Spring Field Trips____________________________________________________
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Hart’s Basin Field Trip
Saturday, April 12, 2008 –
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Park-N-ride on US
50 at Rte. 141 (32 Rd). Bring
binoculars, sunscreen, water, snacks and a lunch. Paul and Fran Didier
will be leading. Carpooling is encouraged.
This field trip is always good for a
diversity of birds and habitat. Fruit Grower’s Reservoir commonly has a
great sampling of diving ducks and puddle ducks. The swampy area on the
north side of the road is good for shorebirds, rails and soras. It is
always a thrill if the Sandhill cranes are still there. On the south end
of the reservoir near the dam Great Blue Herons and Double-crested
Cormorants can be seen in their nests with young. The road between the
two sites always allows good viewing of Lewis’s Woodpeckers and
passerines. Registration is Required – Please call Fran or Paul Didier
(242-8643)
The official part of this trip concludes
about noon but for those who want to continue, we will be birding on the
way home at Confluence Park and Sweitzer Lake in Delta. Hart’s Basin is
located near the town of Eckert northeast of Delta
Northeast Corner of Colorado:
Four Day Field Trip: April 25-28, 2008
Visiting this part of the state will be
exciting because we will see some species that are not seen on the Western
Slope. This will give you an opportunity to add a few eastern birds to
your life-list or your state list. Watch the Greater Prairie Chickens
doing their strutting and displaying on their lek. The leks are on
private property and we have made arrangements with a local cattle company
to observe them. There are other species that we hope to see too, such as
the Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Eastern Bluebird, Brown
Thrasher, Northern Cardinal, Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, warblers and
other migrants. With some luck we may see the Yellow-billed &
Black-billed Cuckoos and the Northern Bobwhite.
If you are interested in joining the group,
call Fran & Paul Didier (242-8643) or Bob Bradley (263-4613) to sign up
and for details on where to meet. Bring a lunch for Friday and pack other
edibles in case we are not able to locate restaurants in some of the
sparsely populated areas. Be prepared for colder weather at the lek and
the possibility of warming up during the day. Hotel information and more
details about this field trip will be provided by the Didiers when you
sign up.
Sunday, May 18th – Meet at 7:00 a.m. at
the Dinosaur Journey parking lot, south of the Fruita/I-70 interchange on
Sunday, May 18th John
Toolen will be leading.
The desert and arid lands west of Grand
Junction have a lot to offer. Birds commonly seen in the areas through
which this trip will travel are Sage Thrasher, Sage Sparrow, Brewer’s
Sparrow, Northern Mocking bird and Lark Sparrows. With luck and a little
patience the group could be rewarded with Scott’s Oriole, Black-throated
Sparrow and Gray Vireo. Bring binoculars, lunch, snacks, water and
sunscreen.
Registration is Required – please call
John Toolen (985-9089) |
Field Notes 
