Ft Collins CBC

[Tom Hall, Fort Collins]

Fort Collins CBC was conducted Saturday Dec. 18.   It was a cold but beautiful day with many a smile.  We had quite a turnout with about 90 people participating.  Scouring the Fort Collins area, we posted 100 bird species with a couple new for count day, an Eastern Phoebe and Say's Phoebe.  

We found some rarities (seen 5 or less times in the 74th consecutive CBC) other than the new species, including 2 Long-tailed Ducks, 4 Tundra Swans, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, 1 each Iceland (Thayer's) and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Double-crested Cormorant (appeared sickly), and 2 Lincoln's Sparrows (on opposite sides of town).  We had high counts for 10 species with most just surpassing all-time highs.  Of these, it should be noted that the Wild Turkey has been increasing at a rapid rate with 142 seen over the previous high from last year of 131.  

On the other hand, three bird species were considered low-count species.  Ring-necked Pheasants which occasionally garnered over 200 historically, continued at zero for the third consecutive year.  Rough-legged Hawks were zero, though they have been seen on every count since 1957 (it is a count week bird as of today).  The other was Northern Shovelers, as only 8 were seen with this species usually averaging well over 100.  On a bright note, a Lewi's Woodpecker was found.  I remember they used to be somewhat common along the Front Range in places such as Fort Collins, though they have not been seen here since 1998 and off-and-on since 1971.  What a great find!  It was a chilly, but beautiful day, except when I fell through frozen crust in a cattail marsh to up over my knees (I was wearing firemen boots that filled and I usually never go deeper than my ankles - Ughhhhh!).  It got even more chilly.

Get out and help, it is a lt of fun!