Carrizo Canyon

Took off for Carrizo Canyon down on the Colorado/Oklahoma border on Monday. Had read it was good birding with potential for Lewis's and Ladderbacked Woodpeckers, Blue Grosbeak, and Painted Bunting. Not much luck on those, but what a beautiful remote place. I guess I never realized the mesa country extended that far east out onto the plains. It's pretty flat, then all of a sudden there's this little creek winding thru the mesas, creating a pretty good canyon. And an interesting micro-environment and mix of eastern and western flora and fauna.

Drove south from La Junta on Colorado 109. I think I saw maybe five cars between La Junta and Kim. Penstemon and Primrose already flowering in Pugatorie Canyon. Once I got to Carrizo Creek and the three spot campground, I saw or heard no one for the 18 hours I was there. Couldn't even see a ranch or farm light at night. Very peaceful. Had to walk over to the overlook as soon as I shut down the truck. A really big turtle, as least a foot and a half across plopped into the creek. Not a huge amount of water flowing, but some nice big deep pools. I was about 4PM when I got there, and was tired so just made dinner and went to bed. Thought I might hear some owls, but no hooting.

In the AM I got up early, made some coffee and went birding along the creek. Flushed a bird out of nest in a Cholla Cactus. Didn't get a good look at it. Three palish blue eggs in the nest. Set up beside a nearby Cedar to wait. Naturally I was looking away at something else, when suddenly the bird was back on the nest. Never got a great look for a good ID. Maybe a female Blue Grosbeak? Lazuli? Pretty good sized bird, dull, heather, brownish, with wing bars. Stout, dark bill. I don't know. See what you think. Watched for quite a while, but she never stirred, and no male came around.

Lots of wildflowers already in bloom. Yellow Puccoon?, variety of little yellow composites, white Primrose, some purple flox-like flowers I'm not familiar with. A Apple and Lilacs blooming in old abandoned farms and ranches.

Big flock of Cliff Swallows that would noisily work back and forth up and down the canyon. Found some nest under a cliff overhanging the creek. They would come and chatter and swarm around the nests, but never did land. Never got a good shot.

There was also a Flycatcher with a nest in a crevice a couple feet above the water. Think it was a Willow Flycatcher. Was having quite a time with a proflic hatch on over the water.

Came around a bend in the trail and spooked a herd of deer getting a drink, and a beautiful male Wood Duck. Sure wish I could have gotten a shot of him! Just gorgeous. Just love Wood Ducks.

Birded till about 10:30, then took a drive thru the canyon. Just beautiful. Spring sure further advanced down in that warm canyon then along the Front Range or up on the mesa tops, that's for sure. Cottonwoods really leafed-out for the most part. Kept hoping for a Lewis or Ladderbacked, but only Flickers. Didn't see another soul, till I came around a corner and saw a truck stopped near a couple of cows. Saw a woman go down into the creek bed with a camera in her hand. Then, I spotted a herd of about a dozen Big Horn Sheep across the creek. I jumped out and just as I got the camera on the tripod, she spooked them. Got them running up the hill. She came over to talk me. Nice buckarooette with a thick New England accent. Said she'd left Mass. years ago to live in Wyoming, then moved to SE Colorado. She was out looking for her missing dog. Afraid the Mtn. Lions had gotten her. Sure looked like good Mtn. Lion country.

The road eventually works back up on the mesa, with no more trees. Did see some Burrowing Owls, but the minute I opened the truck door they were down their holes. Couldn't hold the 500 steady enough on the window for a good shot. They were pretty far off the road.

Drove on to Springfield. Needed to be in cell phone range to check on my mom. Wind started to howl out of the NW. Thought the blasts from oncoming semi's was going to blow the camper off my Ranger. Gees! Was going to go to Queens State Wildlife Area north of Lamar. Free camping, but the wind was so strong and the lakes mostly dried-up so headed to John Martin Res. Maybe a dozen camps there in the large campground below the dam. Trees were full of chattering Western Kingbirds. What a racket. I don't know if they are residents for migrants, but there was a bunch of them. Other birds of note was a flock of White-crowned Sparrows busy eating seeds off the Elms. Lots of Blackbirds of various types, and tons of cooing Doves. In the morning I heard Turkey's off to the east in the river bottoms. I went over there but didn't see them. Did look up to see maybe ten Turkey Vultures roosting up in a big Cottonwood. Man those are ugly birds. Several Bluewinged Teal in Lake Hasty below the dam. Watched a young man catch a pretty nice Channel Catfish.

Like to take Hwy 71 north from Rocky Ford to Limon. Gorgeous, wide open, high plains, views from the Spanish Peaks down by Walsenburg all the way up to Pikes Peak. And, NO traffic. You can just cruise along at a human speed and take in the view.