Saturday was day two of SE Colorado Birding for the indefatigable Rock Dove Tour birders. Our small group started by heading out from Lamar on a direct route to Picture Canyon in Baca County to beat the heat and wind, but we couldn’t beat other birders as upon arrival we encountered Dean Shoup already on his way out! Impressive.
With our early morning intel (a common theme here as help from other birders led us to many great birds during the day), we hiked down into the canyon finding lots of activity despite fairly high winds. A couple of Rufous-crowned Sparrows and a Greater Roadrunner were present just down the trail from the parking area. Next we had fly-bys from Red-headed Woodpecker and Canyon Towhee. At least two male Painted Buntings were singing, but hard to see in the wind, and a Ladder-back Woodpecker pair was tending a nest hole in a large cottonwood right under the biggest cliff. Rock, Canyon and Bewick’s Wren were all present along with a couple of Ash-throated Flycatchers. After leaving we found four Long-billed Curlew along Road M east of 18.
Returning to Springfield and a handful of Mississippi Kites over town, we changed our plans and decided to skip other spots in Baca and head right to Lake Hasty campground beneath the John Martin Reservoir dam in Bent County, taking the texted advice of other birders. Hasty was great, even as the temps reached the 90s and we were able to find the Kentucky Warbler found earlier in the day by Carragher, Edwards, Percival and Peterson as well as American Redstart, Black-headed and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Lazuli Bunting. Non-passerines included a Barn Owl seen by others, but not me, and more Mississippi Kites.
Bill Kaempfer
Boulder
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