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Field Trip Report
June 20-22, 2003
Lower Gunnison River Canoe Trip
Hosts: Joel Hurmence, Beth Dillon, guided by Centennial Canoe
Participants: Joel Hurmence, Beth Dillon, Ted and Jackie Boss,
Karen Caddis, Dian and Tom Johnston, Doris Sumrall, Greg and Kathryn
Strong, Jeff and Catherine Eighmy, Bill Porter, Karen Anthony, Sue Kenny,
Cathy Bain, Dave Dubois, and Jean Lawrence
Centennial Canoe Guides: Larry Jackel and Mike Loperfido
| Trip Highlights:
Eighteen canoe enthusiasts enjoyed a fabulous weekend navigating the
Gunnison River between Escalante and Whitewater, located south of Grand
Junction. Our trip began early Friday morning and concluded mid-afternoon
on Sunday. On Saturday, we hiked into Big Dominguez Canyon to view
petroglyphs, birdwatch, and perhaps the best part-we sampled the
refreshing plunge pools and waterfalls along Dominguez Creek. It was a perfect
way to cool off after a long hike. Several folks opted to cool off in the
Gunnison by floating a short stretch in their life jackets.
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We saw 53 species of birds and a number of
herptiles and mammals; see the complete list below. Highlights
included nesting peregrine falcons, an indigo bunting,
and several brilliantly colored collared lizards. We were
intrigued to watch the common ravens as they flew to the
entrances of
cliff swallow nests hoping to pluck an adult or nestling from
the nest entrance. Several participants saw a raven successfully
extract a swallow from one of the nests. |
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We saw a number of petroglyph panels on
the trip. These images were pecked into the rock by the
prehistoric peoples who inhabited the Uncompahgre Plateau. The
panels were complex, and included depictions of animals (desert
bighorn, elk, deer, bear, and dog), simple human figures, bear
paws and other animal tracks, and numerous abstracts. The
artwork is of a style known as Uncompahgre, believed to date back as
far as 3000 years. Some figures depicting horses and riders
were obviously more recent. Were they created to mark a
special place? To practice a kind of hunting magic? To
aid in storytelling? It is fascinating to speculate on the
intentions of the artists. |
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Our guides from Centennial Canoe Outfitters added to the trip with
their knowledge of the river and canyon, their sense of humor, and the
incredible meals they created for us.
Overall, the trip was a great experience: The weather, water
temperatures, scenery, wildlife, and participants all combined to make a
truly memorable weekend.
Birds: 53 species
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Mallard
Golden Eagle
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Ring-necked Pheasant
Gambel's Quail
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Common Nighthawk
White-throated Swift
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)
Western Wood-Pewee
Say's Phoebe
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Western Kingbird
Loggerhead Shrike
Plumbeous Vireo
Western Scrub-jay
Black-billed Magpie
Common Raven
Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Bushtit
Rock Wren
Canyon Wren
Bewick's Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Robin
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow-breasted Chat
Lark Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Black-headed Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Lazuli X Indigo hybrid
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Bullock's Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Reptiles: Collared Lizard, Plateau Lizard, Side-blotched Lizard,
Western Whiptail, Plateau Striped Whiptail, Garter Snake
Amphibians: Tadpoles, Bullfrog, Woodhouse's Toad
Mammals: Rock Squirrel, Desert Bighorn, Bats
Other: Crawfish, Orange-red dragonfly, Blue damselfly, fireflies
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