Colorado Trip ~ June 26, 1989

We got up well before sunrise and headed for the Sage Grouse spot in the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge. On the way, we flushed a few Sage Grouse off the road. After parking atop a hill above a wet meadow, we spotted a Sage Thrasher atop the sagebrush. While hiking down into the meadow, we saw Coyotes howling from the hilltop. Soon after that, we saw about 20 Sage Grouse fly down from the hillside into the meadow. Despite much searching, we never got closer looks at them, but we did find Common Snipe, Yellow Warbler, and many sparrows including Brewer's, Vesper, Savannah, Song, and White-crowned. We also found unrelenting mosquitoes there. Near the town of Rand, we spotted a dark morph Swainson's Hawk sitting on a fence post.

The Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge along Route 125 near Rand, Colorado.

We crossed the Continental Divide at Willow Creek Pass and birded a campground along Route 125 where we got excellent looks at Dusky Flycatchers. At the turnoff to Cabin Creek Divide, we had great looks at Cordilleran Flycatcher (formerly the Rocky Mountain form of Western Flycatcher) and Cassin's Finch.

From there, it was up Route 34 into Rocky Mountain National Park and over the Continental Divide at Milner Pass.

Rocky Mountain National Park above Grand Lake, Colorado.

The sign at the Continental Divide at Milner Pass in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

There were fantastic views in all directions. On the way to the top of the mountain, we stopped at various pulloffs and found Clark's Nutcracker, Gray Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Mountain Bluebird, and Pine Grosbeak.

Just two of the views along Route 34 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.

At Medicine Bow Curve, we walked out onto the tundra and found Water Pipit, got within 75 yards of Elk, and studied White-tailed Ptarmigan at five feet!

Medicine Bow Curve in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

White-tailed Ptrarmigan near Medicine Bow Curve in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

We then walked back to the road in a wind-driven sleetstorm. It was amazing that, after landing in Denver in 90-degree weather just three days earlier, we were now in goose down coats and getting hit with sleet! Of course, being at 12,000 feet in elevation had something to do with that. We went back down the mountains to Grand Lake and hiked up to Adams Falls looking for Dipper. We were unsuccessful, probably because of the noisy people there, but we did see Mountain Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, and Lincoln's Sparrow. We stayed overnight in Grand Lake.

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