While scouting and conducting a portion of the Fort Collins CBC on 14 and 15
December, respectively, Ken Ecton and I had the following:
Hermit Thrush (CSU PERC (Plant Environmental Research Center) gardens in the
southwest corner of this wonderful habitat in the southwestern part of campus
(access off Lake Street e of Shields)). This bird was refound by Skyler and
Cree Bol and crew on Count Day (yesterday).
White-throated Sparrow (3, in the western part of PERC on either side of the
north-south sidewalk that bisects the garden, but most east of the sidewalk
often centered around the lath building, gazebo, and little frozen goldfish
pond rimmed with cantaloup-sized rocks). These birds also refound yesterday by
the Bol Crew.
Long-tailed Duck (juvenile or possibly adult female (lot of white on the face)
- basically about a third of the way south of the north end of Horsetooth
Reservoir, viewed at long distance from one of the pay pullouts along Skyline
Drive. Access to Horsetooth Reservoir, without paying, is virtually impossible
and very unsatisfying. Good luck to anybody who tries for this bird (money,
scope, and good imagination required). Also present was a lone Western Grebe,
and I believe also (from many tenths of a mile away) what appeared to be a loon
but it could not be relocated from another distant viewpoint.
Hermit Thrush (1, possibly of the rufous-backed Pacific race) at the Colorado
State Forest Service Nursery (not generally accessible to the public). Within
the FC CBC circle yet a third Hermit Thrush was reported last night during the
compilation dinner. Three is an unprecedented number for this area and speaks
to the mild period we had leading up to early December. I notice many of the
other Front Range and plains counts are reporting them, which paints a nice
picture of the situation.
Spotted Towhee (3 at CSFS Nursery)
Red Crossbill (1 heard only at noon on the 15th, not the expected Call Type 2
or 5) on Bingham Hill Road near Claymore Lake just s of the town of LaPorte.
White-throated Sparrow (1, maybe 2) along a private stream on a farm se of the
town of Bellvue.
Northern Pygmy-Owl (on Rawhide Drive about a mile north of Vern's Restaurant in
LaPorte, seen on the 14th, not on the 15th. Rawhide Drive runs basically due
north for a mile (maybe more) from Business Route 287 just e of the restaurant,
then loops around to the west and ties into 287 nw of LaPorte. My guess is the
bird could frequent the north part of this loop but that it obviously moves
around.
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
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