Re: [cobirds] Mt. Plovers in South Park (1992-2014), Park County

Wow, an estimated population of 2310 Mountain Plovers! It is hard to go to Park Co. now and have Mountain Plover be so relatively hard to find, and imagine there could be so many. But the research published in the Condor is now already getting old for a species whose population is apparently declining. Then again, it is a species that can take focused searching to find. What researchers find for such species is often in contrast to what birders find, given the much more focused nature of their studies compared to typical birding coverage. With regard to Chris's summary of sightings, I would add that there are very many roads that pass through long stretches of suitable habitat in South Park, but the great majority of this habitat is rarely or never visited by birders in the breeding season, since there is little out there except Horned Larks over vast areas of the apparent suitable plover habitat. My own few sightings so far this year resulted from fairly intensive bursts of field coverage in a county whose MOPL habitat is mostly underbirded (or unbirded) in the MOPL season. 

David Suddjian

Littleton, CO

On Mon, Jun 30, 2014 at 4:13 PM, Bill Maynard <bmaynard99@gmail.com> wrote:

All,

 

If you want to find out the real Mountain Plover population in South Park you should consider reading

"The High-elevation Population of Mountain Plovers in Colorado" by Mike Wunder, Fritz Knopf (Dr. Plover), and Chris Pague in The Condor, the journal of the Cooper Ornithological Society.  Mike, working for Natural Heritage Foundation, estimated a population of 2310 adult Mountain Plovers in South Park … "We conclude that South Park represents a contemporarily large concentration of breeding Mountain Plovers."  The Condor 105:654-662. (2003). The authors estimated 29,176 hectares of occupied habitat during the study period.

 

Bill Maynard

Colorado Springs, CO

From: cobirds@googlegroups.com [mailto:cobirds@googlegroups.com]
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2014 3:40 PM
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com
Subject: [cobirds] Mt. Plovers in South Park (1992-2014), Park County

 

COBIRDS,

     A friend of mine asked me about Mt. Plover in South Park so I decided to see what records I could dig up.  The results are listed below.
     These records and reports come from COBIRDS, eBird, Colorado Birds, Colorado Breeding Bird Atlas I and II, and The Guide to Colorado Birds and are listed in chronological order.  I sent out a RFI to COBIRDs and only received ONE response.  There aren't too many reports of plover and they are spread "all over" the Park.  Most people seem to run into them just by chance -- a few know what they are looking for and go find them.
     To quote Harold Holt, "Of Colorado's four major parks, this [South Park] is the most impressive, covering over 500 square miles at an average elevation of just over 9,000 feet."
 

     #1)  Colorado Birds: A Reference to Their Distribution and Habitat
               By Robert Andrews and Robert Righter
               Pub. by the Denver Museum of Natural History, Denver, Colorado, 1992.
               On page 112 Bob and Bob list the Mt. Plover in South Park (Park County) as "rare" in summer and in migration.

     #2)  Colorado Breeding Bird Atlas
                Edited by Hugh E. Kingery
                Published by the Colorado Bird Atlas Partnership and the Colorado Division of                     Wildlife, Denver, CO, 1998.

               Atlas One (1987 - 1992) obviously covered South Park and the Mt. Plover breeding there.  In their article on Mt. Plover, Kuenning and Kingery state that "South Park also has a significant number [of Mt. Plover], in the area from Fairplay south to the Park County line."  In Atlas One eight blocks recorded Possible nesting, one block recorded Probable nesting, and 7 blocks had Confirmed nesting!  These results seemed to cover the WHOLE Park pretty thoroughly.  
               The results reported for Atlas One included work by Mike Wunder, currently of the University of Colorado Denver, who had a Mt. Plover research project during some of those years.  His team's results were included in the Atlas One results.
               Atlas Two (2007-2012) research documented zero blocks recording Possible nesting, one block recording Probable nesting, and 4 blocks had Confirmed nesting!
(http://bird.atlasing.org/Atlas/CO/Main)
               Based partially on the Atlas work, some speculate that there has been a decline in the population of Mt. Plover in South Park as well as in other parts of the state.

     #3)  The Guide to Colorado Birds
               By Mary Taylor Gray
               Westcliffe Publishers, Englewood, Colorado, 1989
               In The Guide... Mary Taylor Gray states, "Biologists estimate as many as 900 [Mt.] Plovers may inhabit South Park."

     #4) The Nature Conservancy: High Creek Fen Preserve (Park County) off Hwy. 285 north of Antero (Don't know what access is like); July 12, 1998 -- 3 Mt. Plover; adult and 2 chicks.  Reported by Randall Siebert on eBird.
 
     #5)  Spinney Mountain Reservoir (Park County); June 8, 2003 -- 1 Mt. Plover.  Reported by Glenn Walbek on eBird.

     #6)  Spinney Mountain Reservoir (Park County); May 28, 2003 -- 1 Mt. Plover.  Reported by Glenn Walbek on eBird.

     #7)  Chuck Hundertmark observed Mt. Plover in South Park while working on the Colorado Breeding Bird Atlas II; July 18, 2009 -- 2 Mt. Plover.  These birds were exhibiting distracting behavior.  The sighting was made east of Reinecker Ridge on the Bar D Ranch road; travel and search Bar D Ranch Road.  This road is approx. one mile southwest of the Como/Boreas Pass Road on Hwy. 285; turn southeast onto 
Bar D.

     #8)  Indian Mountain Devo (development?)(Park County); Sept. 1, 2009 -- 7 Mt. Plover.  Reported by Peter Burke on eBird (traveling report - 5 miles, 4 hours).  The site recorded on eBird is northeast of Observatory Rock on the northeast side of Tarryall Road at 9,200 ft.; this is approx. 4 miles southeast of jct. of Packer Lane and Tarryall Road.  From Tarryall Road drive up the road just past Graveyard Gulch Street (Bordenville Cemetery) presumably into Indian Mountain Devo.

     #9)  Along Hwy. 285  approx. one mile south of the top of Red Hill Pass (on way into Fairplay)(Park County); April 7, 2013 -- 3 Mt. Plover.  Reported by Peter Burke on eBird.

     #10)  Antero Reservoir (Park County); June 7, 2013 -- 2 Mt. Plover.  Reported by David Elwonger on eBird.

     #11)  Northeast of Spinney Mountain Reservoir (Park County); June 17, 2013 -- 1 Mt. Plover.  Reported by John Drummond on eBird.  Directions: Enter South Park from east (Wilkerson Pass) on Hwy. 24.  Turn south on second major road; San Juan Street or County Road 23.  Turn southwest on Mineral Springs Road then south on Chase Gulch Road (dead end).  Scan the grasslands...

     #12)  Northeast of Spinney Mountain Reservoir (Park County); June 23, 2013 -- 3 Mt. Plover; adult and 2 chicks.  Reported by Aaron Driscoll on COBIRDS.  Aaron re-found the site reported by John Drummond on eBird on the 17th of June 2013 (follow same directions).

     #13)  Lastly, in May and June 2014 David Suddjian reports sightings in FIVE locations in South Park (all in Park County).  All are reported on eBird.  On May 2 he observed two Mt. Plover 1 mile east of Hwy. 285 on Park County Road 56 (Lost Park Rd.).  Also on May 2 he observed three Mt. Plover 3.5 miles west of Hwy. 9 on Park County Road 24.  On May 19 he observed three Mt. Plover 5 miles south of Hwy. 9 on Park County Road 53.  Also on May 19 he observed two Mt. Plover 13.7 miles south of Hwy. 9 on Park County Road 53 (108/Pawnee Tr.).  On June 11 he observed three 
Mt. Plover in flight 1 mile southeast of Hwy. 285 on Park County Road 15 (Elkhorn Rd.). 

     My conclusion is that there is a small population of Mt. Plover widely scattered over much of South Park in appropriate habitat.  Finding them is another matter, except for Peter and David!  Way to go Peter and David!

     Thanks very much to Chuck Hundertmark his invaluable counsel on this little project!  As he notes, "It would be productive to have a detailed census of the South Park MOUP population." 

Good Birding, Chris

Mr. Chris A. Blakeslee
Centennial, Colorado
CorvidColo@aol.com

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[cobirds] Pawnee National Grasslands Oil & Gas Leasing Analysis/Weld

Hi all

This study began last year for those that did not know.  The Forest Service proposed to analyze effects to the Pawnee Nat'l Grassland on surface resources through consideration of a reasonably foreseeable increase in oil & gas development and provide recommendations for mitigation of unacceptable effects. The draft environmental impact statement was available to the public for comment in August 2013.

The final environmental impact statement is expected next month (August 2014).

• http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/arp/home/?cid=STELPRDB5356427&width=full

Thanks Gary Lefko, Nunn

http://coloradobirder.ning.com/

Mobile:  http://coloradobirder.ning.com/m

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[cobirds] The Phoebes at 75th St. bridge , Boulder

 Hi ,      Yesterday I stopped at the 75th Street bridge at 8:15 am and found both Black and Eastern Phoebes,[briefly on the same bough], working the west side of creek. I had tried for them twice without success after birding the White Rock trail, but late morning proved to be a bad bet. Good July Birding All,      Carl Starace, Longmont

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[cobirds] Eastern Wood-peewee in Fort Collins

The Eastern Wood-peewee is still singing along the Poudre River in Fort Collins. Today it was a little north of the original location and was moving to both sides of the river in the trees closest to the river.

 

Joe Mammoser

Fort Collins

Larimer County

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[cobirds] Dickcissel/Larimer

I've been stopping at Wellington State Wildlife Area (Larimer CR 64 aka Weld CR 100 aka Nunn Road) on way to work listening for Dickcissel.  Today, patience finally paid off--had one maybe two singing this morning.  They generally hang out east of the Golden Eagle nest area to the Weld County border (bottom of hill to east).

Also, my wife just reported a immature Brown Thrasher coming to our backyard ground feeders--we've had a parental pair since spring so they nested "somewhere" on our 35 acres ... :-)

Thanks Gary Lefko, Nunn
http://coloradobirder.ning.com/
Mobile:  http://coloradobirder.ning.com/m

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[cobirds] FOS Rufous Hummingbird - Teller County

Awoke to my FOS rufous hummingbird this morning at home. Ties previous early record at home made in 1989!

 

Jeff J Jones

(jjones@jonestc.com)

Teller County - 8500' - Montane Woodlands

 

[cobirds] Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday, July 1

Compiler:  Joe Roller

Date: July 1, 2014

email: rba AT cfobirds.org

This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Monday July 1, updated at 0520, and sponsored

by the Denver Field Ornithologists and the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory.

The DFO/RMBO answering machine has machined its last answer. If you have friends who rely on this telephone service, consider arranging to contact them about birding information they are keen on hearing. 

Highlight species include: (* indicates new information on this species.)

Barrow's Goldeneye (Clear Creek)

Red-necked Grebe (*Jackson)

Least Tern (Logan)

EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE (*Larimer)  

Red-eyed Vireo (Boulder)

Purple Martin (Gunnison)

Blue-winged Warbler (Jefferson)

Black-throated Gray Warbler (Gunnison) 

White-winged Crossbill (Park, Boulder)

BOULDER COUNTY:

--A lone White-winged Crossbill was reported by Dowell where the road to Long and Mitchell Lakes branches off the loop road on the west side of Brainard Lake on June 25.

--Ron Bolton reported a Red-eyed Vireo at Golden Ponds in Longmont, on the path between the ponds and the creek, on June 27.

CLEAR CREEK COUNTY:

--A Barrow's Goldeneye was reported by Breitsch at Echo Lake on June 24.

GUNNISON COUNTY:

--A singing Black-throated Gray Warbler was reported by Beason north of Gateview off of Bue Mesa Cutoff on June 26.  It was at 8000 ft in Douglas Fir habitat.

-- Garrison  reported Purple Martins on the north side of the Kebler Pass road, west of the Pretty Place road (near mile marker 11) on June 30.

JACKSON COUNTY:

--On June 18, Hundertmark reported that the pair of Red-necked Grebes continues incubating egg(s) on Lake John.  He found them there again on June 28.

JEFFERSON COUNTY: 

--A Blue-winged Warbler was discovered by Jones at Welchester Tree Grant Park on May 22, to the delight of  many. It was most recently reported by Leatherman on June 26.

LARIMER COUNTY:

--A singing EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE was reported by Mammoser on the Poudre River Bike Trail near Prospect Road on June 26 and reported again on June 27 just south of the Spring Creek footbridge by Komar. It may be easier to see from the Riverbend Ponds Natural Area. Later it was a bit farther north. Keirn et al saw it on June 29. Minner reported it on June 30.

LOGAN COUNTY:

--Kaempfer reported a Least Tern in the SW corner of Jumbo Reservoir on June 28.

PARK COUNTY:

-- Hansley found White-winged Crossbills near Boreas Pass on June 26. They were about three miles south of the pass, along Park Co. Rd. 33, aka Rd. 404.  From Denver take Hway 285 SW to the metropolis of Como, then follow signs for Boreas Pass or Rd. 33. The pass can also be reached from the north through Breckinridge.

DFO Field Trips:

Saturday, July 5,  Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Jefferson County

Leader: Paula Hansley, 720-890-2628, cell 303-263-1714 Trail: Easy hiking, 8000–9000 ft

RSVP required for leader to arrange carpools. Limit: 12 people

Meet at 8 a.m. at Visitor's Center in Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Jefferson and Gilpin counties for a trip lasting until after lunch.

Habitats will include montane, riparian, and pine forest. A wide variety of mountain birds will be seen (many at their nests). Bring water, snacks, and lunch. Walking will be on easy trails, so light boots or sneakers will be fine.

Sunday, July 6,  Central Plains Experimental Range (CPER) near Pawnee Grasslands

Leaders: Amber Carver and Mary Cay Burger Trail: Moderate

RSVP required to Mary Burger, 303-771-3431, <mcburger3@juno.com>

Limit: 8 people

Meet at the CPER field houses at 9:15 a.m. To get there from Denver, take I-25 north to

Wellington (exit 278). After exiting, turn right and then take an immediate left onto the frontage road. After half a mile, turn right on CR 64 (labeled as "Nunn Road"). After 11.1 miles, you will have reached the town of Nunn. Turn left on U.S. 85. After 7.2 miles, turn right on CR 114. Take the first right (after 0.7 miles) down a dirt driveway toward a cluster of buildings. Amber Carver will be waiting outside.

The hike will be easy but uneven, and only one or two miles total, with some driving

from place to place. Bring sturdy walking shoes to protect ankles (due to cactus). Spotting scopes optional (in case of raptors).

Expected species include McCown's Longspur, Lark Bunting, & Horned Lark. Species

that are possible (but not guaranteed) include Burrowing Owl, Mountain Plover, Ferruginous

Hawk, & Chestnut-collared Longspur.

NOTE: Amber Carver is an M.S. candidate at CU who was recently awarded a DFO

grant for research to study the impact of grazing management on McCown's Longspur.

Good Birding,

Joe Roller

jroller9@gmail.com

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