71st Denver CBC concluded

[Joey Kellner]

Twenty-four groups scoured the circle and found just over 100 species.  Not bad.  Over the years we've counted 205 species, but yesterday we added TWO more!  Luke Pheneger's team found a VERY late Hammond's Flycatcher in the Marston/Bow Mar count area and Cole Sage's team found a late, singleton Sandhill Crane circling overhead in the Lower South Platte - East count area!  Wow!  Both species were documented via photographs.  

Otherwise, the notables were much reduced waterfowl numbers and a number of species of waterfowl were missed, such as Canvasback, Greater Scaup, Northern Pintail, and Ruddy and Wood Ducks.  Other misses were Northern Harrier, Ferruginous Hawk, & Merlin and Say's Phoebe!

Several birds could not be found on Count Day, but were recorded Count Week (e.g. White-winged Scoter, California Gull, and American Pipit.

The "rarest" of the birds seen were:

Surf Scoter - only the third time on the Denver CBC!

American Three-toed Woodpecker - Only the 7th time

Common Yellowthroat - Only the 5th time observed on the count

Notes: With such a warm and dry late fall, there is still much water ice-free to the north of Colorado.  I suspect that waterfowl may be lingering north of us until such time as the water freezes and they need to head south.  Oddly though, even with the two new species we added, we still did not see the "half-hearty" species I would have expected to see with such warm conditions this fall.  Only one Yellow-rumped Warbler, no Hermit Thrush, sapsuckers, cormorants, or pelicans.  Strange year.

A HUGE "THANK YOU" to all who participated and to those that enjoyed the food and friends at the compilation after a day in the field.

Count Compilers depend upon their area leaders and numbers of observers (of ALL experience levels).  IF you have not participated in a CBC this season, PLEASE consider it.  It is one of birdings greatest events, both from a citizen science and a social standpoint.

Joey Kellner

Compiler - Denver CBC

Littleton, Colorado