Gunnison Sage-Grouse, Monarch Pass, Hot Springs, and Denver

I am now back in Wisconsin, arriving yesterday evening on a direct flight from Denver. So much happened over the weekend! I wanted to write a short blog post after my activities during the day, but after driving and birding, there was barely enough time for sleep. Today is a chance for catch up. I will split these final two days into separate posts for ease of reading.

On Saturday, April 5th, we woke up at 4:30am at the Inn at Tomichi Village, a small motor lodge to the east of Gunnison, and departed approximately 30 minutes later to drive to the Waunita Watchable Wildlife Area. This short journey ordinarily takes 15-20 minutes, but because of the lack of lighting along the highway and the high risk of animals playing “Peek-a-boo!” along the road (a couple of Mule Deer said good morning outside the motel), I drove 10-20 miles under the speed limit. Once I arrived, I parked behind a small line of four vehicles, all Subaru Outbacks. (I rented a black Mazda SUV.) I turned off the lights and the engine, as was instructed in an email provided by the Colorado DNR. As I follow instructions to a T, I opened all of the windows in the frigid weather, a decision that did not hold up well. A volunteer came to each car to review the protocol about viewing the grouse.

When sunrise finally approached at 6:45am, the mountains and sage brush came into view. Overcast skies covered the landscape. Snowcaps surrounded the fields. Dark-eyed Juncos began their calls, with Red-winged Blackbirds flying overhead. Western Meadowlarks sang under the cover of tall bushes.

But where were the Gunnison Sage-Grouse?

Twenty minutes elapsed. The volunteer returned to tell us the grouse were at the lek…over a mile away behind a small like of willows! At this point, we were allowed to exit our SUV, as long as closed the doors softly. We kept our voices to a minimum when we talked to the other birders.

Can you spot them?

Scanning the general direction of the lek revealed about nine Gunnison Sage-Grouse, the males clearly displaying their air sacs and wispy head feathers.

By clearly, I mean the general features of the birds can be discerned from a mile away. It is unfortunately we couldn’t hear their ethereal calls from this far, but at least we could see them.

Another volunteer came up to ask if we were successful in observing them. She was assisting with a VENT Grouse Tour group in the commercial-use trailer next to the parking area. The grouse, apparently, used to come to the lek closer to the open field, but due to ongoing human disturbance, the birds have moved farther away.

We stayed there until 7:45am, then went back to the motel for a delicious breakfast of microwavable burritos, Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches, and coffee. Bellies full, we drove on to Mt Princeton Hot Springs, with a quick stop in Salida to purchase swimsuits at the local Walmart.

Before all of this, though, I had to cross the Rockies. This seemed mundane enough: I had been through the Appalachians in Tennessee a number of times, not to mention surviving the mountain roads of Puerto Rico, so I thought I was comfortable driving along precipices. Then winter decided to say hello! Driving was slow, with slippery conditions and limited visibility. To break up the monotony of a snowstorm, we stopped briefly at Monarch Pass to celebrate our traversing the Continental Divide.

After what seems an eternity driving in the mountains, I couldn’t believe how excited I was to see a Walmart. Swimsuits bought, we walked around Salida and grabbed refreshments at a local coffee shop.

The hot springs were a welcome relief of hiking, birding, and driving. Located in the mountains—as is everything in western Colorado, it seems—Mt Princeton Hot Springs has been a tourist attraction since the 1870s. There are a number of pools, plus the river below, with natural hot springs along the edges. And I do mean hot! The area reminded me of the hot springs and geothermal lagoons in Iceland, but this was definitely more local and rugged. I would recommend coming here, if you are in the area. Unfortunately, I didn’t take photos there, as it can be difficult snapping pictures while soaking in geothermal baths.

Refreshed, we set off for Buena Vista and a quick walk along the Arkansas River.

In an open space and dog park near the river were Wyoming Ground Squirrels, a smaller cousin to the more famous Prairie Dogs. So cute!

To make the most of the remaining sunlight, we drove onward to Colorado Springs, where we hiked in the Garden of the Gods. Think a slightly smaller version of Red Rocks in Las Vegas. Mule Deer grazed along the roadway.

We were able to obtain another lifer: A Prairie Falcon! We could only spend an hour here because of an 8pm dinner reservation at Rioja on Larimer Street in Denver, but we made the most of it!

We eventually made it to Denver, just in time for a Mediterranean-inspired dinner. Compared to the last couple of days in rural Colorado, it was truly surreal being in a large city again. We had a post-prandial walk in Downtown after Rioja, then drove the remaining way to the Hampton Inn by the airport.