri., Mar. 18. 2 sage thrashers and 3 sagebrush sparrows. eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28420448

Rio Grande at Hwy 142, Conejos Co., Fri., Mar. 18. 1 Mexican duck x mallard hybrid and 2 Say phoebes. eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28436981

Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, Rio Grande Co., Sat., Mar. 19. 41 cackling geese, 1 bald eagle, 9,000+ sandhill cranes, 1 merlin, 1 peregrine falcon, and 1 marsh wren. eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28463897

Zapata Ranch (private), Alamosa Co., Sat.-Sun., Mar. 19-20. 2 western screech-owls, 5+ great horned owls, 1 northern pygmy-owl, 4 long-eared owls, 1 northern saw-whet owl, 80+ pinyon jays, 1 western scrub-jay, 5 bushtits, and 3 pine siskins. eBird checklists: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28469133, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28476405, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28470408, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28464834

Medano Ranch (private), Alamosa Co., Sat.-Sun., Mar. 19-20. 175+ sandhill cranes, 2 prairie falcons, 2 Say phoebes, 3 loggerhead shrikes, 2 swallow sp., 1 American pipit, 5+ sage thrashers, and 8+ sagebrush sparrows. eBird checklists: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28470653, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28463536, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28459691, http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28459801

Center, Saguache Co., Sun., Mar. 20. 2 northern mockingbirds. eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28469946

Russell Lakes State Wildlife Area, Saguache Co., Sun., Mar. 20. 1 rough-legged hawk, 100+ sandhill cranes, 1 American avocet, and 9 marsh wrens. eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28467476

Widely noted in suitable habitat across the San Luis Valley were the following: cinnamon teal, green-winged teal, ruddy duck, golden eagle, black-billed magpie, common raven, horned lark, mountain bluebird, western meadowlark, and red-winged blackbird.

Thanks to Audrey Wolk, Mandy Timbers, Nancy Fishbein, Bill Schmoker, and The Nature Conservancy in Colorado for the excellent weekend.

Ted Floyd

Lafayette, Boulder County

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