December 2006 and January 2007 were very snowy months. Most of the water in the county was frozen leaving Valmont Reservoir, which is artificially heated by the power station, a haven for water-birds. The Boulder Christmas bird count (BCBC) always ensures good coverage in December, and several field trips to Valmont Reservoir meant that the birds there were well reported. In particular, Valmont supported an enormous number of gulls. Apparently most of them spend overnight there but forage in the east of the county at such places as Erie dump during the day. Altogether nine species of gull were reported with the most unusual being an Iceland Gull (last reported in 2000) and a Glaucous-winged Gull (last reported in 2004). It should be added that there is always a potential for hybrid gulls, but these, as far as anyone could tell, appeared to be pure bred. Ring-billed Gulls numbered in the thousands with a few hundred Herring Gulls. In addition there were at least six California Gulls, four Thayer’s Gulls, four Lesser Black-backed Gulls, three Great Black-backed Gulls and two Glaucous Gulls.

Both Pacific Loon  and Yellow-billed Loon  were seen in the early part of December although the latter bird was injured and subsequently died. As well as the now expected Double-crested Cormorants, Valmont Reservoir was also host to at least four Black-crowned Night Herons. Along with a few Western Grebes, a single Clark’s Grebe  was found on Valmont. The pond at the Presbyterian Church on 63rd Street, near Sawhill Ponds, had a great selection of ducks and geese. Out of season birds included a Greater Yellowlegs at Walden Ponds seen in December.

The feeders at the Fawnbrook Inn in Allenspark again attracted a selection of mountain birds including all three species of Rosy Finch. A few Evening Grosbeaks were seen in the mountains in January, having not been seen in December. Pine Siskins  were reported in very low numbers; only three were reported on the Boulder Christmas Bird Count. Similarly numbers of Cassin’s Finches  were very low.  All three types of bluebirds (Mountain, Western and Eastern) were seen in December and appeared to be wintering in the county.

A Golden-crowned Sparrow was seen on the Longmont Christmas Bird Count right in the north of the county near Rabbit Mountain. This unusual species was last seen in 2001 and stayed long enough to be viewed by several observers. Chihuahan Raven is a notoriously difficult bird to identify where its range overlaps with Common Raven. In January a few birds were positively identified as Chihuahan Ravens; many more were questioned as possible.  In December a Lapland Longspur was seen in the north-east corner of the county after a gap of more than a year; this is an area of the county that is habitually under-reported. A Varied Thrush that visited an East Boulder yard was an exciting winter sighting.

Altogether 121 bird species were reported in December and 101 species in January. These are respectable totals but break no records. TOP