[cobirds] Denver Urban CBC (Denver, Arapahoe, Adams)

    Our Denver Urban Christmas Bird Count tallied 85 species and 31,151 birds. That's an average number of species, but the count of individuals dropped to 78% of the average of 40,066.

    We saw big drops for non-native species: Rock Pigeon (1,031 vs. 2,024 ave.); Starling (652 vs. 4,244 ave.); and House Sparrow (96 vs. 1,320). We also had low counts for Com. Mergansers (191 vs. 476 ave.); Coots (18 vs. 87); Bald Eagle (28 vs. 47; high of 96 in 2017); Downy Woodpecker (22 vs. 44); House Finch (442 vs. 1142). We had fewer ducks (4,909, ave. 5,564) and fewer raptors (146, ave, 200).

    In contrast, we had high counts for Buffleheads (276; previous high185); Hooded Merganser (224, ave. 98; since 2010 they have gradually increased); 40 Double-crested Cormorants (ave. 4); Eur. Collared-Doves (148; first recorded, one in 2005); 124 Am. Goldfinches (ave. 57, only 3 counts with more than a hundred).

    Barb Masoner's group, south of Hampden, found a new count bird: 3 Western Bluebirds. Other rarities include a Golden-crowned Sparrow, nicely documented with photos by Steve Hebert's group at Bluff Lake, and a Lesser Goldfinch at Mary & Dave Driscoll's feeder, also photographed.

    We had to postpone the count from Jan. 1 due to a horrendous weather forecast, and held it on Jan. 5; two sections didn't get covered -- the central part of the South Platte and Fairmont Cemetery/Windsor Gardens. The latter got covered on Jan. 2, but even adding in their observations doesn't change the thrust of the count.

   

Hugh Kingery

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