Arapaho Lakes - Feathers

When hiking, birders will stop at the snap of a twig or the next grove of trees, just to make sure there isn't a goody hiding somewhere that could be coaxed out with a few well timed 'pish's. Other folks aren't as inclined to search for the unseen, so when hiking with non-birders the diversity of the bird list can take a big hit.

On the way to and from Arapaho Lakes most of my sightings were White-crowned Sparrows. They were calling from every clump of vegetation, and would occasionally perch to get a better look at the bipeds moving through their turf. Even when I was birding a bit more actively at the lake, (above), the White-crowneds were the most conspicuous bird around.

Notably absent, and quickly reaching a frustrating level of elusiveness for me, were the three species of Rosy Finches. Though rather than wasting time on what wasn't there, lets take a look at what was, the White-tailed Ptarmigan.

This is a bird that approaches iconic status for the alpine tundra environment. They spend their entire lives in thin air, extreme weather, and a barren landscape - yet they have adapted to do just that. I can honestly say that my eye had swept past this hen in summer plumage several times before she jumped out of the background like Waldo.

She wasn't alone though, this mom was busy leading her chicks on what must have been one of their first tours away from the nest.

The downy chicks seemed to blend better with the vegetation patterns, while mom would disappear when she moved to the rocks.

Check out the size of those feet! They will grow into proportion, but those feet will always stay large, helping the birds to float when snow drifts cover the area.

I always wish for something a bit better in the photographic department, but looking into mid-day sun and a headwind wasn't really helping the sharpness factor. Oh well, watching a mother and her chicks explore their brand new world is a memory I won't soon forget. Although - next weekend may require one of those birding dedicated early morning wake-ups to see if I can do better!

Trail Ridge Road Birding

There are two species that draw birders up where the air is thin more than others. They are the White-Tailed Ptarmagin and the Rosy Finch. I was, of course, hoping for good looks at each.
Unfortunately, finding their habitat doesn't automatically translate into locating the species themselves - but then if it did there wouldn't really be a thrill of discovery.
In my previous post I described the great experience I had at sunrise, and the good fortune I had to see a Ptarmagin just as I was coming down off the rock. Like most birds, I heard it before I saw anything. There was a throaty call, not quite a cluck, but much closer to that than a songbird tweet. Then I saw a large shape rise several feet above the ground before settling back into the rock field.


I was lucky to have seen the motion. Their summer camo pattern perfectly matches the lichen covered rocks in the area. Unfortunately, the distance and lack of a tripod kept me from getting remarkable shots, but these are the first I have gotten of the species, so I'll take what I can get, for now....

Having a White-Tailed Ptarmagin as my first bird of the day seemed a good omen, and I envisioned that soon I would be snapping frames of Rosy Finches on snow fields, but it was not to be. Ironically, the two birds that I feel were most likely that target species landed behind me on the trail as I was approaching the three Elk just after sunrise. They were blindingly back lit however, and with walking restricted to the developed trail I couldn't make an attempt to circle them for better light. Oh well, there will be other chances.

As mentioned previously I made stops at the Alpine Visitor Center and Medicine Bow Curve looking for the finches and additional species. While no finches or ptarmagin were about, I did get great looks at Mountain Bluebirds who seem habituated to humans - probably getting used to the late day crowds.

Later, as I descended I pulled off at Lake Irene, where I watched Gray Jays moving through the treetops.

If you live in the area, or can arrange a visit be sure to make it a priority to visit Rocky Mountain National Park and drive Trail Ridge Road. Getting up in the middle of the night to do so may earn you some funny looks, but just think, you can give some funny looks right back as you drive by the lines of cars as you are leaving. I promise the experience is worth it.