113th CBC Colorado Regional Summary

By Brandon K. Percival

The new Fairplay CBC was started this year.  This circle is centered in the mountain town of Fairplay in the north part of Park County, southwest of Denver.

There seemed to be more open water this year, which helped the bird totals to go up again.

Coloradoans participated in 48 Christmas Bird Counts this season.  A total of 815,892 birds was counted, many more than last years total of 666,568.  The total 201 species was only two higher than last year’s 199.   Observers at the Penrose count found the most count day species with (124),  followed  by Pueblo Reservoir (123),Boulder (114),John Martin Reservoir (109),Denver (107), and Pueblo (106).   Greeley counted the most birds with 58,695.

The more unexpected species found on a Colorado CBC this year would have to be the Hammond’s Flycatcher along a small stream on the Penrose CBC.  This is the first Empidonax flycatcher to be found on any Colorado CBC.  Photos were taken of this bird, and all agreed on the identification.  The bird was still in the area six days later!

Another exciting event on Colorado CBCs this year would have to be the redpoll invasion!  All told 880 redpolls were found on 27 of the 47 Colorado CBCs this winter.  They were most likely all Common Redpolls, however, written documentation and photos were submitted for possible Hoary Redpolls on three Colorado CBCs.  My expert reviewers however, weren’t convinced that any of these were diffident Hoary Redpolls, so they aren’t included in this year’ results.  If the Colorado Birds Records Committee (CBRC) accepts any of these birds reported on Colorado CBCs I will have them be added to the list for those CBCs.  While there are no accepted records of Hoary Redpolls in Colorado before this past winter, it is likely that some of the birds found in late December through March will be accepted by the CBRC.

There are many highlights to report from this season.  For waterfowl, a surprising total of six Trumpeter and twelve Tundra swans; a male Eurasian Wigeon at Penrose; two White-winged Scoters were at Denver; and six Long-tailed Ducks were found.  Single Pacific Loons were at Denver and Pueblo Reservoir, and eight Common Loons were found.  Six Colorado counts found American White Pelicans, including an amazing total of 245 at John Martin Reservoir in southeast Colorado.  A Sora at Pagosa Springs was eaten by a Great Blue Heron!  Sora is quite rare in western Colorado in winter.  The only shorebirds of interest were Greater Yellowlegs, one at Barr Lake and two at Rocky Ford. Ten species of gulls were found, the only Bonaparte’s were at Pueblo Reservoir and John Martin Reservoir.  The only Mew Gull was at Pueblo Reservoir; there were 14 Thayer’s and 20 Lesser Black-backed this year.  An unexpected Glaucous-winged Gull was at John Martin Reservoir.  The only Glaucous and Great Black-backed gulls were single birds at Pueblo Reservoir. 

Two Band-tailed Pigeons, rare in Colorado in winter, were at Westcliffe.  Only three counts missed Eurasian Collared-Doves; the total continues to go up, with over 21,000 counted.  Also 159 White-winged Doves were found, with is higher than last year.  Owl numbers were better this year, with 423 owls counted of nine species.  Two Boreal Owls on the new Fairplay CBC were a nice find!  A new species for Colorado CBCs was Acorn Woodpecker; one was unexpectedly found at Colorado Springs, and one of the two birds that had been present since the summer was detected on the Lake Isabel CBC.  Thirteen sapsuckers were found on count day, seven Williamson’s and six Yellow-bellied. 

All three species of phoebes were found.  Two Blacks at Penrose, a very surprising Eastern Phoebe at Longmont, and a large state-wide total of 17 Say’s Phoebes.  Chihuahuan Ravens may be expanding their range in Colorado.  If identified correctly, birds were reported from four Northern Front Range CBCs, Denver, Boulder, Loveland, and Rawhide Energy Plant.  It sounds like several CBCs in Colorado found the “Eastern” White-breasted Nuthatches this season, and if the AOU splits this species Colorado birders will have to keep track of these birds on future CBCs.  Interesting wrens were a Carolina at Penrose and 12 Winter Wrens. There were no reports of any possible Pacific Wrens.  A high total of six Blue-gray Gnatcatchers weas found.  Ten Hermit Thrushes were found and a Varied Thrush made a surprise appearance at Pagosa Springs.  Four Brown Thrashers were found.  Bohemian Waxwings made a show in Colorado, mostly after the CBC season, though there were a total of 124 reported on Colorado CBCs.

A few interesting warblers turned up this season, including two Pine Warblers, a Western Palm Warbler (at Colorado Springs), and two Common Yellowthroats.  A rare in winter Green-tailed Towhee was reported from Douglas County, and even rarer Eastern Towhee was nicely photographed at Barr Lake.  None of the Chipping Sparrows reported were documented with photos or a good written description.  For the second year in a row, a Vesper Sparrow turned up in North east Colorado, this time at Sterling.   A Savannah Sparrows was found at John Martin Reservoir.  An unexpected three Red Fox Sparrows were found this season.  Of the more uncommon sparrows, there were six Lincoln’s, 56 Swamp, 25 White-throated, and 43 Harris’s Sparrows tallied.  Golden-crowned Sparrows were found at Boulder and Denver for the second year in a row.  Three McCown’s Longspurs were found in the mass of 22,374 Lapland Longspurs on the Flagler CBC.  Bonny Reservoir and Pueblo Reservoir found single Snow Buntings.  A total 17 Northern Cardinals were found with a male west of normal at Boulder.  An unexpected Eastern Meadowlark was identified at Flagler, a first for any Colorado CBC!  Only four Yellow-headed Blackbirds and a good total of 26 Rusty Blackbirds were found.  Two Purple Finches were at Bonny Reservoir. 

The count week only highlights were:  a Red-necked Grebe at Denver; Gunnison Sage-Grouse at Gunnison; Dusky Grouse at Steamboat Springs; a hybrid Yellow-bellied x Red-naped Sapsucker at Fort Collins; a Gray Catbird at Fort Collins; and a Sage Sparrow at Hotchkiss.  With these five additional species, Colorado reported 206 species on Colorado CBCs or during count week this year.

I want to thanks the compilers and observers for sending in photos and written documentation of their interesting birds found on Colorado CBCs this year; it helps me a lot in reviewing the counts.  I also want to thank Doug Faulkner, Tony Leukering, and Chris Wood for helping review some of the photos and written documentation that were submitted.

I personally want to thank everyone for the last few years while I’ve been the Regional Editor for Colorado CBCs.  Hopefully you all will welcome the new Regional Editor that will be taking my place for future Christmas Bird Counts in Colorado!