MAY 3, CHICO BASIN RANCH:  The cool and wet weather in the days prior to the trip did not bring in the hoped-for rush of migrants.  Indeed, the ranch is drier than normal, the ponds are low and the marshy areas that attract so many interesting birds have dried out.  It is, of course, still early in the migration season and the banding station and birding in general should get busier every day.  We were fortunate to enjoy a warm and nearly windless day, for a refreshing change.

 There were good sightings, the highlight being 4, 2 pairs we felt, Mountain Plovers at close range who stayed put for us to observe easily.  Numerous Burrowing Owls are always a treat.  Ducks on the ponds were not in great numbers but an interesting variety of 12 species.  The same was true of the 7 shorebird species, 1 or 2 each, except for a larger flock of Long-billed Dowitchers.  Yellow-rumped Warblers were in abundance and the group had very good looks at a Gray Flycatcher.  Golden Eagles have made a nest near the banding station and we observed an adult flying low nearby. The 12 participants came from Canon City, Colorado City, Pueblo West, the Colorado Springs area and Denver.  Following is 2 lists of sightings - 1 for Pueblo County and 1 for El Paso County. 

Location:    Chico Basin Ranch ,Pueblo Cty
Observation date:    5/3/11
Number of species:    57

Gadwall    8 American Wigeon    6 Mallard    6 Blue-winged Teal    18 Cinnamon Teal    1 Northern Shoveler    12 Green-winged Teal    1 Canvasback    1 Redhead    2 Ring-necked Duck    2 Bufflehead    1 Ruddy Duck    1 Pied-billed Grebe    1 Eared Grebe    1 White-faced Ibis    4 Virginia Rail    1 American Coot    14 Killdeer    4 Mountain Plover    2 Spotted Sandpiper    2 Solitary Sandpiper    1 Willet    1 Lesser Yellowlegs    1 Semipalmated Sandpiper    1 Least Sandpiper    2 Long-billed Dowitcher    10 Rock Pigeon    1 Mourning Dove    2 Great Horned Owl    1 Burrowing Owl    2 Ladder-backed Woodpecker    1 Western Kingbird    1 Loggerhead Shrike    1 Horned Lark    8 Northern Rough-winged Swallow    6 Barn Swallow    16 Cliff Swallow    4 House Wren    4 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher    1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet    1 American Robin    4 Northern Mockingbird    3 European Starling    16 American Pipit    1 Yellow-rumped Warbler    2 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)    2 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)    4

Spotted Towhee    1 Vesper Sparrow    2 Savannah Sparrow    2 White-crowned Sparrow    2 Red-winged Blackbird    14 Western Meadowlark    6 Common Grackle    4 Great-tailed Grackle    2 House Finch    2 House Sparrow    4 Location:  CBR-El Paso Cty Observation date:    5/3/11 Notes:    AVAS Trip Number of species:    37 Scaled Quail    3 Red-tailed Hawk    2 Golden Eagle    2 American Kestrel    1 Mountain Plover    2 Eurasian Collared-Dove    4 Mourning Dove    2 Burrowing Owl    3 Ladder-backed Woodpecker    2 Downy Woodpecker    1 Gray Flycatcher    1 Say's Phoebe    3 Loggerhead Shrike    2 Blue Jay    1 raven sp.    3 Horned Lark    8 House Wren    4 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher    1 Hermit Thrush    1 American Robin    8 Northern Mockingbird    4 Brown Thrasher    1 European Starling    12 Orange-crowned Warbler    1 Yellow-rumped Warbler    6 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)    3 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)    4 Spotted Towhee    1 Cassin's Sparrow    3 Brewer's Sparrow    1 Vesper Sparrow    4 Lark Sparrow    1 White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel's)    8 Red-winged Blackbird    4 Western Meadowlark    10 Brown-headed Cowbird    1 House Finch    2 Pine Siskin    2