Fountain Creek Spring Count, El Paso County (Great-crested Flycatcher, etc.)

[Steve Getty]

COBirders,

 

About 40 enthusiastic birders split into 5 groups to bird 5 areas for the annual Fountain Creek Regional Park spring bird count. In all areas, observers noted very strong numbers of migrants, combining for about 98 total species on Saturday. This is rather above the prior average of about 84.5 total species per day since 1991.

 

Highlights included Eastern Phoebe, Great-crested Flycatcher, multiple Clay-colored Sparrows, Broad-winged Hawk, American Redstart, Northern Waterthrash, Peregrine Falcon, and Orchard Oriole. Blackpoll Warbler was seen before and after count-day. We need to confirm, but Great-crested Flycatcher appears to be a first for the count. Eastern Phoebe, Orchard Oriole, and Broad-winged Hawk were also comparably really great, and only recorded 1-2 times prior.   

 

I’d also like to thank Colorado Springs birder Dianna Beatty for help with our on-going data compilation!

 

Cordially,

Steve Getty

Colorado Springs