Withouttotals from one field group and nothing yet from the feeder
watchers, the 23rd DenverUrban CBC has tallied 45,626 Individual birds of 84
species. Last year's 54,485 individuals set a record forindividual totals and
I doubt that we’ll exceed that this year. Highest speciescount, 91, came Jan.
1, 2004, but we’ve had 90 species four of the six yearssince then.
The mostabundant bird – surprise – Canada Goose, and fourth,
Cackling Goose; the totalCanadas exceeded the next most numerous, N. Shoveler,
by a factor of six; thetwo geese together equal seven times the number of
shovelers. Next Red-wingedBlackbird (maybe they haven’t declined after all),
Rock Pigeon, and Starling.Then four water (or water & dumpster) birds: Mallard,
Ring-billed Gull, Common Merganser, and N. Pintail. Possiblyafter the feeder
counts come in House Finch and House Sparrow will march up theline to the magic
first ten.
Unusualspecies included Lesser Goldfinch, new for the count,
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (3 previous counts),and Western Grebe (2 prior
counts). It always surprises me that American Dippers drop down thePlatte into
the city (one this year; 14 prior counts). Curious species for “urban” Denver
[thecount includes 10 miles of the South Platte, Cherry Creek Res. State Park,
andRocky Mountain Arsenal NWR.]: 6 Merlins, 9 Prairie Falcons, 11
FerruginousHawks, 19 Northern Harriers.
We had only5 Townsend’s Solitaires, though the feeders may add to
that number.
Hugh Kingery
Franktown, CO
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