Date: 9/22/26 12:53 pm From: John Tumasonis <snakemonev...> Subject: [cobirds] The Buena Vista Shuffle
Clark's Nutcracker getting a drink at Buena Vista River Park on the Arkansas River. [image: Clark's Nutcracker River Park 3 signed copy.jpg]
All: For the 8th, 9th, and 10th of September. Late post. This is for the Buena Vista Colorado area. For those birders familiar with Buena Vista, you know that its "Covid Rich". And two noteworthy things about it are that hundreds of mule deer pile into town in the winter, as well as pinyon jays that attack bird feeders with vigor.
*Clark's Nutcracker* - over 60, most concentrated at the Buena Vista River Park trail(s) - easy to observe and photograph. This part of the Arkansas River must be like paradise for Nutcrackers, as one side is open pinyon forest sloping down the river, which is thick with narrow-leaf cottonwoods, willow, oak, rabbitbrush, three leaf sumac, and other deciduous shrubs. Their numbers seem to be increasing along the river each year.
*Pinyon Jay *- over 100 seen at the Collegiate Peaks Overlook off of route 285 (state parks pass required). This is one of best places in Colorado to watch for Pinyon Jays.
*Scrub Jay* - about 6 at the River Park Trail and a couple more in town.
*Stellar's Jay* - about 30 along the River Park Trail, and more up the Cotton Pass Road.
*Gray Jay* - 2 - near Little Ptarmigan Lake \ Ptarmigan Lake Trail. A grueling hike that I would not recommend unless you are in good shape.
*Black Billed Magpie* - scant, only 2 heard in town.
*Common Raven* - 2 at Cottonwood Pass (12,126 feet).
*American Crow* - about 40 in and around town.
Other birds and wildlife. Cottonwood Pass = CP Cottonwood Pass Road = CR Cottonwood Hot Springs = CS Buena Vista River Trail - BVT Buena Vista (town proper) - BV Ptarmigan Lake(s) Trail - PL Continental Divide Trail - CD
*Mountain Chickadee* - 100 + CR, PL *Red Breasted Nuthatch* - 15 CR, CS, PL *Pygmy Nuthatch* - 12 - BV, BVT *White Breasted Nuthatch* - 2 - BV *Black Capped Chickadee* - 6 - BVT *Gray Headed Junco* - hundreds, even above Cottonwood Pass along the Continental Divide Trail. CD, CP, CR, BVT, BV, PL *House Wren* - only 1 seen at BVT *Chipping Sparrow* - about 50 including migratory groups above 12,000 feet foraging in the tundra. CD, BV, BVT, PL, CP *Ruby Crowned Kinglet* - 12 - along PL *Broad Tailed Hummingbird* - 2 at CS and 2 in BV *Wilson's Warbler* - only a couple - PL and BVT *Audubon's Warbler* - 11 - BV, BVT, CR *MacGillivray's Warbler* - 1 at CL *White Crowned Sparrow *- 12 - at CD and CP *House Sparrow* - few in numbers, only 6 - BVT *Bushtit *- 20 - BV, BVT *Belted Kingfisher *- 1 - flying along CR *Green Tailed Towhee* - 6 - at CL and BVT - foraging *Townsend's Solitaire* - 6 - BVT - eating juniper berries *American Robin* - 60 + most in higher mixed evergreen forests. BVT, PL, CP, CR *Mallard *- 40 in ponds and lakes, most at CL *Common Grackle* - 200 - two large flocks at BV *Eurasian Collared Dove* - only 4 in BV *Mountain Bluebird *- 2 along CD above 12,000 feet foraging *Plumbeous Vireo* - 1 - at BVT in a ponderosa pine *American Pipit* - 20+ foraging groups along CD in the tundra *Red Crossbill *- 2 - the only ones seen - at BVT flyover \ calling *Northern Flicker* - 6 - BVT, PL, CR *Downy Woodpecker* - 2 - CR and BV
*Pika* - 4 - PL trail *Pine Squirrel* - hundreds gathering Doug fir cones and spruce cones in mixed conifer forests up to tree line. *Mule Deer* - 25 - BV, CR - early morning was the worst, as they wandered right out onto roads around corners while driving. *Chipmunk* spp: 100+ - in mixed conifer habitats and surprisingly lots of them foraging above 12,000 along the CDT.
*Conspicuously absent*: starlings, house finches, and raptors of any kind.
The two great things near and in Buena Vista are the numerous hot springs, and the cool plunge pools along the Arkansas River Trail - which I took advantage of. Cottonwood Hot Springs now has a cold plunge right into cold numbing Cottonwood Creek. Great after a hot day of hiking and birding. Wim Hof eat your heart out.
Happy fall, John T (Tumasonis) "I'm not a real birder. I only pretend to be one on CoBirds."
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