All CBC historical data by species (or circle) can be queried here:

https://netapp.audubon.org/CBCObservation/Historical/ResultsBySpecies.aspx?1

On Monday, January 30, 2023 at 2:55:44 PM UTC-7 Scott Severs wrote:

> The Boulder CBC once held the annual Christmas Bird Count’s all time 
> highest record for bohemian waxwings in the continental United States, 
> *11,284 
> individuals seen in one day in 1987! Yes that's 11 thousand! *
>
>
>
> On Monday, January 30, 2023 at 6:51:39 AM UTC-7 [email protected] wrote:
>
>> I downloaded and compiled all the eBird accepted Bohemian Waxwing 
>> checklists for the Denver Metro area (Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, 
>> Jefferson, Broomfield). Hugh Kingery suggested a definition of an irruption 
>> to be greater than 4 birds on a checklist and to cover at least a period of 
>> 2 weeks. I sorted it into date order for these combined 6 counties. After 
>> dropping all checklists with less than 5 birds or an X in the count, I was 
>> left with 215 checklists with BOWAs in the Metro area over a 75 year 
>> period. Hugh had BOWAs back in 1948 close to the zoo.
>>
>> eBird was started by Cornell in 2002. Not many birders used it at that 
>> time but it is now widely used. Many birders have entered their historical 
>> records which is such valuable information. Many thanks to all the 
>> reviewers that really make this a trusted source of data. And thanks to all 
>> the birders that are now submitting checklists, we really have a great 
>> resource of birding data.
>>
>> David Suddjian was the first to see our current amazing irruption on 
>> 12/23/2022 in Ken Caryl. He confirmed the 20 flyovers by the "tight 
>> formation, size and calls". And it is possible we will continue to see this 
>> current irruption even into April.
>>
>> We have to go back *14 years* to get to the closest previous 
>> irruption for the metro area. It was in the winter of 2007-2008. It began 
>> on 12/14/2007 at Chatfield State Park and the last sighting that winter was 
>> at Columbine West on 4/13/2008. The high count that winter was 200 BOWA in 
>> Douglas county on 1/15/2008.
>>
>> Going back *2 more years* to the winter of 2004-2005 was a large 
>> irruption year as well. It began on 11/24/2004 in Broomfield and finished 
>> on 3/21/2005 in Douglas county. The high count for this period was 2000 (a 
>> conservative count they said) and was recorded in Adams county at "Federal 
>> & 120th by Norm, Ted, Dave and Marilyn" on 11/30/2004.
>>
>> You have to go back another *13 years* to the winter of 1990-1991 to get 
>> another irruption for the Denver Metro area. Beginning on 12/12/1990 at 
>> Chatfield and continuing to 4/5/1991 at Joe Roller's Yates home in Denver. 
>> He had 22 BOWA and commented on their "mean looking facies". There are 5 
>> records for this irruption winter and the average count was around 40 BOWAs.
>>
>> The 1980's had 5 winters with BOWA irruptions. 79-80, 81-82, 84-85, 86-87 
>> and 87-88. The largest count on a checklist for the 1980's was 1000 BOWA on 
>> 1/12/1988 in Greenwood Village by Hugh Kingery. He made this comment 
>> "Heritage 
>> Village, Littleton (6465 S. Niagara).No details. This month saw a lot of 
>> BOWAs in metro Denver.".
>>
>> There is only one year in the 1970's and one year in the 1960's that 
>> shows irruptions in the eBird historical data in the Metro area. 1976-1977 
>> had a checklist with a high count of 1000 BOWA at Cherry Creek SP on 
>> 3/12/1977. And finally in the winter of 1968-1969 there was a report of 
>> 2000 BOWA at Bow-Mar on 12/20/1968 reported by Van Remsen with this comment 
>> "invasion year; careful estimate".
>>
>> As more historical data is entered and as more birders use eBird, the 
>> data will get better. I did download all of the Colorado BOWA data and it 
>> contained right at 1000 records. All of Colorado averages an irruption 
>> every 3 years. But the Denver Metro area, from 1948-2023, has had 11 
>> irruptions in this 75 year span. So, we average an irruption about every 7 
>> years. Enjoy this one while it lasts. Sure has been fun.
>>
>> Gregg Goodrich
>> Highlands Ranch
>>
>

-- 
-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird 
species and location in the subject line when appropriate
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/
--- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
"Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email 
to [email protected].
To view this discussion on the web visit 
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/7866c0a1-40c6-41e7-b547-6e5aba6a6537n%40googlegroups.com.

Reply via email to