[cobirds] Sprague's Pipit, Pawnee NG, Weld Co.

Needing a break from what is now Front Range Madness in trying to find a peaceful hike on the weekends, my wife, dogs, and I decided to head out to Pawnee Buttes (Pawnee NG, Weld Co., CO) this morning (Sun., 2 June'19) to shed some of this stress.  We were hoping to stumble on the usual suspects out on the prairies, but mainly to try and relax.  Birding was slow as we didn't get out there until around 11am, but managed to accomplish our main goal, a deep breath in the beautiful short grass prairies on a nice day.

However, on the way back birding luck struck, found an adult SPAGUE'S PIPIT at the intersection of Weld County Rds 87 & 112 (stub road 1mi north of the main CR110).  There is a small water filled swale on the east side of CR 87 where the pipit and several HORNED LARKS were feeding.  Knew Sprague's was a candidate as soon as we drove up and it flushed from the side of the road - short, black tail with a fair amount of white in the outer retricies, short, wide wings, and direct flight. Picked it up as it landed in a relatively open spot nearby - big eye in the plain tan face, neatly black marked pale brown upperparts, including black streaked crown, pale bill (at least the basal 2/3), and clean off white underparts except for some very faint streaking on the upper breast; throat was whitish.  Now you are thinking, as I did, it's not too early for juvenile Horned Larks to throw a wet towel on the party.  Party on Garth!  Diagnostic pale pink legs!  A first for Colorado for me and yes, a Records Committee report will be forthcoming.  This was around 3:30pm, so hopefully it is still around in the morning.

On the way in, stopped at Crow Valley CG to walk the dogs and see if by chance there might be something good lingering.  Not the case with primarily breeders around, though a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD and beautiful RED-HEADED WOODPECKER were nice, as well as a surprise pair of LESSER GOLDFINCH.  As we meandered out to the Buttes, then back a different route, only had a few MCCOWN'S LONGSPURS, no Chestnut-collareds, and unfortunately no Mountain Plovers, so guess we'll have to head out again...dang!

Good Birding,

Doug

Denver, CO

2 June 2019  Crow Valley CG, Pawnee NG, Weld Co., CO

Mourning Dove – 10

Common Nighthawk – 1

Killdeer – 2

Red-headed Woodpecker – 1

American Kestrel – 1m

Western Kingbird – 9

Blue Jay – 2

House Wren – 3

American Robin – 4

Northern Mockingbird – 1

LESSER GOLDFINCH – 1m1f

American Goldfinch – 1m1f

Western Meadowlark – 5

Bullock's Oriole – 5

Red-winged Blackbird – 4

Common Grackle – 12

Yellow Warbler - 3 

2 June 2019  East Unit (Briggsdale-Pawnee Buttes), Pawnee NG, Weld Co., CO

Mallard - 2

Rock Pigeon - 10

Mourning Dove – 8

Common Nighthawk – 3

American Avocet - 6

Killdeer – 4

Wilson's Phalarope - 4

American Kestrel – 1

Western Kingbird – 18

Eastern Kingbird - 2

Horned Lark – 110

Barn Swallow - 2

Cliff Swallow – 15

American Robin – 1

European Starling - 10

SPRAGUE'S PIPIT – 1 (Weld CR 87 & 112; I guess not technically in the National Grasslands)

McCown's Longspur – 3m 1f

Grasshopper Sparrow – 3

Lark Sparrow – 5

Lark Bunting - 85

Western Meadowlark – 40

Red-winged Blackbird – 5

Brewer's Blackbird - 4

Common Grackle – 6

House Sparrow - 6