Banding at CSR, El Paso Co., Thurs

[Steve Brown]

Hey COBirders,

I haven’t posted any banding reports at Clear Spring Ranch lately, because there hasn’t been much unusual to share. Reading the regular reports from Barr Lake and Chico Basin Ranch, I find that my numbers have been mostly in between the two. I’ve been banding 30-35 birds every day this week, but without much diversity.

Mostly I’ve been catching 10-20 Wilson’s Warblers, 10-20 Chipping Sparrows, and only a few each day from Com Yellowthroat, Orange-crowned Warblers, House Wrens, Lark Sparrows, WW Pewees, Yellow Warblers, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Gray Catbird, YB Chat, and singles of Least, Hammond’s, Gray, and Cordilleran Flycatchers.

As mentioned, I am lately seeing low diversity. Even with species only SEEN at the ranch, like Canada Goose, Com Grackle, and Am Robin, most days I am only posting 13-15 species, including banded ones, on eBird!

For the season, since 8/1/21 I’ve processed 1525 birds, including 850 Chipping Sparrows, 120 Yellow Warblers (which are winding down),100 Wilson’s Warblers (which are cranking up), 85 Lark Sparrows, and 40 Lazuli Buntings.

We all recall last year, 9/9/20, the snow(!), but 9/7 then I caught 210 individuals, and 9/10 225. (Mostly a big chunk of the 1900 Chipping Sparrows I caught for the season). What a difference a year (and a drought) makes.

Hoping for some moisture again soon,
Good birding,
Steve Brown
Colo Spgs

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