Dates: April 2-12, 2026

Leaders: Erik Bruhnke & Kevin Burke

E-bird

Total Species: 145 birds

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Overall Summary

The annual VENT Colorado Grouse tour is always an adventure, and this year everything aligned. From windswept peaks to sagebrush valleys, we found every possible chicken and grouse species we hoped for, wrapped in a week and a half of unforgettable scenery and wildlife moments.

Our journey began at Loveland Pass, where howling winds and blowing snow greeted us at the summit. The cold was sharp, the air thin, and the atmosphere electric with anticipation. With patience and focus, the landscape rewarded us: an up-close White-tailed Ptarmigan materialized among the rocks, offering dreamlike views in the swirling snow. Later that day we enjoyed all three rosy-finch species, Clark’s Nutcrackers, Steller’s Jays, and a Lewis’s Woodpecker tending its nest cavity further down our drive. Spirits were high as we settled in for the night following a great dinner.

At dawn we watched the rare Gunnison Sage-Grouse from a blind, their subtle movements set against a chorus of Western Meadowlarks. Back in town, Mountain Bluebirds glowed in the morning light, and the Blue Mesa Reservoir delivered a rich mix of ducks, plus a few sly Bonaparte’s Gulls among the Ring-billeds. Gunnison Prairie-Dogs and Common Golden-mantled Ground-Squirrels rounded out the day’s cast.

The next morning’s visit to Black Canyon of the Gunnison brought one of the tour’s most intimate encounters: a displaying Dusky Grouse perched proudly on his ridge, deep booms rolling through the oak thickets. We lingered with him in the early light, savoring every feather flare. A curious Common Raven and a handsome Spotted Towhee added charm to the morning. In Delta we enjoyed Western Grebe, nesting Osprey, and Great-tailed Grackle before heading to Grand Junction, where my dear friends Carol and Paul welcomed us into their nature-filled yard. Juniper Titmouse, Western Bluebirds, and a covey of Gambel’s Quail made the visit feel like a warm reunion.

Colorado National Monument greeted us the next morning with its surreal red-rock canyons. Bighorn Sheep grazed just beyond the road sign announcing their presence, and a Golden Eagle soared overhead while White-throated Swifts meandered through the sky. Juniper Titmice busied themselves at a nest cavity, a Pinyon Jay flashed its blues, and both Canyon and Rock Wrens sang from the cliffs. A super range-restricted Hopi Chipmunk stole the show later on. Later after lunch we found Chukar among the rugged canyons and watched White-tailed Prairie-Dogs and Western Meadowlarks animate the sage flats, as American Kestrels kept watch. That afternoon we visited Ken Bekkedahl and previewed the next morning’s lek site on his property.

Before sunrise we settled in among the Sharp-tailed Grouse, their dancing being full of life and personality. The stomping, the purple air sacs, the raised sharp tails — the whole display unfolded feet from the comfort of our big-windowed vans. Breakfast with Ken afterward was a highlight of its own, as he shared stories of stewarding the land we had just enjoyed. On the drive back, Pinyon Jays chattered from the sage, and a Sage Thrasher sang nearby. We took time to enjoy some sagebrush Zen. Powerful and memorable. A teasing glimpse of an American Dipper later on turned into a full, cooperative show later in Steamboat Springs during an impromptu riverside check. Long-billed Curlews fed in a field close to Walden, and that evening we ventured into the mountains, where we saw a moose and heard two Boreal Owls calling through the darkness.

The next morning brought one of the most iconic sights of the tour: 36 Greater Sage-Grouse displaying across a vast sage landscape, snowy mountains rising behind them. Their powerful, snappy displays were legendary. At Walden Reservoir we tallied American White Pelicans, twelve duck species including Cinnamon Teal and a rare Eurasian Wigeon that our group found. Cassin’s Finches and varieties of Dark-eyed Juncos entertained us at feeders before we enjoyed a picnic by the river. Two Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls capped the afternoon.

Mountain Plovers kicked off the following day on the Pawnee National Grasslands. The wide-open prairie delivered Thick-billed Longspurs, Brewer’s Sparrow, soaring Swainson’s Hawks, and more Horned Larks than anyone could count. A Rock Wren sang from a lone pile of stones (he owned them, clearly), and Black-tailed Prairie-Dogs completed our prairie-dog trifecta.

Greater Prairie-Chickens stole the next sunrise, booming and dancing in the golden light. Their antics and energy are wild and fascinating. A Great Horned Owl watched over the fields as we drove back. Later we added several eastern species — Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Eastern Phoebe — and even dipped briefly into Nebraska, where a small park produced thirteen species from that spot. The plains carried us onward to Oakley.

Our final full day arrived too soon. Fog drifted across the fields as both Lesser and Greater Prairie-Chickens displayed near each other, offering a rare side-by-side comparison. The Lessers, with their quick, jittery movements and bright red air sacs, were a delight. A rare Sprague’s Pipit appeared for some along the drive. The afternoon brought new birds even in the tour’s closing hours: Yellow-headed Blackbird, Baird’s Sandpipers, Greater Yellowlegs, Eared Grebes, and displaying Ruddy Ducks. We ended the tour with a tasty celebratory dinner, sharing stories from the ~2000 miles we had savored together.

This tour always inspires awe, and this year was no exception. A big thank you goes to landowners/lek managers Bob Bledsoe, James Millensifer, and Ken Bekkedahl for access to their leks and their VENT connection year after year, and to my good friends Carol and Paul

Ortenzio for welcoming us into their beautiful backyard. And to all the participants on this VENT adventure, past birding friends and new birding friends alike - thank you for making this journey unforgettable.

Day-by-Day Summary

April 2 - Denver

April 3 - Loveland Pass, Wildernest area, Buena Vista area, Gunnison

April 4 - Gunnison area, Blue Mesa Overlook, Elk Creek Visitor Center, Bay of Chickens National Recreation Area, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Montrose

April 5 - Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Confluence Park, Cheney Dam, yard birding in Grand Junction, Grand Junction

April 6 - Colorado National Monument, Coal Canyon, Rifle, Maybell area, Craig

April 7 - Maybell area, Hayden, Yampa River Preserve, Steamboat Springs, Walden area, Walden

April 8 - Walden area, Walden Reservoir, Illinois River Lookout, Moose Visitor Center, Gateway Natural Area, Fort Collins

April 9 - Briggsdale, Pawnee National Grassland, Sterling, Wray area, Wray

April 10 - Wray area, Stalker Lake, Wray Fish Hatchery, Haigler (Nebraska), St. Francis, Brewster Water Treatment Plant, Oakley

April 11 - Gove County area, Pioneer Feedyard Lots, Burlington Water Treatment Plant, Arriba area, Denver

Wildlife Seen: 

MAMMALS:

Eastern Fox Squirrel

Red Squirrel (also sometimes referred to as a Pine Squirrel)

White-tailed Antelope Squirrel

Least Chipmunk

Hopi Chipmunk

Wyoming Ground Squirrel

Common Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

Black-tailed Prairie-Dog

White-tailed Prairie-Dog

Gunnison Prairie-Dog

Yellow-bellied Marmot

Ord’s Kangaroo Rat

Mountain Cottontail

Black-tailed Jackrabbit

White-tailed Jackrabbit

Coyote

Red Fox

Moose

American Marten

White-tailed Deer

Mule Deer

Elk

Pronghorn

Bighorn Sheep

Gallery