Colorado State Forest Christmas Count

December 13, 2013

Richard Stevens:

The four of us met up with Jerry Petrosky, Jacob Washburn, Ray Simmons and conducted the Colorado State Forest Christmas Count today.  Weather conditions were fantastic with little winds and temperatures in the 40s.

We also recruited five feeder watchers.  Final totals are not in yet.  We did have Boreal Owls, Dusky Grouse, Rosy Finches, American Three-toed Woodpeckers and the usual mountain species.  A surprise was a Greater Sage-Grouse along Jackson County Road 25.

A few Rosy Finches were again at the Colorado State Forest Visitor's Center.  An American Three-toed Woodpecker was north of the Visitor's Center, across highway 14.

Totals so far (with final report in January's "Colorado Field Notes"):
38 species:
Greater Sage-Grouse - Jackson CR 25
Dusky Grouse - Feeder Watcher
Bald Eagle
Cooper's Hawk
Northern Goshawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Golden Eagle
Rock Pigeon
Boreal Owl
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Gray Jay
Clark's Nutcracker
American Crow
Common Raven
Horned Lark
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
American Robin
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch
Black Rosy-Finch
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch
Pine Grosbeak
Cassin's Finch
House Finch
Red Crossbill
Evening Grosbeak
House Sparrow