Fourteenth Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area Christmas Count

December 14, 2017

Richard Stevens:

The CoBus group (Terry Michaels, Jacob Washburn, Jamie Thompson, Sue Ehlmann, Rebecca Kosten and I) were joined by six feeder watchers in conducting the fourteenth Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area Christmas Count today.  Temperatures only reached 37 degrees.  Anemometer readings were 17 mph with gusts to 34 mph.  The day was not conducive to finding many bird species.  We enjoyed good success under the conditions.

The circle includes centers in Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area near CR 89 and included Jumbo Reservoir, Red Lion Wildlife Area, Little Jumbo Reservoir and Logan CR 46/CR 89.  It stops just short of the town of Tobin to the west and just short of Haystack Butte to the northwest.  This was the fourteen Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area Christmas Count conducted by the Colorado Birding Society.

Total: 106 species (full list in January 2018 "Colorado Field Notes")

Highlights:
CoBus group:
++Tamarack Ranch Wildlife Area
  Red-bellied Woodpeckers (7)
  Northern Cardinal (2)
  Eastern Bluebirds (2)
  Field Sparrow (2)
  Harris's Sparrow (1)
  White-throated Sparrow (1)
  Common Redpoll (4)
  Greater Prairie-Chicken (one, southern section)
  Greater Prairie-Chicken (one, CR 46/CR 89)

++Red Lion Wildlife Area
  Greater White-fronted Geese
  Long-eared Owl (2)
  Harris's Sparrow
++Jumbo Reservoir
  Greater White-fronted Geese (4)
  Black-legged Kittiwake
  Bonaparte's Gull
  Hermit Thrush
  Eastern Screech-Owl (1 heard)
  Short-eared Owl (1)       
Feeder Watchers
  Long-eared Owl (2)
  Eastern Screech-Owl (2)
  Red-bellied Woodpecker (1)
  Harris's Sparrow (1)
  Common Redpoll (1)