Sedgwick County
Author(s): Henry Armknecht
County Seat: Julesburg
County Size: 540 square miles
Low Elevation: 3,355 ft. - South Platte River on the NE border
High Elevation : 4,120 ft. - Sand Hill
Best Birds : Whip-poor-will (1987), Baird's Sparrow (1989)
Checklist : Download pdf | View HTML
Introduction: Sedgwick County is in the extreme northeast corner of Colorado. It has the lowest average elevation of any county in Colorado. It is sparsely populated and arid. The main geographic feature of Sedgwick County is the South Platte River, which enters from Logan County to the west and exits north into Nebraska just east of Julesburg. The river bottom hosts a strip of riparian timber, primarily cottonwoods. I-76 runs on the south side of the river and State Highway 138 parallels the river on the north. The towns of Sedgwick, Ovid, and Julesburg are all on Highway 138, north of the river. River crossings connect these three towns to Interstate exchanges. Much of the land north of the river is hills and prairies. South of the Interstate is a narrow band of hills, and south of that is mostly flat cropland. Much of the river valley is irrigated cropland.
Birding Locations
Jumbo Reservoir State Wildlife Area
Aliases - Julesburg Reservoir
Description - (Contributed by Andrew Spencer and Henry Armknecht): Most people call it Jumbo, but on some maps and signs, it is labeled as Julesburg Reservoir. Whether or not you think the reservoir deserves the name "Jumbo", the birding here certainly does! Jumbo is filled by canal in the winter and drawn down for irrigation during the summer, so water levels can vary widely. The reservoir may be almost dry by late fall. Jumbo can provide great fall shorebird activity due to the drawdown and wide mudflats. Access to Jumbo requires a fee--daily permits are available at self-pay stations for $3.00. If you have a hunting or fishing license, you may purchase an annual permit for $5.00. The reservoir straddles the county line; the western portion of it is in Logan County, the eastern portion in Sedgwick County.
A road entirely circles Jumbo, but actually seeing all the shorebirds from it can be really tough, and requires scanning from all possible viewpoints. The best places to check are usually 1) the southwest corner along CR 68 just east of CR 95 (Logan), 2) the former campground just south of the dam (Sedgwick), 3) the area around the outlet canal along the dam (Sedgwick), 4) the promontory just north of the dam (Sedgwick), and 5) a couple of vantage points along the NW side that require a bit of a walk (Logan). Just about every shorebird that has occurred in Colorado has been seen here, and Jumbo is especially noted as a good place to find Buff-breasted Sandpipers, which when present are usually in the emergent vegetation in the southwest corner.
Many thousands of Snow and Ross's Geese use the lake in the spring, and throughout the winter if there is open water. Greater White-fronted Goose is not uncommon. This remote lake should be studied carefully for rare visitors--any place that has attracted a Ross's Gull (as Jumbo did in 1983) deserves a lot of respect! Jumbo is also a particularly reliable spot for Sabine's Gull in the fall; a trip here often produces multiple individuals. Even some good waders can show up, as three Yellow-crowned Night-Herons demonstrated in 2002.
The timbered area that is a former campground on the southeast side of Jumbo is a good bet for migrating warblers, vireos, etc. Eastern Screech-Owl and Great Horned Owl are resident. While you're landbirding, don't neglect the groves on the west side (some of which are on private property, some of which are not--use good judgment to tell the difference).
Other places to check here include the marshes below the road on the southern part of the reservoir for Yellow-headed Blackbird, rails, and maybe a Marsh Wren. The prairie dog towns northeast and southeast of the lake can be good for raptors, including Golden Eagle and Ferruginous Hawk, especially during the winter, and Burrowing Owl in summer. On the north and southeast sides of the lake there are some high quality grasslands that can have breeding Grasshopper Sparrow, Upland Sandpiper and Dickcissel. Finally, the very long hedgerow to the south of the lake (in Sedgwick County) often has Long-eared Owls roosting in it during the winter, though given how long the row is, finding them can be quite hard.
Habitat - Pond/Lake/Reservoir, Shortgrass Prairie, Hedgerow/Shelterbelt, Marsh
Directions - Jumbo is located about a mile north of CO 138 on the Logan/Sedgwick County line, five miles west of the town of Sedgwick. From I-76, take exit 155 and go north on Red Lion Road (CR 93) just over the river to US 138. Turn right (east) and in one mile turn left (north) onto CR 95. Take this north two miles and turn sharply right onto CR 68 to get to the southwest corner of the reservoir, or stay on CR 95 another mile and turn right on CR 70 to get to the north side of the reservoir.
Delorme - 95 A7
Roads of Colorado - 29 F3, 30 A3
Sedgwick area
Aliases - Sedgwick Bar State Wildlife Area
Description - Along Highway 138 between Ovid and Sedgwick are numerous prairie dog towns. This area hosts many Burrowing Owls and Upland Sandpipers in the summer.
Just east of Sedgwick is the Sedgwick Bar State Wildlife Area. It can be accessed from the river crossing south of Sedgwick, or from 138 east of Sedgwick. It contains good lowland riparian habitat along the South Platte River.
The Sedgwick Cemetery is north of Sedgwick. I have occasionally found an owl or raptor here.
Habitat - Shortgrass Prairie, Lowland Riparian, Park/Cemetery
Directions - To get to the western parcel of Sedgwick Bar SWA, from the Sedgwick exit off I-76 (exit 165), head north on CO 59 about 1.5 miles to the river. Access is just south of the bridge on the east side. To get to the eastern parcel of the SWA, continue north on CO 59 another half mile to the town, then turn right on US 138. Head east for two miles and turn right (south) and go about a half mile to the property. To get to the Sedgwick Cemetery, from the intersection of CO 59 and US 138, continue north on CR 15 approximately two miles to the cemetery on the right (east) side of the road.
Delorme - 95 A7, 102 A1
Roads of Colorado - 30 A3-B3
Ovid Woods
Description - The second best-known birding location in Sedgwick County is known as the Ovid Woods. This is private property--DO NOT TRESPASS. Ovid Woods parallels 2nd Street at the east edge of Ovid. It can be birded from 2nd street without entering the property.
The Woods are a narrow band of trees about five blocks long along Lodgepole Creek. Because this stream runs northwest from Ovid, it is thought to be a migration highway in the fall. The woods can be a great place to find warblers and other fall migrants. They are also known as a reliable place to find Northern Cardinals in Colorado. The Ovid cardinal population is currently not large, but seems to be stable. Ovid also hosts Red-bellied Woodpeckers and numerous Eurasian Collared-Doves year-round. Chimney Swifts are common nesting birds in town.
The Ovid Cemetery is quite small, located northeast of town on Rd 31 between roads 32 and 34. There are about 50 scattered trees, mostly juniper. Not an exciting bird spot, but you never know.
The Ovid sewer ponds are quite small and generally dry, not publicly accessible.
Habitat - Urban/Suburban, Lowland Riparian, Park/Cemetery
Directions - To get to Ovid, take the Ovid exit off I-76 (exit 172) and head north about two miles. Head east on US 138 to 2nd Street.
Delorme - 102 A1
Roads of Colorado - 30 B3
Julesburg State Wildlife Area
Aliases - Johnson Lake
Description - This state wildlife area encompasses several parcels along the South Platte between Ovid and Julesburg. Access to most of these parcels is from CR 28, which runs between the river and I-76. There are several DOW parking lots on the north side of this road between Ovid and Julesburg. Access to another parcel can be had between the bridges south of Ovid. It can be difficult to determine where boundaries between public and private lands are, so please use good judgment.
The same CR 28 mentioned above also hosts a bluebird trail with numerous Eastern Bluebirds. Johnson Lake, a private pond, can be viewed from a short spur road south from it (31.5 Road). It hosts large numbers of waterfowl at times, and is one of the best places in the state to see Greater White-fronted Goose.
Habitat - Pond/Lake/Reservoir, Lowland Riparian, Hedgerow/Shelterbelt
Directions - From the Ovid exit off I-76 (exit 172), head north one mile and turn right on CR 28, or keep going another mile north to the access point at the river south of town. Alternatively, from the Julesburg exit off I-76 (exit 180), head west on the frontage road just north of the exit. This road becomes CR 28.
Delorme - 102 A1
Roads of Colorado - 30 B3-C3
Julesburg
Aliases - DePoorter Lake
Description - Southeast of Julesburg, on the east side of US 385 north of the river is DePoorter Lake. DePoorter Lake is a lottery fund project. This small lake and affiliated land often host some good birds. Harris's and White-throated Sparrows are often seen here during migration.
Another river access point is south of DePoorter, west off highway 385 between the river and I-76.
The Julesburg Cemetery is just southeast of the Julesburg I-76 exchange. It has some large conifers. I have never hit it big here, but have found good birds from time to time.
Habitat - Pond/Lake/Reservoir, Lowland Riparian, Park/Cemetery
Directions - To get to DePoorter Lake, take the Julesburg exit off I-76 (exit 180) and go north about a half-mile past the river. The lake is on the right.
Delorme - 102 A2
Roads of Colorado - 30 C3
Sand Draw State Wildlife Area
Description - This SWA, comprising approximately 160 acres, is on 49 Rd between 12 and 16 Rds in the southeast part of the county. It is flat land with some mature Ponderosa Pines and hardwoods, along with several small meadow-like openings. It can be a good spring and fall migrant trap, and Bell's Vireos nest here.
Habitat - Hedgerow/Shelterbelt
Directions - From the Julesburg exit off I-76 (exit 180), head south on US 385 eight miles to CR 16 and turn left (east). Proceed east two miles to CR 49 and turn right (south) to the SWA on the left in just over a mile.
Delorme - 102 A2
Roads of Colorado - 30 C4
Triangle Grove
Description - At 45 RD and 4 RD, Highway 385 makes a big bend. There is a nice mixed grove of pine, juniper, elm, hackberry, ash, and shrubs on this triangle of land. The trees are thought to be public road right-of-way. They can hold some nice birds during migration.
The fields here in the south part of the county hold Lapland Longspurs in winter. Other longspurs may be found during migration. Even Smith's Longspurs have been reported from Sedgwick County.
Habitat - Hedgerow/Shelterbelt
Directions - From the Julesburg exit off I-76 (exit 180), head south on US 385 fourteen miles to the rightward (westward) bend in the highway.
Delorme - 102 A2
Roads of Colorado - 46 C1