Without the Boulder Christmas Bird Count (BCBC), the reports for December would have been few.
New species for the year were Ross’s Goose, Sharp-tailed Grouse and Long-eared Owl. Sharp-tailed
Grouse has recently been introduced in the county, and was a new species for the inventory.
Unseasonal birds included Greater Yellowlegs, Band-tailed Pigeon, American Pipit, Common Yellowthroat,
Green-tailed Towhee and Savannah Sparrow. Six different species of gull were reported including Mew Gull
and Lesser Black-backed Gull. Trumpeter Swans continued to stay in the county. Two Winter Wrens were
seen by many observers. Other good sightings included Long-tailed Duck, Brown Thrasher, and Rusty
Blackbird. A Gray-crowned Rosy Finch seen in Niwot was most unusual. Altogether 115 bird species
were seen in December, of which 112 were seen on the Christmas Count.
|
SPECIES
|
Dec. 2003 DATE(S)
|
AREA(S)
|
NO.
|
OBSERVER
|
|
Snow Goose
|
14
|
BCBC
|
6
|
...
|
|
Ross’ Goose
|
Count week*
|
BCBC
|
1
|
...
|
|
Canada Goose
|
Present
|
...
|
...
|
...
|
|
Trumpeter Swan
|
a.m.
|
28
|
4
|
...
|
|
Wood Duck
|
14
|
BCBC
|
1
|
...
|
|
Gadwall
|
6,13,14
|
23,25,BCBC
|
261
|
...
|
|
American Wigeon
|
6,13-15
|
23,BCBC
|
466
|
...
|
|
Mallard
|
Present
|
...
|
...
|
...
|
|
Northern Shoveler
|
14
|
23,BCBC
|
70
|
...
|
|
Northern Pintail
|
6,14
|
23,BCBC
|
28
|
...
|
|
Green-winged Teal
|
7,14,21
|
12,31,BCBC
|
275
|
...
|
|
Canvasback
|
14
|
BCBC
|
56
|
...
|
|
Redhead
|
13,14
|
23,BCBC
|
88
|
...
|
|
Ring-necked Duck
|
13,14,26
|
18,23,31,BCBC
|
254
|
...
|
|
Lesser Scaup
|
13,14
|
23,31,BCBC
|
39
|
...
|
|
Long-tailed Duck
|
7,26
|
18
|
1
|
...
|
|
Bufflehead
|
6,13,14
|
23,25,31,BCBC
|
18
|
...
|
|
Common Goldeneye
|
6,13,14,26
|
18,23,25,BCBC
|
85
|
...
|
|
Hooded Merganser
|
4,14
|
23,31,BCBC
|
165
|
...
|
|
Common Merganser
|
14
|
23,BCBC
|
665
|
...
|
|
Red-breasted Merganser
|
14
|
BCBC
|
18
|
...
|
|
Ruddy Duck
|
14
|
24
|
1
|
BCBC
|
|
Ring-necked Pheasant
|
Count week
|
BCBC
|
1
|
...
|
|
Sharp-tailed Grouse
|
14*
|
BCBC
|
1
|
...
|
|
Wild Turkey
|
14
|
BCBC
|
3
|
...
|
|
Pied-billed Grebe
|
14
|
24
|
25
|
BCBC
|
|
Horned Grebe
|
14
|
24
|
9
|
BCBC
|
|
Western Grebe
|
14
|
24
|
13
|
BCBC
|
|
Double-crested Cormorant
|
14
|
24
|
15
|
BCBC
|
|
Great Blue Heron
|
a.m.
|
pl.
|
36
|
...
|
|
Bald Eagle
|
a.m.
|
pl.,ft.
|
60
|
...
|
|
Northern Harrier
|
3,14,26,27
|
13,18,23,31,BCBC
|
19
|
...
|
|
Sharp-shinned Hawk
|
a.m.
|
12,23,31,36,BCBC
|
13
|
...
|
|
Cooper's Hawk
|
14
|
23,BCBC
|
3
|
...
|
|
Red-tailed Hawk
|
a.m.
|
pl.,ft.
|
129
|
...
|
|
Harlan's Hawk
|
14,28
|
25,BCBC
|
10
|
...
|
|
Ferruginous Hawk
|
1,14,28
|
22,24,BCBC
|
17
|
...
|
|
Rough-legged Hawk
|
14,27
|
13,BCBC
|
22
|
...
|
|
Golden Eagle
|
3,14,16,27
|
pl.,ft.
|
19
|
...
|
|
American Kestrel
|
a.m.
|
pl.,ft.
|
46
|
...
|
|
Merlin
|
14
|
BCBC
|
2
|
...
|
|
Prairie Falcon
|
14
|
36,BCBC
|
13
|
...
|
|
Virginia Rail
|
6,14
|
23,BCBC
|
2
|
...
|
|
American Coot
|
Present
|
...
|
...
|
...
|
|
Killdeer
|
14,27,28
|
23,BCBC
|
15
|
...
|
|
Greater Yellowlegs
|
14
|
BCBC
|
1
|
...
|
|
Wilson’s Snipe
|
6,14,27
|
23,BCBC
|
7
|
...
|
|
Mew Gull
|
Count week
|
BCBC
|
1
|
...
|
|
Ring-billed Gull
|
6,14,21,26
|
pl.
|
1598
|
...
|
|
California Gull
|
14
|
BCBC
|
36
|
...
|
|
Herring Gull
|
8,14
|
19,BCBC
|
37
|
...
|
|
Thayer's Gull
|
14
|
BCBC
|
1
|
...
|
|
Lesser Black-backed Gull
|
7,8,14
|
19,BCBC
|
2
|
...
|
|
Rock Pigeon
|
Present
|
...
|
...
|
...
|
|
Band-tailed Pigeon
|
14
|
BCBC
|
1
|
...
|
|
Mourning Dove
|
14
|
BCBC
|
24
|
...
|
|
Eastern Screech Owl
|
14
|
23,BCBC
|
3
|
...
|
|
Great Horned Owl
|
1,14
|
23,26,BCBC
|
15
|
...
|
|
Long-eared Owl
|
14*,15
|
13
|
3
|
BCBC*
|
|
Belted Kingfisher
|
6,13,14,21,28
|
12,23,BCBC
|
53
|
...
|
|
Downy Woodpecker
|
a.m.
|
23,31,34,37,BCBC
|
77
|
...
|
|
Hairy Woodpecker
|
a.m.
|
34,36,37,BCBC
|
18
|
...
|
|
Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker
|
Present
|
...
|
...
|
...
|
|
Hybrid Flicker
|
14,30
|
31,BCBC
|
3
|
...
|
|
Northern Shrike
|
6,14,27,28
|
23
|
1
|
...
|
|
Steller’s Jay
|
Present
|
...
|
...
|
...
|
|
Blue Jay
|
a.m.
|
23,31,34,BCBC
|
86
|
...
|
|
Western Scrub-Jay
|
1,14
|
36,BCBC
|
4
|
...
|
|
Clark’s Nutcracker
|
14
|
BCBC
|
4
|
...
|
|
Black-billed Magpie
|
Present
|
....
|
...
|
...
|
|
American Crow
|
a.m.
|
pl.,ft.
|
415
|
...
|
|
Common Raven
|
1,6,14
|
23,26,32,37,BCBC
|
109
|
...
|
|
Horned Lark
|
1,14
|
26,32,BCBC
|
96
|
...
|
|
Black-capped Chickadee
|
Present
|
....
|
...
|
...
|
|
Mountain Chickadee
|
Present
|
....
|
...
|
...
|
|
Red-breasted Nuthatch
|
7,14
|
36,BCBC
|
45
|
...
|
|
White-breasted Nuthatch
|
a.m.
|
32,34,36,BCBC
|
55
|
...
|
|
Pygmy Nuthatch
|
a.m.
|
32,34,36,37,BCBC
|
202
|
...
|
|
Brown Creeper
|
7,14
|
32,36,BCBC
|
24
|
...
|
|
Canyon Wren
|
11,12,14,16
|
34,35,BCBC
|
2
|
...
|
|
Winter Wren
|
4,14,27,28
|
23,BCBC
|
2
|
...
|
|
Marsh Wren
|
14
|
BCBC
|
4
|
...
|
|
American Dipper
|
4,6,13,14,28
|
23,BCBC
|
10
|
...
|
|
Golden-crowned Kinglet
|
14
|
BCBC
|
31
|
...
|
|
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
|
6,14,27,28
|
23,BCBC
|
35
|
...
|
|
Townsend’s Solitaire
|
a.m.
|
32,34,36,37,BCBC
|
56
|
...
|
|
American Robin
|
Present
|
....
|
...
|
...
|
|
Brown Thrasher
|
14
|
36
|
1
|
PG
|
|
European Starling
|
Present
|
....
|
...
|
...
|
|
American Pipit
|
14,23,27,28
|
23,BCBC
|
11
|
...
|
|
Cedar Waxwing
|
14
|
BCBC
|
1
|
...
|
|
Yellow-rumped Warbler
|
14
|
BCBC
|
2
|
...
|
|
Common Yellowthroat
|
23,24
|
23
|
1
|
...
|
|
Green-tailed Towhee
|
14,15
|
31
|
1
|
...
|
|
Spotted Towhee
|
14
|
BCBC
|
40
|
...
|
|
American Tree Sparrow
|
1,7,14,21
|
12,23,26,31,BCBC
|
109
|
...
|
|
Savannah Sparrow
|
Count week
|
BCBC
|
1
|
...
|
|
Song Sparrow
|
6,7,13,14,28
|
23,31,BCBC
|
191
|
...
|
|
Swamp Sparrow
|
4,14,23
|
23,BCBC
|
3
|
...
|
|
White-throated Sparrow
|
14
|
BCBC
|
4
|
...
|
|
White-crowned Sparrow
|
6,14
|
23,31,BCBC
|
184
|
...
|
|
Harris’ Sparrow
|
14
|
31,BCBC
|
2
|
...
|
|
Dark-eyed Junco
|
7,14,27
|
23,31,32,36,BCBC
|
1476
|
...
|
|
White-winged Junco
|
1-14
|
34,BCBC
|
20
|
...
|
|
Slate-colored Junco
|
a.m.
|
23,31,34,37,BCBC
|
226
|
...
|
|
Oregon Junco
|
a.m.
|
31,34,37,BCBC
|
169
|
...
|
|
Pink-sided Junco
|
a.m.
|
23,31,34,BCBC
|
261
|
...
|
|
Gray-headed Junco
|
Present
|
....
|
...
|
...
|
|
Red-winged Blackbird
|
Present
|
....
|
...
|
...
|
|
Western Meadowlark
|
Present
|
....
|
...
|
...
|
|
Rusty Blackbird
|
14,23
|
23,BCBC
|
2
|
...
|
|
Brewer’s Blackbird
|
14
|
23,BCBC
|
23
|
...
|
|
Common Grackle
|
14
|
BCBC
|
2
|
...
|
|
Great-tailed Grackle
|
14
|
BCBC
|
7
|
...
|
|
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch
|
28
|
21
|
1
|
EK
|
|
Cassin’s Finch
|
8,14
|
34,BCBC
|
3
|
...
|
|
House Finch
|
Present
|
....
|
...
|
...
|
|
Red Crossbill
|
3,7,14
|
32,34,36
|
5
|
...
|
|
Pine Siskin
|
7,14
|
36,BCBC
|
3
|
...
|
|
American Goldfinch
|
a.m.
|
23,31,34,37,BCBC
|
180
|
...
|
|
Evening Grosbeak
|
Count week
|
BCBC
|
1
|
...
|
|
House Sparrow
|
Present
|
....
|
...
|
...
|
TOP
|
SPECIES
|
Dec. 2003 DATE(S)
|
AREA(S)
|
NO.
|
OBSERVER
|
|
Coyote
|
1,14
|
23,26,BCBC
|
22
|
...
|
|
Rock Squirrel
|
1,3,15,20
|
34
|
1
|
DJW
|
|
Black-tailed Prairie-Dog
|
Present
|
....
|
...
|
...
|
|
Chickaree
|
14
|
BCBC
|
6
|
...
|
|
Abert’s Squirrel
|
14
|
BCBC
|
6
|
...
|
|
Fox Squirrel
|
Present
|
....
|
...
|
...
|
|
Cottontail species
|
14
|
BCBC
|
13
|
…
|
|
Wapiti/Elk
|
18,21,30
|
12,26
|
13
|
...
|
|
Mule Deer
|
Present
|
....
|
...
|
...
|
TOP
Alex and Gillian Brown, Robert Brown, Gene Ellis, Peter Gent, Steve Jones, Ellen Klaver,
Gene and Lynn Monroe, George and Marti Oetzel, Bill Schmoker, Randy Siebert, John Tumasonis,
Bill Tweit, David J. Waltman, Chris Wood, Eric Zorawowicz. TOP