Christmas Bird Counts - Eastern White-breasted Nuthatches

[Brandon K. Percival]

Hi all,

Would people going on Colorado CBCs be interested in keeping track of the sub-species of White-breasted Nuthatches on your Colorado CBCs this year?  This year you can enter Eastern White-breasted Nuthatch and Interior White-breasted Nuthatch, if you see/hear any on your Christmas Bird Counts (mostly Easterns on found Eastern Plains counts, though it is possible to see them on the Front Range too).  It might be nice to report the number of Easterns on Colorado CBCs this year (in-case they get split sometime).  The Easterns have pale blue backs and sound like Red-breasted Nuthatches, and the Interior ones have darker blue backs.  Compilers who wish, can add Eastern and Interior White-breasted Nuthatches to your list, of course you get both, it only counts as one species.

Also, it looks like you can only enter one number for Snow Goose, so both white and blue will be just one number.  Also, it doesn't appear you have to keep track of Adult and Immature Bald and Golden Eagles.  Not sure if there are any other changes to how to enter numbers of birds into the CBC Website or not.

Also, a reminder about flickers.  In Eastern Colorado, we have a good number of intergrade flickers, so you can't assume a flicker you are hearing and don't see is a Red-shafted.  So, please report these as Northern Flicker.  If you see you flicker, and can tell it is a Red-shafted, that is good, or an intergrade, or a Yellow-shafted.  Though, heard only flickers should be reported as Northern Flicker. 

Have a good Christmas Bird Count Season everyone.

 

Brandon Percival

Colorado CBC Regional Editor

Pueblo West, CO

[Ted Floyd]

Thanks, Brandon, for the exhortation to pay attention to white-breasted nuthatches. Steve Mlodinow provides a superb review in Birding:

http://aba.org/birding/2014-MAY-JUN/14-3_08Mlodinow-R4.pdf

Ted Floyd

Lafayette, Boulder County