[cobirds] Re: Migration (?), CSR, El Paso Co., Thurs

Hi Steve

Maybe a result of the new Audubon report Scott S shared earlier about North America losing one in four birds last 50 years ... :-(

Thanks, Gary Lefko, Nunn

http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org/

On Thursday, September 19, 2019 at 7:12:30 PM UTC-6, Steve wrote:

Hey COBirders,

You may have noticed a lack of posts from Clear Spring Ranch banding. Simply put,  there has been little to report! It has been slow, not just this week, but since 8/1.  Numbers are strikingly down from the last few falls. Last year I had phenomenal numbers, about 2300 birds banded 8/1-10/31. Right now I have banded 675 through 7 weeks. Ouch.

Basically I am right in line with the rest of the Front Range banders. It has been slow.
I expect Yellow Warblers in August, and I had my second best August for them, with 125, then Wilson's came in (about 120 so far), fair numbers of Yellowthroats, and recently more Orange-crowned Warblers. I had FOS Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Green-tailed Towhees, and Lincoln's Sparrows this week, pretty much on schedule, but the story is the missing sparrows and buntings.

The last few years I have had good numbers of grosbeaks and Lazuli Buntings - 85 one August. This year LAZB = 9. Black-headed and Blue Grosbeaks = 3 total. 1 Lark Sparrow in August, 0 Vesper Sparrows, 3 Brewer's Sparrows, 8 Clay-colored Sparrows (last August I had a phenomenal 225 of them), 2 Savannah Sparrows (110 one fall), 4 Spotted Towhees, and about 75 Chipping Sparrows in seven weeks. Last year I banded 550 the week of 9/5, and 850 for the season. Two years ago 1150. What has happened?

Have birds just kept on going with the high pressure, no rain, and clear skies?

So far this year I have about 10 Song Sparrows (usually about 75), and only one White-crowned Sparrow but it is early still for them. Very few Gray Catbirds, and YB Chats, mostly recaptures. One Swainson's Thrush, no others, not even robins.

The winner has been House Wrens! My best previous fall I banded 42. So far this fall - 90!

But also of note is the absence of other birds. Someone this week noted seeing few blackbirds and other icterids up North.  They have been nonexistent here the whole time. No Red-wings, no Yellow-headed, one flock of Com Grackles, one Orchard Oriole. But also very few raptors, corvids, woodpeckers, or flycatchers.

I guess we'll see what the next 5-6 weeks brings, but it has been pretty grim so far.

Hoping for a change, soon,
Steve Brown
Colo Spgs


Sent from my iPad

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