Derek and I planned two days after the official Field Guides trip to bird on our own so that we could look for a few extra birds. We ventured quite far from Denver, but since we were starting and ending those two days in Denver, Derek had been referring to them as “Denver Days” throughout the trip. There were a lot of possibilities – try for slightly early Virginia’s Warbler or Lark Bunting, search for a Northern Goshawk, chase the vagrant Pacific Wren or Mexican Duck that had been reported, or try to get better views and photos of the Williamson’s Sapsucker. We finally decided to head towards New Mexico where we had a chance for both new birds and a new state for me plus a couple of spots where we could look for Western Screech-Owl on our way.
We started by heading south from Denver to Memorial Park & Prospect Lake near Colorado Springs to look for a Greater White-fronted Goose that had been reported there for several days. The goose was rare for that date and location, so it sounded like a fun stop. In one and a half hours at the park we found 30 species of birds including the Greater White-fronted Goose.
Greater White-fronted Goose. Photo by Derek Hudgins.
As a bonus, we also saw two “rare” Cackling Geese plus two geese that we couldn’t confidently ascribe to either species. Later we noted that other birders had also reported two as “Cackling/Canada Goose.” As much as we like to pin down all our sightings to species, sometimes it just isn’t possible.
Cackling Geese with a Canada Goose in the foreground. Once considered the same species, Canada and Cackling Goose were split in 2004.
The prettiest birds there were a group of American Avocets in colorful breeding plumage. In the East, we see them more frequently in their black-and-white winter plumage.
American Avocets. Photo by Derek Hudgins.
We also saw several gulls at the park, including California Gulls, which are rare in the East, so neither of us see them often. The bird’s dark eye compared to a Ring-billed Gull’s light eye is a holy grail for Eastern gullwatchers picking through massive flocks of the latter species every winter.
Adult California Gull
Next it was on to Clear Springs Ranch to look for the Western Screech-Owl that we missed on the very first stop of the Field Guides tour ten days earlier. Despite an hour of searching in much better weather, we failed to find the owl.
We continued south and a little west to another location that had recent reports of a Western Screech-Owl. This time we had exact directions right to the tree where the owl roosted, so we were feeling more confident. Did I mention that this would be a life bird for both Derek and me? We really wanted this bird. The location was the lovely Cañon City Riverwalk along the Arkansas River. We found the tree right away, but the owl did not have his head poking out of his hole in the tree. After a few minutes, Derek went to check the other end of the trail and I stayed and kept my eye on the tree. A walker came by and told me that she had seen the owl within the past week.
We saw the Audubon’s subspecies of Yellow-rumped Warbler with their bright yellow throats frequently during our trip. Photo by Derek Hudgins.
Derek came back and we decided to bird around the other end of the trail and check for the Screech-Owl again before dark. I couldn’t decide whether or not I needed my sweater in the cool evening air, so on my second trip to the car, Derek looked around little Sell Lake to kill time while waiting for me. I got my sweater and walked over to Derek. He instructed me to look in the branches of a fallen tree on the edge of the pond and tell him what I saw. “A Yellow-crowned Night-Heron,” I replied. Derek knew what the bird was, but he could barely believe his eyes. This is an eastern and coastal species with only a handful of reports west of the Rockies except for California. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron is a Colorado review species; there were fewer than 40 reports ever for the state and a sighting should be reported formally to the Colorado Bird Records Committee. We got some poor photos and quickly submitted an eBird checklist.
The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron on the morning after our discovery. Photo by Derek Hudgins.
We then checked for the Western Screech-Owl again with no luck. But, we did see a Great Horned Owl put on a little show. Blue Jays mobbed the owl who gave chase to the jays and then flew into a branch. He flopped to the ground, flew back up, preened, and finally flew away. My photo is not the best quality due to the low light, but it was clear that this particular owl looked different than the ones we were used to seeing in the East. Birds of North American Online says “Geographic variation in appearance moderate and complex.” It also states that there are 15 subspecies and “moderately pale populations occur in the s. Rocky Mts.” So, it wasn’t our much-wanted Western Screech-Owl, but it was fun to see a new variation and learn more about this widespread owl that occurs in all 49 continental states and parts of Central and South America.
Great Horned Owl
We had lingered on the trail well into darkness, so we decided to stay in Cañon City for the night so that we could have one more chance to look for the screech-owl again in the morning. Alas, we did not have any luck with the owl then either, but Derek did get a much better photo of the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. We also met a couple of local birders who had received eBird alerts for the night-heron and were very appreciative of our timely report. I’m sure it was a new county bird for them and perhaps a new species for their state lists. Over the next week and a half, the night-heron would be seen by twenty other birders.
So, now we had less than a day to get to New Mexico, find some birds, and get back to the Denver airport that evening for our flight back to Baltimore. After birding the Cañon City Riverwalk again, we headed to Maxwell NWR in New Mexico. We drove around Lake 13 and saw quite a few nice birds including this Franklin’s Gull.
Franklin’s Gull in gorgeous breeding plumage. Photo by Derek Hudgins.
At a little drier part of the NWR, we had a couple of exciting sightings. First was a Cassin’s Kingbird, a life bird for Derek and a completely unexpected surprise.
Cassin’s Kingbird
The kingbird was quickly followed by a life mammal for me, Black-tailed Jackrabbit. I was thrilled to finally see this rabbit, especially since most of the Field Guides group had seen one darting through the brush at a rest stop.
Black-tailed Jackrabbit. Photo by Derek Hudgins.
Vesper Sparrows are very common in the West and we had one in this area.
Vesper Sparrow. Can you see why this bird was once called the Bay-winged Bunting? Photo by Derek Hudgins.
After leaving Maxwell NWR, we started the drive north, but made one more stop in New Mexico at Climax Canyon Park & Nature Trail.
The trail at Climax Canyon Park & Nature Trail is up the side of a mountain. Photo by Derek Hudgins.
As we started up the mountain, I caught a glimpse of something on the side of the trail. He is camouflaged so well that I doubt I would have seen this little lizard if he hadn’t displayed his dewlap. After we got home, Derek and I tried to identify him to species, but there is too little difference between several closely related species in this genus, Sceloporus, to be sure. Whether it’s a Prairie Lizard, Southwest Fence Lizard, or a Plateau Fence Lizard, it’s a life lizard for both of us.
A male lizard in the genus Sceloporus. You can just barely see his blue belly.
There were not a lot of birds here in the middle of the day, but we were happy to see a Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay and a Bushtit. Bushtits are busy little birds who never hold still. I am still waiting to get a decent photo, but Derek was quick enough to get a shot of this one.
Bushtit. Photo by Derek Hudgins.
What an encore for the amazing Field Guides grouse trip! Derek and I tallied our Denver Days bonuses as we drove to the airport – forty New Mexico birds for Shelley, 23 new NM birds for Derek (who had previously visited the state), a Cassin’s Kingbird life bird for Derek, Black-tailed Jackrabbit life mammal for Shelley, a fascinating lizard, and a Colorado Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. We were thankful to have had two more days to appreciate the incredible wildlife and scenery of the American West.
American Red Squirrel. Photo by Derek Hudgins.
Birding for Life 