Denver Urban CBC (Denver, Arapahoe, Adams)

[Hugh Kingery]

    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