Fourteenth Wray Christmas Count

December 20, 2017

Richard Stevens:

Again, predicted inclement weather coming to Colorado forced us to change the date of a Christmas Count.  We had to choose between a Christmas Count at Wray or Bonny Reservoir. 

The CoBus group consisted of six birders with another 12 feeder watchers joining us on our fourteenth Wray Christmas Count.  The temperatures today reached a "warm" 60 degrees.  Winds were a mild 5 mph most of the day with a few gusts to 12 mph late in the afternoon.

Total: 74 species (full list in January 2018 "Colorado Field Notes")

Highlights:
++Wray City Park     
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (CoBus group) first 12/20
++Stalker Pond    
Northern Cardinal (CoBus group) first 12/20
++Wray Fishing Unit    
Eastern Bluebird (CoBus group) last 12/20
Northern Mockingbird (CoBus group) last 12/20
Common Yellowthroat (CoBus group) first 12/20
Harris's Sparrow (CoBus group) first 12/20
White-throated Sparrow (CoBus group) first 12/20
++Sandsage Wildlife Area   
Eastern Screech-Owl (CoBus group) last 12/20
Brown Thrasher (CoBus group) last 12/20
Harris's Sparrow (CoBus group) first 12/20
White-throated Sparrow (CoBus group) first 12/20
++Yuma County Road 45  
Greater Prairie-Chicken (2) (CoBus group) last 12/20
--Between Hwy 385 and Lek, 1.7 miles/east/hwy 385
Short-eared Owl --CR 45/CR PP (CoBus group) last 12/20