[cobirds] Re: Bohemian Waxwing eBird data Denver Metro Area

Ah - I see Bill Schmoker already commented! What I can say is that we were astounded that day that BOWAs outnumbered geese on the CBC!

On Monday, January 30, 2023 at 2:59:23 PM UTC-7 Scott Severs wrote:

All CBC historical data by species (or circle) can be queried here:

https://netapp.audubon.org/CBCObservation/Historical/ResultsBySpecies.aspx?1

On Monday, January 30, 2023 at 2:55:44 PM UTC-7 Scott Severs wrote:

The Boulder CBC once held the annual Christmas Bird Count's all time highest record for bohemian waxwings in the continental United States, 11,284 individuals seen in one day in 1987! Yes that's 11 thousand! 

On Monday, January 30, 2023 at 6:51:39 AM UTC-7 greggg...@gmail.com wrote:

I downloaded and compiled all the eBird accepted Bohemian Waxwing checklists for the Denver Metro area (Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson, Broomfield). Hugh Kingery suggested a definition of an irruption to be greater than 4 birds on a checklist and to cover at least a period of 2 weeks. I sorted it into date order for these combined 6 counties. After dropping all checklists with less than 5 birds or an X in the count, I was left with 215 checklists with BOWAs in the Metro area over a 75 year period. Hugh had BOWAs back in 1948 close to the zoo.

eBird was started by Cornell in 2002. Not many birders used it at that time but it is now widely used. Many birders have entered their historical records which is such valuable information. Many thanks to all the reviewers that really make this a trusted source of data. And thanks to all the birders that are now submitting checklists, we really have a great resource of birding data.

David Suddjian was the first to see our current amazing irruption on 12/23/2022 in Ken Caryl. He confirmed the 20 flyovers by the "tight formation, size and calls". And it is possible we will continue to see this current irruption even into April.

We have to go back 14 years to get to the closest previous irruption for the metro area. It was in the winter of 2007-2008. It began on 12/14/2007 at Chatfield State Park and the last sighting that winter was at Columbine West on 4/13/2008. The high count that winter was 200 BOWA in Douglas county on 1/15/2008.

Going back 2 more years to the winter of 2004-2005 was a large irruption year as well. It began on 11/24/2004 in Broomfield and finished on 3/21/2005 in Douglas county. The high count for this period was 2000 (a conservative count they said) and was recorded in Adams county at "Federal & 120th by Norm, Ted, Dave and Marilyn" on 11/30/2004.

You have to go back another 13 years to the winter of 1990-1991 to get another irruption for the Denver Metro area. Beginning on 12/12/1990 at Chatfield and continuing to 4/5/1991 at Joe Roller's Yates home in Denver. He had 22 BOWA and commented on their "mean looking facies". There are 5 records for this irruption winter and the average count was around 40 BOWAs.

The 1980's had 5 winters with BOWA irruptions. 79-80, 81-82, 84-85, 86-87 and 87-88. The largest count on a checklist for the 1980's was 1000 BOWA on 1/12/1988 in Greenwood Village by Hugh Kingery. He made this comment "Heritage Village, Littleton (6465 S. Niagara).No details. This month saw a lot of BOWAs in metro Denver.".

There is only one year in the 1970's and one year in the 1960's that shows irruptions in the eBird historical data in the Metro area. 1976-1977 had a checklist with a high count of 1000 BOWA at Cherry Creek SP on 3/12/1977. And finally in the winter of 1968-1969 there was a report of 2000 BOWA at Bow-Mar on 12/20/1968 reported by Van Remsen with this comment "invasion year; careful estimate".

As more historical data is entered and as more birders use eBird, the data will get better. I did download all of the Colorado BOWA data and it contained right at 1000 records. All of Colorado averages an irruption every 3 years. But the Denver Metro area, from 1948-2023, has had 11 irruptions in this 75 year span. So, we average an irruption about every 7 years. Enjoy this one while it lasts. Sure has been fun.

Gregg Goodrich

Highlands Ranch

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/8704102c-e3b5-4fd3-8851-535c2da04969n%40googlegroups.com.

[cobirds] Re: Bohemian Waxwing eBird data Denver Metro Area

All CBC historical data by species (or circle) can be queried here:

https://netapp.audubon.org/CBCObservation/Historical/ResultsBySpecies.aspx?1

On Monday, January 30, 2023 at 2:55:44 PM UTC-7 Scott Severs wrote:

The Boulder CBC once held the annual Christmas Bird Count's all time highest record for bohemian waxwings in the continental United States, 11,284 individuals seen in one day in 1987! Yes that's 11 thousand! 

On Monday, January 30, 2023 at 6:51:39 AM UTC-7 greggg...@gmail.com wrote:

I downloaded and compiled all the eBird accepted Bohemian Waxwing checklists for the Denver Metro area (Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson, Broomfield). Hugh Kingery suggested a definition of an irruption to be greater than 4 birds on a checklist and to cover at least a period of 2 weeks. I sorted it into date order for these combined 6 counties. After dropping all checklists with less than 5 birds or an X in the count, I was left with 215 checklists with BOWAs in the Metro area over a 75 year period. Hugh had BOWAs back in 1948 close to the zoo.

eBird was started by Cornell in 2002. Not many birders used it at that time but it is now widely used. Many birders have entered their historical records which is such valuable information. Many thanks to all the reviewers that really make this a trusted source of data. And thanks to all the birders that are now submitting checklists, we really have a great resource of birding data.

David Suddjian was the first to see our current amazing irruption on 12/23/2022 in Ken Caryl. He confirmed the 20 flyovers by the "tight formation, size and calls". And it is possible we will continue to see this current irruption even into April.

We have to go back 14 years to get to the closest previous irruption for the metro area. It was in the winter of 2007-2008. It began on 12/14/2007 at Chatfield State Park and the last sighting that winter was at Columbine West on 4/13/2008. The high count that winter was 200 BOWA in Douglas county on 1/15/2008.

Going back 2 more years to the winter of 2004-2005 was a large irruption year as well. It began on 11/24/2004 in Broomfield and finished on 3/21/2005 in Douglas county. The high count for this period was 2000 (a conservative count they said) and was recorded in Adams county at "Federal & 120th by Norm, Ted, Dave and Marilyn" on 11/30/2004.

You have to go back another 13 years to the winter of 1990-1991 to get another irruption for the Denver Metro area. Beginning on 12/12/1990 at Chatfield and continuing to 4/5/1991 at Joe Roller's Yates home in Denver. He had 22 BOWA and commented on their "mean looking facies". There are 5 records for this irruption winter and the average count was around 40 BOWAs.

The 1980's had 5 winters with BOWA irruptions. 79-80, 81-82, 84-85, 86-87 and 87-88. The largest count on a checklist for the 1980's was 1000 BOWA on 1/12/1988 in Greenwood Village by Hugh Kingery. He made this comment "Heritage Village, Littleton (6465 S. Niagara).No details. This month saw a lot of BOWAs in metro Denver.".

There is only one year in the 1970's and one year in the 1960's that shows irruptions in the eBird historical data in the Metro area. 1976-1977 had a checklist with a high count of 1000 BOWA at Cherry Creek SP on 3/12/1977. And finally in the winter of 1968-1969 there was a report of 2000 BOWA at Bow-Mar on 12/20/1968 reported by Van Remsen with this comment "invasion year; careful estimate".

As more historical data is entered and as more birders use eBird, the data will get better. I did download all of the Colorado BOWA data and it contained right at 1000 records. All of Colorado averages an irruption every 3 years. But the Denver Metro area, from 1948-2023, has had 11 irruptions in this 75 year span. So, we average an irruption about every 7 years. Enjoy this one while it lasts. Sure has been fun.

Gregg Goodrich

Highlands Ranch

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/7866c0a1-40c6-41e7-b547-6e5aba6a6537n%40googlegroups.com.

[cobirds] Re: Bohemian Waxwing eBird data Denver Metro Area

The Boulder CBC once held the annual Christmas Bird Count's all time highest record for bohemian waxwings in the continental United States, 11,284 individuals seen in one day in 1987! Yes that's 11 thousand! 

On Monday, January 30, 2023 at 6:51:39 AM UTC-7 greggg...@gmail.com wrote:

I downloaded and compiled all the eBird accepted Bohemian Waxwing checklists for the Denver Metro area (Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson, Broomfield). Hugh Kingery suggested a definition of an irruption to be greater than 4 birds on a checklist and to cover at least a period of 2 weeks. I sorted it into date order for these combined 6 counties. After dropping all checklists with less than 5 birds or an X in the count, I was left with 215 checklists with BOWAs in the Metro area over a 75 year period. Hugh had BOWAs back in 1948 close to the zoo.

eBird was started by Cornell in 2002. Not many birders used it at that time but it is now widely used. Many birders have entered their historical records which is such valuable information. Many thanks to all the reviewers that really make this a trusted source of data. And thanks to all the birders that are now submitting checklists, we really have a great resource of birding data.

David Suddjian was the first to see our current amazing irruption on 12/23/2022 in Ken Caryl. He confirmed the 20 flyovers by the "tight formation, size and calls". And it is possible we will continue to see this current irruption even into April.

We have to go back 14 years to get to the closest previous irruption for the metro area. It was in the winter of 2007-2008. It began on 12/14/2007 at Chatfield State Park and the last sighting that winter was at Columbine West on 4/13/2008. The high count that winter was 200 BOWA in Douglas county on 1/15/2008.

Going back 2 more years to the winter of 2004-2005 was a large irruption year as well. It began on 11/24/2004 in Broomfield and finished on 3/21/2005 in Douglas county. The high count for this period was 2000 (a conservative count they said) and was recorded in Adams county at "Federal & 120th by Norm, Ted, Dave and Marilyn" on 11/30/2004.

You have to go back another 13 years to the winter of 1990-1991 to get another irruption for the Denver Metro area. Beginning on 12/12/1990 at Chatfield and continuing to 4/5/1991 at Joe Roller's Yates home in Denver. He had 22 BOWA and commented on their "mean looking facies". There are 5 records for this irruption winter and the average count was around 40 BOWAs.

The 1980's had 5 winters with BOWA irruptions. 79-80, 81-82, 84-85, 86-87 and 87-88. The largest count on a checklist for the 1980's was 1000 BOWA on 1/12/1988 in Greenwood Village by Hugh Kingery. He made this comment "Heritage Village, Littleton (6465 S. Niagara).No details. This month saw a lot of BOWAs in metro Denver.".

There is only one year in the 1970's and one year in the 1960's that shows irruptions in the eBird historical data in the Metro area. 1976-1977 had a checklist with a high count of 1000 BOWA at Cherry Creek SP on 3/12/1977. And finally in the winter of 1968-1969 there was a report of 2000 BOWA at Bow-Mar on 12/20/1968 reported by Van Remsen with this comment "invasion year; careful estimate".

As more historical data is entered and as more birders use eBird, the data will get better. I did download all of the Colorado BOWA data and it contained right at 1000 records. All of Colorado averages an irruption every 3 years. But the Denver Metro area, from 1948-2023, has had 11 irruptions in this 75 year span. So, we average an irruption about every 7 years. Enjoy this one while it lasts. Sure has been fun.

Gregg Goodrich

Highlands Ranch

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/a9d6d457-4a91-4ee5-9e41-b6e141900f4en%40googlegroups.com.

[cobirds] Bohemian Waxwing eBird data Denver Metro Area

I downloaded and compiled all the eBird accepted Bohemian Waxwing checklists for the Denver Metro area (Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson, Broomfield). Hugh Kingery suggested a definition of an irruption to be greater than 4 birds on a checklist and to cover at least a period of 2 weeks. I sorted it into date order for these combined 6 counties. After dropping all checklists with less than 5 birds or an X in the count, I was left with 215 checklists with BOWAs in the Metro area over a 75 year period. Hugh had BOWAs back in 1948 close to the zoo.

eBird was started by Cornell in 2002. Not many birders used it at that time but it is now widely used. Many birders have entered their historical records which is such valuable information. Many thanks to all the reviewers that really make this a trusted source of data. And thanks to all the birders that are now submitting checklists, we really have a great resource of birding data.

David Suddjian was the first to see our current amazing irruption on 12/23/2022 in Ken Caryl. He confirmed the 20 flyovers by the "tight formation, size and calls". And it is possible we will continue to see this current irruption even into April.

We have to go back 14 years to get to the closest previous irruption for the metro area. It was in the winter of 2007-2008. It began on 12/14/2007 at Chatfield State Park and the last sighting that winter was at Columbine West on 4/13/2008. The high count that winter was 200 BOWA in Douglas county on 1/15/2008.

Going back 2 more years to the winter of 2004-2005 was a large irruption year as well. It began on 11/24/2004 in Broomfield and finished on 3/21/2005 in Douglas county. The high count for this period was 2000 (a conservative count they said) and was recorded in Adams county at "Federal & 120th by Norm, Ted, Dave and Marilyn" on 11/30/2004.

You have to go back another 13 years to the winter of 1990-1991 to get another irruption for the Denver Metro area. Beginning on 12/12/1990 at Chatfield and continuing to 4/5/1991 at Joe Roller's Yates home in Denver. He had 22 BOWA and commented on their "mean looking facies". There are 5 records for this irruption winter and the average count was around 40 BOWAs.

The 1980's had 5 winters with BOWA irruptions. 79-80, 81-82, 84-85, 86-87 and 87-88. The largest count on a checklist for the 1980's was 1000 BOWA on 1/12/1988 in Greenwood Village by Hugh Kingery. He made this comment "Heritage Village, Littleton (6465 S. Niagara).No details. This month saw a lot of BOWAs in metro Denver.".

There is only one year in the 1970's and one year in the 1960's that shows irruptions in the eBird historical data in the Metro area. 1976-1977 had a checklist with a high count of 1000 BOWA at Cherry Creek SP on 3/12/1977. And finally in the winter of 1968-1969 there was a report of 2000 BOWA at Bow-Mar on 12/20/1968 reported by Van Remsen with this comment "invasion year; careful estimate".

As more historical data is entered and as more birders use eBird, the data will get better. I did download all of the Colorado BOWA data and it contained right at 1000 records. All of Colorado averages an irruption every 3 years. But the Denver Metro area, from 1948-2023, has had 11 irruptions in this 75 year span. So, we average an irruption about every 7 years. Enjoy this one while it lasts. Sure has been fun.

Gregg Goodrich

Highlands Ranch

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAG23Tosj6WuR39%2B95K5p_SXegUpYZyN3XiWdaNJgq5tv3h1yeQ%40mail.gmail.com.

Re: [cobirds] Historical perspective on Bohemians?

Good morning,

Thank you all for sharing this exciting and interesting Bohemian Waxwing history. 

How do we get an estimate on how many Bohemian Waxwings are here in Colorado during this 2022-2023 Winter?

Many people are reporting the same flocks. 

500 here… 800 there… over 1000 in another spot. And they are constantly moving around. 

There are some big flocks here in Colorado Springs. I have been lucky to see them a few times already, which has been amazing. 

I am interested in knowing how we can get a realistic count since this all happened after the Christmas bird count. 

Just curious,

Cinnamon Bergeron 

On Sun, Jan 29, 2023 at 10:35 PM 'Deborah Carstensen' via Colorado Birds <cobirds@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Such amazing information!! I really appreciate everyone's posting on the waxwings. ( I wanted to ask peoples opinion about the history of waxwing numbers in Colorado but was afraid I would just be referred to eBird to try to figure it out myself. 😏😉) I can't believe the huge numbers that have been here in the past, astonishing!

Thanks!

Deb Carstensen, Arapahoe county 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 29, 2023, at 6:59 PM, Matt Newport <mnewport@gmail.com> wrote:



While not having seen more than 2 total birds in Colorado during this invasion and feeling I have been missing out, I was blessed to have run into a large flock yesterday in eastern Aurora. I rolled up to a park and with a couple of smaller Crabapple trees with many robins and a few Ceder waxwings. After a short walk I returned and noted the same number of robins and waxwings. Got back into the car and just as I started the car, I noted a huge flock of birds come in from nowhere...ALL Bohemians. It was magical really to stand 15ft from this huge flock of Bohemians, at least 175 counted.

Matt Newport

Aurora, Arapaho county

On Sun, Jan 29, 2023 at 6:18 PM Bill Schmoker <bill.schmoker@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Jared- love this and looking forward to also hearing from CO long-timers!

I have two stories to tell, starting with 1987.  That year the Boulder CBC tallied 11,284 Bohemian Waxwings, which for years was the all-time Christmas Bird Count high count.  (Can any Boulder long-timers fill in more details on this mega year?)  Anchorage AK has since surpassed that but nice to know that for a while we were record holders.  I didn't participate in the count yet but I remember (as will my then dorm-mate Scottt Severs) seeing big flocks on the CSU campus that winter up in Fort Collins.  The Boulder CBC also had a strong precursor count in 1986 with 2135 and other standout years in 1968 (4200) and 1983 (2530.)  Boulder has tallied Bohemians 24 times out of 81 counts.

In 2007 the Longmont CBC tallied a very nice 1366 Bohemians.  That year set my personal high mark, with my team tallying 825 in our territory.  But even better were ~2100 in my Longmont back yard on 29 Dec., a count I arrived at by photographing what I could of the massive flock and extrapolating.  Here's a shot of 698 BOWAs, which I estimated to be 1/3 to 1/4 of the total flock.  I counted each bird by digitally dotting them, changing color every 100 birds to help visualize the magnitude of the flock.

Enjoy- Bill Schmoker, Boulder CBC Compiler

p.s.  My BOWA count so far this winter is... 0!  :-(

<BOWA_flock2.JPG>

<BOWA_count2_dotted.jpg>

On Sun, Jan 29, 2023 at 5:24 PM Jared Del Rosso <jared.delrosso@gmail.com> wrote:

I'd love to hear from long-time birders about their experiences with Bohemian Waxwings prior to this year! While eBird tells part of the story, I'd love to hear more about these past encounters -- including but not limited to where, how many, when, what the birds were up to, and anything else that stood out. I think it would help those of us who are newer to the state and/or birding (like me) appreciate the encounters we're having this winter. 

Here's my contribution, which isn't my contribution.

W. H. Bergtold, who I wrote about for the October 2022 issue of DFO's The Lark Bunting, reported Bohemian Waxwings "all over [Denver] in great numbers, from February 22 to April 8, 1917, when the last two were seen in Cheesman Park." This brief account appears in The Wilson Bulletin in Bergtold's 1917 list of Denver birds. 

Oddly, Bergtold has a single account of a Cedar Waxwing listed in the same essay: "Cedar Waxwing. Seen in Berkeley, February, 1906." Might Denver's birders have once chased that Cedar as we've been out looking for Bohemians?

Finally, I'll note Joe Roller's eBird report of Bohemian Waxwings in his S. Yates home in 1991. Joe had told me that he'd had large flocks of Bohemian Waxwings in his yard, but I couldn't find it on the eBird map, thinking his home was closer to Wash Park and the encounter more recent. (Perhaps this is a previous home?) In any case, his brief note on the historical checklist tells us that 1991 was an invasion year for Bohemians: "Had large flocks throughout winter, lingering into spring. Larger than nearby Cedar Waxwings, rusty under tail coverts; 'mean' looking facies." I suspect "facies" is a typo, but with Joe I can't be sure. It's also apparently a medical term! I'll also admit to not realizing that Bohemians appear mean, though I indeed think that of Mountain Chickadees.

I checked DFO's newsletter archives, and Bohemians were reported on DFO trips from November 1990 (Barr Lake, three in total) through mid-April of 1991 (150+ in Lakewood). 

Briefly -- occasional sightings of a female/immature type Cassin's Finch and a White-throated Sparrow in my Centennial yard. Yesterday encountered a flock of robins and a small number of Bohemian Waxwings as they descended on an errant Buckthorn in a neighborhood yard near University and Orchard. I stopped briefly and made everyone in my car ooh and aah. 

- Jared Del Rosso

Centennial, CO

lonesomewhippoorwill.com

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/8ba600e3-4311-4ef1-8a60-4bd6d796dae3n%40googlegroups.com.

--

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Bill Schmoker             
bill.schmoker@gmail.com 
http://www.polartrec.com/expeditions/us-arctic-geotraces 
<720/201-5749>
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAL-wM9ax64Dp2FQ3Xw0MhcLHizy1%2Bpb-6_sjA_Ldb8E_1Yb19A%40mail.gmail.com.

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CADwX3Vq6t5kXEnGLAmQ0wPxNPYgq425SyDB_6F%2BO0rB-fZFudA%40mail.gmail.com.

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/B38BBC20-B91D-47AF-B575-F9162D228DBB%40aol.com.

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CANESPGmvfYSrZUGqeSiADUDwyDzjqjm9RmiHyrk-YrLRq72TTQ%40mail.gmail.com.

Re: [cobirds] Historical perspective on Bohemians?

Such amazing information!! I really appreciate everyone's posting on the waxwings. ( I wanted to ask peoples opinion about the history of waxwing numbers in Colorado but was afraid I would just be referred to eBird to try to figure it out myself. 😏😉) I can't believe the huge numbers that have been here in the past, astonishing!

Thanks!

Deb Carstensen, Arapahoe county 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 29, 2023, at 6:59 PM, Matt Newport <mnewport@gmail.com> wrote:



While not having seen more than 2 total birds in Colorado during this invasion and feeling I have been missing out, I was blessed to have run into a large flock yesterday in eastern Aurora. I rolled up to a park and with a couple of smaller Crabapple trees with many robins and a few Ceder waxwings. After a short walk I returned and noted the same number of robins and waxwings. Got back into the car and just as I started the car, I noted a huge flock of birds come in from nowhere...ALL Bohemians. It was magical really to stand 15ft from this huge flock of Bohemians, at least 175 counted.

Matt Newport

Aurora, Arapaho county

On Sun, Jan 29, 2023 at 6:18 PM Bill Schmoker <bill.schmoker@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Jared- love this and looking forward to also hearing from CO long-timers!

I have two stories to tell, starting with 1987.  That year the Boulder CBC tallied 11,284 Bohemian Waxwings, which for years was the all-time Christmas Bird Count high count.  (Can any Boulder long-timers fill in more details on this mega year?)  Anchorage AK has since surpassed that but nice to know that for a while we were record holders.  I didn't participate in the count yet but I remember (as will my then dorm-mate Scottt Severs) seeing big flocks on the CSU campus that winter up in Fort Collins.  The Boulder CBC also had a strong precursor count in 1986 with 2135 and other standout years in 1968 (4200) and 1983 (2530.)  Boulder has tallied Bohemians 24 times out of 81 counts.

In 2007 the Longmont CBC tallied a very nice 1366 Bohemians.  That year set my personal high mark, with my team tallying 825 in our territory.  But even better were ~2100 in my Longmont back yard on 29 Dec., a count I arrived at by photographing what I could of the massive flock and extrapolating.  Here's a shot of 698 BOWAs, which I estimated to be 1/3 to 1/4 of the total flock.  I counted each bird by digitally dotting them, changing color every 100 birds to help visualize the magnitude of the flock.

Enjoy- Bill Schmoker, Boulder CBC Compiler

p.s.  My BOWA count so far this winter is... 0!  :-(

<BOWA_flock2.JPG>

<BOWA_count2_dotted.jpg>

On Sun, Jan 29, 2023 at 5:24 PM Jared Del Rosso <jared.delrosso@gmail.com> wrote:

I'd love to hear from long-time birders about their experiences with Bohemian Waxwings prior to this year! While eBird tells part of the story, I'd love to hear more about these past encounters -- including but not limited to where, how many, when, what the birds were up to, and anything else that stood out. I think it would help those of us who are newer to the state and/or birding (like me) appreciate the encounters we're having this winter. 

Here's my contribution, which isn't my contribution.

W. H. Bergtold, who I wrote about for the October 2022 issue of DFO's The Lark Bunting, reported Bohemian Waxwings "all over [Denver] in great numbers, from February 22 to April 8, 1917, when the last two were seen in Cheesman Park." This brief account appears in The Wilson Bulletin in Bergtold's 1917 list of Denver birds. 

Oddly, Bergtold has a single account of a Cedar Waxwing listed in the same essay: "Cedar Waxwing. Seen in Berkeley, February, 1906." Might Denver's birders have once chased that Cedar as we've been out looking for Bohemians?

Finally, I'll note Joe Roller's eBird report of Bohemian Waxwings in his S. Yates home in 1991. Joe had told me that he'd had large flocks of Bohemian Waxwings in his yard, but I couldn't find it on the eBird map, thinking his home was closer to Wash Park and the encounter more recent. (Perhaps this is a previous home?) In any case, his brief note on the historical checklist tells us that 1991 was an invasion year for Bohemians: "Had large flocks throughout winter, lingering into spring. Larger than nearby Cedar Waxwings, rusty under tail coverts; 'mean' looking facies." I suspect "facies" is a typo, but with Joe I can't be sure. It's also apparently a medical term! I'll also admit to not realizing that Bohemians appear mean, though I indeed think that of Mountain Chickadees.

I checked DFO's newsletter archives, and Bohemians were reported on DFO trips from November 1990 (Barr Lake, three in total) through mid-April of 1991 (150+ in Lakewood). 

Briefly -- occasional sightings of a female/immature type Cassin's Finch and a White-throated Sparrow in my Centennial yard. Yesterday encountered a flock of robins and a small number of Bohemian Waxwings as they descended on an errant Buckthorn in a neighborhood yard near University and Orchard. I stopped briefly and made everyone in my car ooh and aah. 

- Jared Del Rosso

Centennial, CO

lonesomewhippoorwill.com

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/8ba600e3-4311-4ef1-8a60-4bd6d796dae3n%40googlegroups.com.

--

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Bill Schmoker             
bill.schmoker@gmail.com 
http://www.polartrec.com/expeditions/us-arctic-geotraces 
<720/201-5749>
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAL-wM9ax64Dp2FQ3Xw0MhcLHizy1%2Bpb-6_sjA_Ldb8E_1Yb19A%40mail.gmail.com.

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CADwX3Vq6t5kXEnGLAmQ0wPxNPYgq425SyDB_6F%2BO0rB-fZFudA%40mail.gmail.com.

Re: [cobirds] Historical perspective on Bohemians?

While not having seen more than 2 total birds in Colorado during this invasion and feeling I have been missing out, I was blessed to have run into a large flock yesterday in eastern Aurora. I rolled up to a park and with a couple of smaller Crabapple trees with many robins and a few Ceder waxwings. After a short walk I returned and noted the same number of robins and waxwings. Got back into the car and just as I started the car, I noted a huge flock of birds come in from nowhere...ALL Bohemians. It was magical really to stand 15ft from this huge flock of Bohemians, at least 175 counted.

Matt Newport

Aurora, Arapaho county

On Sun, Jan 29, 2023 at 6:18 PM Bill Schmoker <bill.schmoker@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Jared- love this and looking forward to also hearing from CO long-timers!

I have two stories to tell, starting with 1987.  That year the Boulder CBC tallied 11,284 Bohemian Waxwings, which for years was the all-time Christmas Bird Count high count.  (Can any Boulder long-timers fill in more details on this mega year?)  Anchorage AK has since surpassed that but nice to know that for a while we were record holders.  I didn't participate in the count yet but I remember (as will my then dorm-mate Scottt Severs) seeing big flocks on the CSU campus that winter up in Fort Collins.  The Boulder CBC also had a strong precursor count in 1986 with 2135 and other standout years in 1968 (4200) and 1983 (2530.)  Boulder has tallied Bohemians 24 times out of 81 counts.

In 2007 the Longmont CBC tallied a very nice 1366 Bohemians.  That year set my personal high mark, with my team tallying 825 in our territory.  But even better were ~2100 in my Longmont back yard on 29 Dec., a count I arrived at by photographing what I could of the massive flock and extrapolating.  Here's a shot of 698 BOWAs, which I estimated to be 1/3 to 1/4 of the total flock.  I counted each bird by digitally dotting them, changing color every 100 birds to help visualize the magnitude of the flock.

Enjoy- Bill Schmoker, Boulder CBC Compiler

p.s.  My BOWA count so far this winter is... 0!  :-(

On Sun, Jan 29, 2023 at 5:24 PM Jared Del Rosso <jared.delrosso@gmail.com> wrote:

I'd love to hear from long-time birders about their experiences with Bohemian Waxwings prior to this year! While eBird tells part of the story, I'd love to hear more about these past encounters -- including but not limited to where, how many, when, what the birds were up to, and anything else that stood out. I think it would help those of us who are newer to the state and/or birding (like me) appreciate the encounters we're having this winter. 

Here's my contribution, which isn't my contribution.

W. H. Bergtold, who I wrote about for the October 2022 issue of DFO's The Lark Bunting, reported Bohemian Waxwings "all over [Denver] in great numbers, from February 22 to April 8, 1917, when the last two were seen in Cheesman Park." This brief account appears in The Wilson Bulletin in Bergtold's 1917 list of Denver birds. 

Oddly, Bergtold has a single account of a Cedar Waxwing listed in the same essay: "Cedar Waxwing. Seen in Berkeley, February, 1906." Might Denver's birders have once chased that Cedar as we've been out looking for Bohemians?

Finally, I'll note Joe Roller's eBird report of Bohemian Waxwings in his S. Yates home in 1991. Joe had told me that he'd had large flocks of Bohemian Waxwings in his yard, but I couldn't find it on the eBird map, thinking his home was closer to Wash Park and the encounter more recent. (Perhaps this is a previous home?) In any case, his brief note on the historical checklist tells us that 1991 was an invasion year for Bohemians: "Had large flocks throughout winter, lingering into spring. Larger than nearby Cedar Waxwings, rusty under tail coverts; 'mean' looking facies." I suspect "facies" is a typo, but with Joe I can't be sure. It's also apparently a medical term! I'll also admit to not realizing that Bohemians appear mean, though I indeed think that of Mountain Chickadees.

I checked DFO's newsletter archives, and Bohemians were reported on DFO trips from November 1990 (Barr Lake, three in total) through mid-April of 1991 (150+ in Lakewood). 

Briefly -- occasional sightings of a female/immature type Cassin's Finch and a White-throated Sparrow in my Centennial yard. Yesterday encountered a flock of robins and a small number of Bohemian Waxwings as they descended on an errant Buckthorn in a neighborhood yard near University and Orchard. I stopped briefly and made everyone in my car ooh and aah. 

- Jared Del Rosso

Centennial, CO

lonesomewhippoorwill.com

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/8ba600e3-4311-4ef1-8a60-4bd6d796dae3n%40googlegroups.com.

--

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Bill Schmoker             
bill.schmoker@gmail.com 
http://www.polartrec.com/expeditions/us-arctic-geotraces 
<720/201-5749>
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAL-wM9ax64Dp2FQ3Xw0MhcLHizy1%2Bpb-6_sjA_Ldb8E_1Yb19A%40mail.gmail.com.

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CADwX3Vq6t5kXEnGLAmQ0wPxNPYgq425SyDB_6F%2BO0rB-fZFudA%40mail.gmail.com.