Clark’s Nutcrackers Douglas County

[Dan Stringer]

For the last several days, numerous small flocks of Clark’s Nutcrackers have been foraging in my  ponderosa pines,  5 miles west of Larkspur at just under 7000’. Normally they stay at higher elevations, the last time they came this far downslope in good numbers was 2013. I assume that drought / cone crop issues higher up are causing them to show up here, where we’ve received 23.24 inches of rain year to date vs. a yearly average of 15.51 inches through August. It’s pretty fun to hear their raucous calls, they make the Steller’s Jays seem subtle.

Dan Stringer

Larkspur, CO