Fifteenth Cottonwood Canyon Christmas Count

December 19, 2017

Richard Stevens:

With predicted inclement weather coming to Colorado, we had to change the Cottonwood Canyon Christmas Count.  Six cobirders and four feeder watchers conducted the fifteen Cottonwood Canyon Christmas Count today.  Temperatures reached 53 degrees.  Anemometer reading was 11 mph with gusts to 23 mph.

We enjoyed the beautiful Colorado fall day and success in finding some quite interesting birds in spite of the low species count.
Total: 68 (full list in January 2018 "Colorado Field Notes")

++Cottonwood Canyon and area    
Mississippi Kite (very late, not without precedent: 12/31/1993) (CoBus group) first 12/19
Western Screech-Owl (CoBus group) 4; last 12/19
Northern Saw-whet Owl (CoBus group) 3; last 12/19
Barn Owl (CoBus group) last 12/19
Short-eared Owl (2) (CoBus group) last 12/19
Long-eared Owl (CoBus group) last 12/19
Winter Wren (CoBus group) last 12/19
Juniper Titmouse (2) (CoBus group) first 12/19
Pine Warbler (CoBus group) first 12/19
Rufous-crowned Sparrow (CoBus group) 8; last 12/19
Common Redpoll (Mlodinow/CoBus group) (first 12/15) last 12/19
Northern Cardinal (CoBus group) last 12/19
(all above: Cottonwood Canyon)
Western Screech-Owl (CoBus group) 1; last 12/19
Northern Saw-whet Owl (CoBus group) 1; last 12/19
Winter Wren (CoBus group) last 12/19
Curve-billed Thrasher (CoBus group) last 12/19
(above: Carrizo picnic area)