The 124th Christmas Bird Count in Colorado

Fifty-one Christmas Bird Counts were held this winter in Colorado.  A total of 217 (way up from last winter’s total of 197 species) countable species of birds were found, plus two others for count week only (Laughing Gull and Common Yellowthroat).  A total of 763,932 total birds counted in Colorado was way up from last winter as well.  The Pueblo Reservoir count found the most species again this year, with 129 count day species and three others during count week.  The state record for Colorado is 134 count day species (Penrose).  Counts this year that reached 100+ plus count day species:  Penrose (118), Fort Collins (112), Colorado Springs (111), John Martin Reservoir (108), Boulder (107), North JeffCo (102), Denver (101), and Loveland (101).  Several other counts made it into the 90s, Rocky Ford, Durango, Cortez, Longmont, Pueblo, and Grand Junction.  The Crook count in northeast Colorado counted the most birds (111,274), since they had good totals of Snow Geese, which are usually in SE Colorado.  Many compilers mentioned the warmer weather in November, that seemed to keep birds further north into the Christmas Bird Count season.  Most of the Colorado counts are held the first weekend, which was December 16^th and 17^th, and the weather was good that weekend, so participants were able to find a lot of birds.  The snowy Flagler count, later in the season reported large numbers of Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs, because of the snow on the ground.  The Great Sand Dunes N.P. count counted only 298 birds, and the Pinon Canyon count found the least number of species, with 19.

Geese and Swans:

Crook found seven Greater White-fronted Geese, the most counted, and unexpected at Salida (count week).    The Snow Geese numbers were the highest in northeast Colorado at Crook, with 93,000 counted.  Rocky Ford reported the most Ross’s Geese with 2,235 counted.  The most Cackling Geese were counted at Longmont (26,664) and the most Canada Geese were counted at Greeley (21,656).  A few hybrid geese were reported as well, Snow x Cackling, Greater White-fronted x Canada, and Snow x Canada.  The feral non-countable Mute Swans were at Greeley and feral Trumpeter Swans were at Roaring Fork River Valley, these swans are resident.  Wild Trumpeter Swans outnumbered Tundra Swans on Colorado counts this winter, which is a surprise.  Salida reported seven Trumpeters and Rawhide Energy Station reported two and Longmont (count week).  The four Tundra Swans at Rawhide Energy Station were the only count day sightings, both Boulder and Denver reported them count week. 

Ducks:

Rare Mexican Ducks (or likely hybrids) were reported from Aspen and Cortez.  A Blue-winged Teal was photographed at Fountain Creek, they are quite unusual in Colorado in winter, Delta reported three more, without details or photos.  A total of 18 Greater Scaup were found, with four at Colorado Springs being the most.  Six counts found White-winged Scoters and Boulder found the only Black Scoter.  Six counts found Long-tailed Ducks, including one at Roaring Fork River Valley in western Colorado.  The highest counts for Barrow’s Goldeneyes were 53 at Granby and 34 at Salida.

 Quail and Grouse:

It seems like Scaled Quail numbers are down, high totals were way less than 100, with John Martin Reservoir counting 53 and Pueblo Reservoir counting 42.  Only Weldona-Fort Morgan found Northern Bobwhite (12 birds), other counts in NE Colorado and on the eastern plains didn’t find any.  Bonny Reservoir counted 45 Ring-necked Pheasants; no other count found more than four.  Not easy to find in the winter, Gunnison was able to find two Gunnison Sage-Grouse.  Usually not found on count day, it was great that Aspen was able to find six White-tailed Ptarmigan.  Another hard bird to find in the winter, Evergreen-Idaho Springs found one Dusky Grouse and count week at Fairplay.  Steamboat Springs counted 59 Sharp-tailed Grouse on their count.  Eight Greater Prairie-Chickens were found at Bonny Reservoir. 

 Loons and Grebes:

Four species of loons were found on Colorado counts this winter.  Red-throated Loon at Denver, Pacific Loon at Denver (urban), and Pueblo Reservoir, 14 Common Loons, and a juvenile, Yellow-billed Loon at Pueblo Reservoir.  Boulder found the only count day Red-necked Grebe, also reported count week at Denver and Rawhide Energy Station.  Nine counts for Horned Grebes, six found Eared Grebes, and ten counts found Western Grebes.  The only Clark’s Grebes were at Pueblo Reservoir (three). 

Cormorants, Pelicans, Herons:

Seven counts found Double-crested Cormorants.  Lower numbers of American White Pelicans were found, Delta (two), John Martin Reservoir (two), and Pueblo Reservoir (one).  Thirty-two counts found Great Blue Herons, with 50 at John Martin Reservoir being the most.  Five counts found Black-crowned Night-Herons, with one in western Colorado at Rifle Creek, was certainly surprising for that location in the winter. 

Raptors:

Very rare in winter in Colorado, a Turkey Vulture was reported without details or photos from Bonny Reservoir.  Also, rare in winter, an Osprey was reported from Pagosa Springs.  Only four counts found American Goshawks.  Barr Lake always has a lot of Bald Eagles, and their total this year was 153.  Krider’s Red-tailed Hawks are rarely documented in Colorado, with photos, two counts reported them without any details or photos.  It was a poor winter for Rough-legged Hawks, only 35 were found on Colorado CBCs. 

 Rails and Cranes:

Twenty-two counts found Virginia Rails, the three at Cortez were their first ones.  Two Soras at John Martin Reservoir were the only ones this winter.  Sandhill Crane totals, 1981 at Delta and 900 at Montrose, more unusual were one at Durango, two at Monte Vista, and count week at Pagosa Springs.

 Shorebirds:

It was a banner winter for shorebirds on Colorado CBCs.  There were 194 Killdeer and 59 Wilson’s Snipe.  Other surprises: five Spotted Sandpipers, 11 Greater Yellowlegs, four Dunlin (two each at Cortez and Rocky Ford), three Least Sandpipers (all at John Martin Reservoir), and three Long-billed Dowitchers (all at John Martin Reservoir).

Jaegers and Gulls:

Colorado 1^st Christmas Bird Count of any jaeger was found the day before the Pueblo Reservoir CBC, and well seen on count day, and for a week after, it was a Pomarine Jaeger.  Excellent photos were taken.  Four counts found Bonaparte’s Gulls, 50 up north at Longmont was a bit of a surprising total.  Another first for any Colorado Christmas Bird Count, was a Laughing Gull, seen twice during count week of the Pueblo Reservoir CBC, and photographed when it was found.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t found on count day.  There are very few Franklin’s Gulls found in Colorado in the winter, one graced the Longmont CBC, and was photographed.  One single Short-billed Gulls turned up at Denver and Pueblo.  Five counts found Iceland (Thayer’s) Gulls and seven counts found Lesser Black-backed Gulls.  Pueblo Reservoir found the only Glaucous and Great Black-backed Gulls (both adult birds).

Doves and Roadrunner:

Ten counts found a total of 179 White-winged Doves.  Four counts found Greater Roadrunners.

Owls:

Nine species of owls were found on Colorado CBCs this winter.  19 Barn Owls, 99 Western Screech (including one recorded at North Jeffco (this is north of their normal range), 35 Eastern Screech, 284 Great Horned, ten Northern Pygmy-, 37 Long-eared, three Short-eared, two Boreal (one each at Rocky Mountain N.P., and Steamboat Springs), and 27 Northern Saw-whet.

 Kingfishers and Woodpeckers:

Pagosa Springs found an amazing 111 Lewis’s Woodpeckers on their count, well above their previous totals.  The only, Red-bellied Woodpeckers were in far eastern Colorado, eight at Bonny Reservoir and three at Crook.  There were sapsuckers found on counts, three Williamson’s, six Yellow-bellied, and four Red-naped.  Seven counts found Ladder-backed Woodpeckers and six counts found American Three-toed Woodpeckers. 

Falcons:

Four counts found Peregrine Falcons, which are uncommon in the winter in Colorado, though usually turn up on a few counts each winter.

Phoebes:

This was a winter for phoebes in Colorado.  All three species were found.  Six Black Phoebes (Delta (1), Grand Junction (1), Penrose (1), and Pueblo Reservoir (3).  Both Colorado Springs and Penrose found Eastern Phoebe (one each), and count week at Loveland.  Usually, some southern and western Colorado counts find a few Say’s Phoebes most years, recently more northern count have been too.  This winter 23 counts found Say’s Phoebes, with a total of 109 found, which is a record high total for Colorado Christmas Bird Counts.

Shrikes, Corvids, and Larks:

There were 27 Loggerhead Shrikes and 94 Northern Shrikes found on Colorado Christmas Bird Counts.  Nine counts found Canada Jays and twelve counts found Pinyon Jays.  A Steller’s x Blue Jay (hybrid) made its second appearance on the Lake Isabel count.  Twenty counts found Clark’s Nutcrackers and five counts found Chihuahuan Ravens.  The Flagler count found 11,285 Horned Larks.

Chickadees, Titmice, Nuthatches and Creeper:

Evergreen-Idaho Springs reported an amazing 1,062 Mountain Chickadees.  Twelve counts found Juniper Titmice.  Colorado Springs came up with the most Red-breasted Nuthatches (532).  Five counts found the Eastern subspecies of White-breasted Nuthatches, and Boulder found the most Interior West subspecies of White-breasted Nuthatches with 234.  Not surprisingly, Evergreen-Idaho Springs found the most Pygmy Nuthatches with 1,322.  Thiry-two counts found Brown Creepers, with 46 at Evergreen-Idaho Springs.

Wrens through Kinglets:

Nine counts found Rock Wrens, which is more than usual, and eleven counts found Canyon Wrens.  Single Pacific Wrens were reported from Fort Collins and Penrose.  Eleven counts found a total of 21 Winter Wrens (with a high count of seven along the Arkansas River at Pueblo Reservoir).  Lots of Marsh Wrens were found, 88 total from 24 counts.  Never regular in Colorado, a Carolina Wren was at John Martin Reservoir.  Nine counts found a total of 31 Bewick’s Wrens.  Single Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were at Boulder and Rocky Ford.  Twenty-four counts found American Dippers.  A total of 31 Golden-crowned Kinglets and 106 Ruby-crowned Kinglets were found.

Bluebirds through Waxwings:

Again, this winter, bluebirds weren’t common, 42 Eastern, 194 Western, and 1,282 Mountain Bluebirds were counted.  Forty-six of the 51 Colorado counts found Townsend’s Solitaires, with 163 at Denver being the most.  Eight Hermit Thrush were found, with three at Durango being the most.  There were 6,713 American Robins found on Colorado CBCs, with Denver’s 992 being the most.  Always a rarity, a Varied Thrush was reported from the Air Force Academy count.  Six Gray Catbirds found was a pretty good total.  Five counts found Curve-billed Thrashers, and only Douglas County found a Brown Thrasher, and Gunnison found the only Sage Thrasher.  Four Northern Mockingbirds turned up, one each at Bonny Reservoir, Montrose, Rocky Ford, and Spanish Peaks.  Nine counts found American Pipits.  Steamboat Springs found 19 Bohemian Waxwings, and 23 counts found Cedar Waxwings. 

Longspurs:

Of the 10,897 Lapland Longspurs found in Colorado on counts, 10,708 of them were found in the snow at Flagler.  Two Chestnut-collared Longspurs were found at Crook for the first time, and during count week at John Martin Reservoir.  Two Thick-billed Longspurs were found at Rocky Ford.  A couple calling flyover Snow Buntings were at Pueblo Reservoir and Rocky Ford.

Warblers:

It was a surprising season for warblers.  There were 236 Yellow-rumped Warblers, which is the only regular warbler species during the winter in Colorado.  The Penrose CBC found a Black-and-white and male Black-throated Blue Warblers.  A Tennessee Warbler was found at Colorado Springs, and another one during count week at Fountain Creek.  An Orange-crowned Warbler was at Pueblo for the first time, on their count.  A Common Yellowthroat was found during count week at Salida.  Single Pine Warblers were at Boulder and Pueblo Reservoir.  A Yellow-throated Warbler was at Fountain Creek.

 Sparrows:

As is the case most years, I rarely receive photos or details for Chipping Sparrows, this winter was no exception, Boulder, Greeley, and Loveland reported them, without any information.  Since this species get confused with immature, White-crowned Sparrows, or American Tree Sparrows, by some observers, I always require details on this species.  A Field Sparrow was at Bonny Reservoir.  Two Fox Sparrows were at Colorado Springs, and count week Red Fox Sparrow was at Denver.  There were 23 Harris’s Sparrows and ten White-throated Sparrows found.  Savannah Sparrows are rarely detected on Colorado CBCs, John Martin Reservoir, Rocky Ford, and a first for Penrose were the ones found this winter.  There were 24 Lincoln’s and 29 Swamp Sparrows found.  A lost Canyon Towhee turned up at Pagosa Springs in southwest Colorado.  The only Rufous-crowned Sparrows were found at usual locations at Pinon Canyon and Penrose.  A rarity in Colorado, two single Eastern Towhees were found, at John Martin Reservoir and Penrose (nice photos and recordings of this one were provided).  A Spotted x Eastern Towhee hybrid was carefully studied at Fountain Creek.

Cardinal and Blackbirds:

Nine Northern Cardinals were found, none in too unusual locations, Bonny Reservoir, Crook, John Martin Reservoir, and Weldona-Fort Morgan.  Five Yellow-headed Blackbirds at John Martin Reservoir wasn’t too much of a surprise, as the one photographed at Spanish Peaks (a first for this count).  Eight Rusty Blackbirds were found on three counts.  Ten counts found Common Grackles and eleven counts found Brown-headed Cowbirds.

Finches:

It wasn’t a big season for rosy-finches.  519 Gray-crowned, 1 Hepburn’s, 7 Black, 378 Brown-capped, plus 34 rosy-finch species were all that we found.  Pine Grosbeaks are rare on the eastern plains, so the 3 at Weldona-Fort Morgan was a great find.  Twenty counts found Red Crossbills, two at Cortez were new for that count, and four at Crook and seven at Weldona-Fort Morgan were on the far eastern plains.  It wasn’t much of a Common Redpoll winter, with one at Fort Collins, and count week at Douglas County being the only ones. 

I want to thank all the compilers, field observers, and feeder watchers for helping make this past winter a successful Christmas Bird Count season in Colorado.  Thanks to the compilers who got their results entered early.