Trip report by Tour Leader Dick Filby

The 2008 trip was another excellent and very successful WildWings Colorado Tour, with pretty much everything you could wish for!  Despite following one of the snowiest winters in recent times (many mountain locations received over 500 inches of snow during the winter!)  we still enjoyed very successful birding, with pretty much all the targets secured – all the grouse performed magnificently, and many more other species were seen as well, plus lots of good  weather, fantastic scenery and yet another great group that had a superb time. 

                       

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12^th April

The group arrived into Denver airport early evening and as I had already purchased everyone’s State Park permits (the personal details required for each one is amazing) we headed straight to our motel. With a choice of early dinner or very early to bed, the group divided based on personal preference, but no-one was late to bed.

 

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13^th April

After a leisurely breakfast we headed southeast into the plains, enjoying some good roadside birds en-route including three Ferruginous Hawks, several Swainson’s and Red-tailed Hawks, 15 Northern Harriers plus 10 American Kestrels.  Pausing at the almost dry Great Plains reservoirs we managed to find a bit of water and a few waders and ducks.  Species included Ring-necked Ducks and American Wigeon, as well as 20 Snowy Plovers, 30 Killdeer, American Avocet, Greater Yellowlegs, Marbled Godwit, Semipalmated and Baird’s Sandpipers.  Mammals seen during the day included tens of Pronghorn Antelopes grazing in small groups, some quite close to the road, and Black-tailed Prairie Dogs in great colonies that often contained a Burrowing Owl or two.

 

Horned Larks were everywhere, as well as Western Meadowlarks, Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds.  A pair of Great Horned Owls occupied the trees close to a farmhouse, where a Townsend’s Solitaire was atop one of the trees. A Loggerhead Shrike and three Say’s Phoebes were welcome sightings.  By early evening we were settled in at our motel and a good night’s sleep before our first lek the following morning.

 

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14^th April

Rising early we headed out to the Lesser Prairie Chicken lek where we all got into the hide to enjoy the show.  Thirteen males (twice as many as last time) and a single female showed up and performed for us. The males strutted and faced each other intently, never coming to blows, but occasionally jumping in the air.  With their pinnae erect, throat pouches inflated and tails cocked they looked amazing, a complete contrast from the remainder of the year when unadorned and secretive, their cryptic plumage helps them blend into the landscape.  A lone Lark Sparrow gave fantastic views.

 

Afterwards we were fortunate to run into a small group of Lark Buntings (20 or so) and got some good looks at them as well as a perched Swainson’s Hawk that  then gave us a great aerial display low overhead.  We headed on to enjoy a picnic breakfast along with tea and coffee, fruit and fruit juice.  We continued our day with roadside birding in the agricultural pastures, cottonwoods and the National Grasslands, especially in search of Mountain Plovers (we saw eight) Long-billed Curlews (at least 20), eight more Burrowing Owls and many other species including a pair of Curve-billed Thrashers and several Chihuahuan Ravens.  A pair of Eastern Bluebirds inhabited an area recently affected by wildfire. We took a lunch in a traditional local diner in the hamlet of Campo before we arrived at our overnight bed and breakfast on a ranch in the “middle of nowhere” on the grasslands.  A Ladder-backed Woodpecker was among many birds that greeted us, along with a small party of Chipping Sparrows feeding on the Cottonwood buds.  Once we had settled in, we headed to a nearby canyon for some late afternoon birding.  Not far from the ranch a couple of Sage Thrashers gave excellent views. Highlights at the canyon included no less than eight Lewis’s Woodpeckers, giving super views in the low sun of their bizarre plumage as they sallied forth in their aerial assaults on the local insect population.  Wild Turkeys, including a displaying male, splendid looks at a Townsend’s Solitaire, and a Cooper’s Hawk too,  Canyon Towhee, Rock Wren, Chihuahuan Ravens showing their white neck feather bases.  A small flock of Bighorn Sheep grazed in the valley, as well as a few White-tailed Deer. As dusk gathered a Western Screech Owl showed itself before we headed back to the ranch and a cold buffet before retiring.  Coyotes howled as we went to sleep.     So ended another great day.

 

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15^th April

Taking the opportunity for a lie-in, some of the group elected to stay and bird and photograph at leisure around the ranch, whilst the rest of us headed for some pre-breakfast birding in the canyon again.  We were not disappointed.  Rufous-crowned Sparrow was high on the want list and we found three, as well as an obliging pair of Rock Wrens, a not so obliging Pinyon Jay, but best of all - a splendid Bobcat that jumped onto the track just in front of the van and walked ahead of us for 50 yards before strolling off back into the bushes.  The early morning sun was over our shoulders and this seldom observed cat was a magnificent sight. We were very privileged.   Breakfast was a sumptuous home-cooked ranch feast, with fresh muffins, eggs, bacon, pancakes, fruit, tea, coffee, cereals..  We definitely did not want to leave but we had a long drive ahead.

 

We headed north then west, en-route ultimately for Gunnison.  Selected roadside stops meant a continued good day’s birding.  Birds seen included a small group of Scaled Quail that hid really well in a large cactus before showing themselves, a brief Curve-billed Thrasher, our first swallows – probably Tree Swallows, plus Barn Swallows and a single Northern Rough-winged Swallow, then stunning Mountain Bluebirds as we climbed up to Monarch Pass (11,312ft),  and later , after we had crossed the Continental Divide and descended into a snow filled Gunnison Valley, our first Rough-legged Hawk, more Mountain Bluebirds, as well as the localised Gunnison Prairie Dogs.

After checking in to our motel we enjoyed an Italian meal and headed early to bed

 

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16^th April

We rose early and headed for the hide we had pre-booked from which we were to watch the lek of Gunnison Sage Grouse.  We settled in on a decidedly chilly morning, comfortable with scopes and hand warmers to the ready.  With the increasing light we were treated to the spectacle of 43 birds 29 males, 14 females, and some stayed on the lek for us until c7am – when the last birds flew off almost straight over our heads.  The Gunnison Sage Grouse are particularly nervous lekkers and we are pleased that they stayed so late for us – the guide told us that the numbers have been up again on the lek this season, which is good for this is a species with an extremely limited range and is surely threatened by habitat loss and other factors. Heading for breakfast, we have a full day’s birding ahead of us

 

After breakfast we checked out of the motel and head west, through the mountains, rolling hills and Mesas.  Roadside stops yielded plenty of great birds.  Scenically the day is splendid, topped perhaps by our stop at the Black Canyon, where the river roars almost 2000ft below,  thrilling to the views and the ancient Juniper trees and Pinyon Pines. 

 

Other stops included several different water bodies, and the town park in Paonia where the Northern Pygmy Owl failed to show.  The bird list for the day reflects a great day’s birding. Highlights included three Great Northern Divers, four Eared Grebes, 50 Western and a Clark’s Grebe, eight White-faced Ibis, a Ross’s Goose, a pair of Barrow’s Goldeneye, 12 Buffleheads, two Ospreys, a Bald Eagles nest with chicks, five different Golden Eagles, a Peregrine that took an American (Buff-bellied) Pipit, an elusive group of Gambel’s Quail, three American Avocets, five species of gulls: Franklin’s, Bonaparte’s Ring-billed, California and American Herring Gull.  White-throated Swifts, Steller’s  and Western Jays, Red-breasted and Pygmy Nuthatches, five American Pipits (became four!), Song Sparrow, 12 Cassin’s Finches and five plus Evening Grosbeaks.  With snow starting to fall late afternoon we decided to get a jump start on tomorrow and we headed into the Roaring Fork Valley where we stayed overnight.

 

 

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17^th April

We awoke to a beautiful snowy day, perfect for encouraging the birds like the Rosy Finches to the feeders. We spent much of the morning in the Roaring Fork Valley where we visited several places that I know well, starting with a Bald Eagle’s nest that is active again this year.  Heading on up the valley to a friend’s house, where winter had still left their garden buried in feet of snow. Here we thrilled to an incredible 400 or more Rosy Finches in the garden, nearly all of them Brown-capped, about 10 Blacks and just 10 Gray-crowned and a Hepburn’s form too – so a full house!  Other birds included male and female Pine Grosbeaks, Cassin’s Finches, Pine Siskins and Mountain Chickadees, truly a morning to remember.  We took breakfast at our house, my dear wife Denise generously helping out. Our garden feeders provided several new birds including Lesser Goldfinch and Western Scrub Jay.

 

Soon it was time to head for Steamboat Springs, driving through some magnificent country – along the Colorado River then up to the Yampa Valley, past the Flattops Wilderness and into Hayden late afternoon.  We paused at an another Bald Eagle’s nest and at a Great Horned Owl’s nest and got great views of both.  A pair of Sandhill Cranes showed well in a pasture close to the road.  With the countryside still half buried in snow we already knew that getting to the Sharp-tailed Grouse was going to be an issue.  We headed out of town late afternoon and having got permission to enter the private property where we would search, we eventually found a group of Sharp-tailed Grouse quietly feeding close to a lek site where we would return in the morning.  We then searched for Blue Grouse in vain. Mammal highlights included a couple of Common Porcupines, one of which was close to the van, and a couple of Beavers in the river.

 

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18^th April

Pre-dawn those of us that wanted to drove out to the Sharp-tailed Grouse lek.  It was another glorious morning, with scarcely a breeze and as the sun came up we enjoyed several Sharp-tailed Grouse on a very snowy lek, foot-stomping. quivering their wings and calling with inflated purple air sacs.  We had to watch from a distance as the exceptional winter snow meant that our hide was not able to be set up, but never-the-less it was a great sight.  Some birds even flew towards us and gave even better views strutting about just yards away.

 

After the Sharp-tailed Grouse we resumed our search for Blue Grouse and were rewarded with a splendid booming male that strutted over the deep snow beneath a grove of Gambel Oaks where I often manage to find this species.  He gave great views in the morning sun.  An American Badger was a real bonus.  We continued to bird the local area some more, and found many more Sandhill Cranes (65 in total), before heading back into Steamboat Springs for breakfast and thence onto the tiny community of Walden in the beautiful open landscape of the intermontane plateau of North Park.  The journey was punctuated with stops for Golden Eagles, Rough-legged Hawks, a Gray Jay – always a difficult species so a pleasure to see it and get scope views too, plus Pine Grosbeak and Cassin’s Finch. A Yellow-bellied Marmot was out of it’s hole as we passed, and later a single Coyote prowled a snow covered meadow.

 

The reservoir held plenty of birds despite being still mostly frozen over.  American White Pelican in breeding condition were a splendid sight, accompanied by California Gulls, Double-crested Cormorants, plenty of ducks including the dramatic looking Canvasbacks and Buffleheads.  A drive in search of Moose was successful – we managed to find two.

 

Dinner was followed by a short presentation on Greater Sage Grouse after which we headed for bed, detouring to look for Beavers – we found one.   Another great day drew to a close.

 

 

 

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19^th April

 

 

Up early we arrived at our viewing hide for another one of the great mornings of the trip.  In front of the hide there were 27 male Greater Sage Grouse displaying like crazy, with 41 females eyeing up the show.  With the backdrop a wide panorama of snow-covered peaks and the deep snow still covering most of the plain, and the sun was coming up over our shoulders, not surprisingly we were spellbound - it was totally incredible.  The birds stayed a short while before they flew off en-masse, perhaps because they had spotted a Golden Eagle.  We too left, taking a ride in the 4x4 truck to get back to the road though the deep snow, and enjoyed warming up in the van afterwards.  We saw plenty of Elk and some more Greater Sage Grouse, as well as a remarkably co-operative male Mountain Bluebird and several Sage Thrashers.  Wyoming Ground Squirrels eyed us cautiously from close to their burrows.  We headed back for breakfast via Walden reservoir which again provided plenty of birds in a great setting on a glorious morning.  After a hearty and sociable breakfast we set off on the short drive to Fort Collins via Cameron Pass. 

 

The road remained dry and the weather fine as we crossed Cameron Pass (10,286ft) with views of the roadside forests and mountains still buried deep in snow being especially memorable.  Although few birds were seen at the higher elevations, it was a very enjoyable few miles.  Once over the top we headed down the Cache-le-Poudre valley towards Fort Collins.  Labelled a “scenic byway”, it certainly lived up to its name. 

 

Birds en-route included yet another Rough-legged Hawk, Steller’s Jay, a Canyon Wren that sang his heart out for us, American Dipper, and excellent views of Pine Grosbeak and Cassin’s Finches.

 

In Fort Collins we saw an Osprey nest atop a roadside telegraph pole, and a Sora right next to the van, before we searched for any lingering Hooded Mergansers.  We saw plenty of other waterfowl, but could not find any mergs, nor could we find the nesting Eastern Screech Owls that our local guide tried his hardest to locate.

 

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20^th April

For those who wished, we did some early birding around Fort Collins.  Horned (Slavonian) Grebes, resplendent in beautiful breeding plumaged topped the list, along with Eared (Black-necked) Western and Pied-billed Grebes and four Buffleheads, before returning to the motel for coffee and muffins and then setting off onto the eastern plains with our first destination the Pawnee National Grasslands.  This extensive tract of land is a patchwork quilt of prairie, some of it privately owned and farmed, and other parts are public lands.  We simply skirted it’s southern edge, soon finding a Mountain Plover and then in a favoured spot, several Chestnut-collared and many McCown’s Longspurs all in splendid summer plumage, plus hundreds of Horned Larks, as well as several Swainson’s and Red-tailed Hawks, a single Ferruginous Hawk on a nest, several Burrowing Owls and many Western Meadowlarks .  We walked a short way to find a Prairie Falcon (hearing a Rock Wren en-route) and were duly rewarded with views of this magnificent falcon!  At our usual lunch stop we found Blue Jays still in residence – not a common bird this far west.  It was our fifth jay species of the trip.  There were also a few Yellow-rumped Warblers – harbingers of spring.  Three were of the Myrtle form, whilst the fourth was of the Audubon’s form.  It is not uncommon in Colorado to be able to compare both forms side by side on migration.

 

Our burgeoning mammal list was added to with Eastern Cottontail and Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrels, as well as return appearances by several Pronghorn Antelope, including one that posed very close to the van and two Red Foxes.

 

Early to bed – we looked forward to our final lek of the tour.

 

 

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21^st April

Heading out onto the prairie before dawn we were in place in our hide at the Greater Prairie Chicken lek before first light.  Even before first light we could hear them as they started to display in the darkness.  As the light came we were thrilled to count 23 males and two females in attendance, “singing” their eerie cooing display vocals and with inflated throat sacs they looked very impressive indeed.  Some were quite close to the hide, whilst others were a little more distant but all gave excellent scope views.  Also present at the lek were a pair of Burrowing Owls. When all was done we headed for a hearty breakfast back in Wray.

 

The rest of the day we leisurely explored other local birding spots including Beecher Island.  We also visited Hale Ponds where we had a leisurely stroll through the cottonwoods around the ponds and along the banks of the Republican river, followed by a visit to the nearby Bonny State Park. 

 

Highlights included 25+American White Pelicans, two Black-crowned Night Herons in full breeding plumage, 50+White-faced Ibis, a single Snow Goose, an excellent selection of dabbling ducks including two pairs of Wood Dick, two Hooded Mergansers, Bald Eagle, two Goshawks, two Swainson’s  Hawks, 20 Wild Turkeys and a flock of at least 200 Sandhill Cranes.  Waders included Killdeer, American Avocets, Marbled Godwit, Semipalmated, Western and Least Sandpipers, 15 Long-billed Dowitchers were mainly in fantastic summer plumage, as were 23 Wilson’s Phalaropes.  Gulls put in a good showing too, with 200+Franklin’s, as well as a couple of Bonaparte’s, Ring-billed and California Gulls.  We saw a Great Horned Owl nest, and had two Red-bellied Woodpeckers, plus another half a dozen Blue Jays, our only House Wrens of the trip, as well as several Eastern Bluebirds, Townsend’s Solitaire, a Northern Mockingbird, a Lark Sparrow and our only Lincoln’s Sparrow of the trip.

 

It had been another excellent day’s birding, and after dinner, for those that hadn’t had enough we went owling.  Not only did we successfully track down an Eastern Screech Owl, but we also heard a Common Poorwill and saw a Swift Fox – yet another mammal for the trip.

 

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22^nd April

We had a leisurely start with breakfast at the incredibly late hour of 6am, before setting off for Georgetown and our last look at the Rocky Mountains.  We stopped a couple of times enroute, notably at some ponds on the outskirts of Denver where we again enjoyed a good selection of waterfowl including male a Wood Duck, several Buffleheads, and other birds  including our last Great Horned Owl of the trip, but alas no Eastern Screech Owl for those who didn’t go owling the previous night.  We arrived at our motel  early afternoon and then headed up to the roof of North America, finally getting out of the vehicle at the top of Loveland Pass at almost 12,00 feet.  We spent several hours diligently searching for White-tailed Ptarmigans, seeing amongst other birds only our second Peregrine of the trip, and enjoying the magnificent scenery, before some, then all of us got great looks at this near mythical bird.  Three White-tailed Ptarmigan gave us great scope views. With the mountain tops golden in the dying rays of the sun, it was a superb finale to the tour!

 

Heading back down to town we revelled in the full-house of target species – all the grouse and chicken-like birds, plus plenty of other fantastic birds and some great mammals too.  We enjoyed a celebratory meal and a drink or two before bed.

 

 

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23^rd April

For those who wanted some last birding in the mountains, we headed out before breakfast (leaving others to relax).  Highlights of our morning adventure were two singing Fox Sparrows (of the Rocky Mountain form schistacea) , two Red-naped Sapsuckers, and a splendid group of a dozen Red Crossbills. After breakfast we headed for Denver Airport.  Our main aim en-route was to find Williamson Sapsuckers and Western Bluebirds and we did not fail. We also saw a male Broad-tailed Hummingbird.  However, all too soon it was time to move on and we were passing the last Black-tailed Prairie Dogs of the trip and were making our farewells as we unpacked the van for the last time.

 

It had been another excellent trip, which, as always, was made all the more special by an excellent team: everyone got on really well with each other and were very appreciative of the amazing birds and scenery of Colorado.  A hearty “thank-you all”.

 

 

Full list of species recorded on 2008 Colorado Tour

 

 

Great Northen Diver

Gavia immer (Common Loon)

Pied-billed Grebe

Podilymbus podiceps

Horned (Slavonian) Grebe

Podiceps auritus

Eared (Black-necked) Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Western Grebe

Aechmophorus accidentalis

Clark’s Grebe

Aechmophorus clarkii

American White Pelican

Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

Double-crested Cormorant

Phalacrocorax auritus

Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

White-faced Ibis

Plegadis chihi

Snow Goose

Chen caerulescens

Ross’s Goose

Chen rossi

Canada Goose

Branta canadensis

Wood Duck

Aix sponsa

Green-winged Teal

Anas crecca

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

Northern Pintail

Anas acuta

Blue-winged Teal

Anas discors

Northern Shoveler

Anas clypeata

Gadwall

Anas strepera

Cinnamon Teal

Anas cyanoptera

American Wigeon

Anas americana

Canvasback

Aythya valisineria

Redhead

Aythya americana

Ring-necked Duck

Aythya collaris

Lesser Scaup

Aythya affinis

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Bucephala islandica

Bufflehead

Bucephala albeola

Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Common Merganser (Goosander)

Mergus merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

Ruddy Duck

Oxyura jamaicensis

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Northern Harrier

Circus cyaneus

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

Cooper’s Hawk

Accipiter cooperii

Northern Goshawk

Accipiter gentilis

Swainson’s Hawk

Buteo swainsoni

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Ferruginous Hawk

Buteo regalis

Rough-legged Hawk

Buteo agopus

Golden Eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Prairie Falcon

Falco mexicanus

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Ring-necked Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Dusky Grouse

Dendragapus obscurus

White-tailed Ptarmigan

Lagopus leucurus

Greater Sage Grouse

Centrocercus urophasianus

Gunnison Sage Grouse

Centrocercus minimus

Greater Prairie Chicken

Tympanuchus cupido

Lesser Prairie Chicken

Tympanuchus pallidicinctus

Sharp-tailed Grouse

Tympanuchus phasianellus

Wild Turkey

Meleagris gallopavo

Scaled Quail

Callipepla squamata

Gambel’s Quail

Callipepla gambelli

Sora

Porzana carolinus

American Coot

Fulica americana

Sandhill Crane

Grus canadensis

Snowy (Kentish) Plover

Charadrius alexandrinus

Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

Mountain Plover

Charadrius montanus

American Avocet

Recurvirostra americana

Greater Yellowlegs

Tringa melanoleuca

Long-billed Curlew

Numenius americanus

Marbled Godwit

Limosa fedoa

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Calidris pusilla

Western Sandpiper

Calidris mauri

Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla

Baird’s Sandpiper

Calidris bairdii

Long-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus scolopaceus

Wilson’s Snipe

Gallinago  delicata

Wilson’s Phalarope

Phalaropus tricolor

Franklin’s Gull

Larus pipixican

Bonaparte’s Gull

Larus philadelphia

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

California Gull

Larus californicus

American Herring Gull

Larus smithsonianus

Feral (Rock) Dove

Columbia livia

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Mourning Dove

Zenaida macroura

Eastern Screech Owl

Otus asio

Western Screech Owl

Otus kennicotti

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Burrowing Owl

Athene cunicularia

Common Poorwill (heard)

Phalaenoptilus nuttallii

White-throated Swift

Aeronautes saxatalis

Belted Kingfisher

Ceryle alcyon

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Selasphorus platycercus

Lewis’ Woodpecker

Melanerpes lewis

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Melanerpes carolinus

Red-naped Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus nuchalis

Williamson’s Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus thyroideus

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Picoides scalaris

Downy Woodpecker

Picoides pubescens

Hairy Woodpecker

Picoides villosus

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

Eastern Phoebe

Sayorni phoebe

Say’s Phoebe

Sayornis saya

Horned Lark (Shorelark)

Eremophila alpestris

Tree Swallow

Tachycineta bicolour

Violet-green Swallow

Tachycineta thalassina

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)

Riparia riparia

Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Barn Swallow (Swallow)

Hirundo rustica

Gray Jay

Perisoreus canadensis

Steller’s Jay

Cyanocitta stelleri

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

Western Scrub Jay

Aphelocoma californica

Pinyon Jay

Gymmorhinus cyanocephalus

Clark’s Nutcracker

Nucifraga columbiana

Black-billed Magpie

Pica hudsonia

American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Chihuahuan Raven

Corvus cryptoleucus

(Common) Raven

Corvus corax

Black-capped Chickadee

Poecile atricapillus

Mountain Chickadee

Poecile gambeli

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta canadensis

White-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta carolinensis

Pygmy Nuthatch

Sitta pygmaea

Rock Wren

Salpinctes obsoletus

Canyon Wren

Cartherpes mexicanus

Bewick’s Wren

Thryomanes bewickii

House Wren

Troglodytes aedon

American Dipper

Cinclus mexicanus

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Regulus calendula

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Polioptila caerulea

Eastern Bluebird

Sialia sialis

Western Bluebird

Sialia mexicana bairdi

Mountain Bluebird

Sialia currucoides

Townsend’s Solitaire

Myadestes townsendi

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

Northern Mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos

Sage Thrasher

Oreoscoptes montanus

Curve-billed Thrasher

Toxostoma curvirostre

American Pipit

Anthus rubescens alticola

Loggerhead Shrike

Lanius ludovicianus

(European) Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Orange-crowned Warbler

Vermivora virginae

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  

Dendroica coronata coronata

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon’s) 

Dendroica coronata auduboni

Spotted Towhee

Pipilo maculatus

Canyon Towhee

Pipilo fuscus

Rufous-crowned Sparrow

Aimophilia rufices

Chipping Sparrow

Spizella passerina

Vesper Sparrow

Pooeecetes gramineus

Lark Sparrow

Chondestes grammacus

Lark Bunting

Calamospiza melanocorys

Fox Sparrow (Rocky Mountain form) 

Passerella iliaca schistacea

Song Sparrow

Melospiza melodia

Lincoln’s Sparrow

Melospiza lincolni

White-crowned Sparrow

Zonotrychia leucophrys

Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon form)

Junco hyemalis  mearnsis

Dark-eyed Junco (Pink-sided form)

Junco hyemalis oreganus

Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-coloured form)

Junco hyemalis hyemalis

Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-headed)

Junco hyemalis dorsalis

McCown’s Longspur

Calcarius mccownii

Chestnut-collared Longspur 

Calcarius ornatus

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Western Meadowlark

Sturnella neglecta

Brewer’s Blackbird

Euphagus cyanocephalus

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

Great-tailed Grackle

Quiscalus mexicanus

Common Grackle

Quiscalus quiscula

Brown-headed Cowbird

Molothrus ater

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

Leucosticte tephrocotis tephrocotis

Black Rosy-Finch

Leucosticte atrata

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch

Leucosticte australis

Pine Grosbeak

Pinicola enucleator

Cassin’s Finch

Carpodacus cassinii

House Finch

Carpodacus mexicanus

(Red) Crossbill

Loxia curvirostra

Pine Siskin

Carduelis pinus

Lesser Goldfinch

Carduelis psaltria

American Goldfinch

Carduelis tristis

Evening Grosbeak

Coccothraustes vespertinus

House Sparrow

Passer domesticus

 

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Larger mammals

 

 

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