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November/December 2002 Wildlife Inventory

November and December 2002 were unusually dry and mild winter months. Diving birds (loons, grebes and ducks) and gulls were particularly well reported. Eight gull were seen in November, and seven in December. Several birds were seen after an absence of at least a year : White-winged Scoter (last seen in 2000), Black Scoter(1998), Black-legged Kittiwake (1980) and Red-bellied Woodpecker(1986). Additional new sightings for the year were Long-tailed Duck, Glaucous Gull, Long-eared Owl, Rusty Blackbird and Purple Finch. Finches were reported in low numbers; Evening Grosbeak were particularly hard to find and Pine Siskin were reported in much lower numbers than normal. The Boulder Christmas Bird Count (BCBC) and the Longmont Christmas Bird Count(LCBC) both contributed to the number of birds seen in December. Altogether a total of 112 bird species was seen in November, and a total of 125 bird species in December, tying with the December 1987 record. Spotted Skunk was reported for the first time since 1990, and Gray fox for the first time since 1999. TOP


Birds
SPECIES NOV. DATE(S) AREA(S) NO. DEC. DATE(S AREA(S) NO. OBSERVER
Pacific Loon 4,6,9 24,25,U 3 .... .... .... ....
Common Loon 1-9,21 19,22,24,25,U 12 .... .... .... ....
Pied-billed Grebe a.m. 18,24,25 19 12,13,15,20,27 24,BCBC 34 ....
Horned Grebe 4,6,9,21,30 19,24,25,U 32 12,13,15,27,30 24 10 ....
Eared Grebe 6 19,24 2 .... .... .... BK
Western Grebe a.m. 19,22,24,25,U 72 12,13,15,20,27 24 7 ....
Clark’s Grebe 6,15 24 1 13,15 24 3 ....
American White Pelican 9 9 2 13,15 24 3 BK(11)
Double-crested Cormorant 3,9,21,27,30 24,U 6 a.m. 23,24,BCBC,LCBC 18 ....
Great Blue Heron a.m. pl. 7 a.m. pl. 31 ....
Turkey Vulture .... .... .... 29 15 1 GB
Trumpeter Swan 29 28 1 15,30 27 1 AH(11)
Gt. White-fronted Goose .... .... .... 5,15 2,BCBC 2 ....
Snow Goose 3 23 1 1,5,7,15 2,30,U,BCBC 4 AS(11)
Ross’ Goose 3 12 2 .... .... .... ....
Canada Goose Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Wood Duck 3 13 2 15 BCBC 1 LAG(11)
Gadwall a.m. pl. 114 a.m. 13,23,24,BCBC 183 ....
American Wigeon a.m. pl. 244 a.m. pl. 608 ....
Mallard Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Northern Shoveler a.m. 12,13,23-25 421 8,15 13,23,BCBC 39 ....
Northern Pintail 2,3 12,19,23,U 25 a.m. pl. 51 ....
Green-winged Teal a.m. 12,13,23,31 56 a.m. pl. 121 ....
Canvasback a.m. 24 42 12,13,15,20,27 24,BCBC 59 ....
Redhead a.m. pl. 417 a.m. 17,18,23,24,BCBC 36 ....
Ring-necked Duck a.m. pl. 96 a.m. pl. 288 ....
Greater Scaup 1,2,4,9 2,6,25 9 .... .... .... ....
Lesser Scaup a.m. pl. 146 7,11,13,15 pl. 59 ....
Surf Scoter 2,9 6,U 2 .... .... .... ....
White-winged Scoter .... .... .... 8* 18 1 TL
Black Scoter .... .... .... 12* 24 1 BK
Long-tailed Duck 28* 7 1 .... .... .... PPl
Bufflehead a.m. pl. 114 a.m. pl. 34 ....
Common Goldeneye a.m. pl. 75 a.m. pl. 286 ....
Hooded Merganser a.m. 13,19,25 27 a.m. pl. 97 ....
Common Merganser a.m. pl. 76 a.m. pl. 3179 ....
Red-breasted Merganser 4,9,21,27,30 24,25,U 80 12,13,15,20,27 24,28 53 ....
Ruddy Duck 3,6,9,13,30 12,18,U 15 7,11,27 13,18,24 7 ....
Bald Eagle 9,13,27 10,18,19,22,24 6 a.m. pl.,BCBC 33 ....
Northern Harrier a.m. pl. 7 a.m. pl. 9 ....
Sharp-shinned Hawk 9,23 23,25 2 3,15 13,23,31,BCBC 8 ....
Cooper’s Hawk 6 23 1 15 BCBC 1 BK(11)
Northern Goshawk .... .... .... 3,29 30,42 2 ....
Red-tailed Hawk a.m. pl. 9 a.m. pl.,BCBC 124 ....
Harlan’s Hawk .... .... .... 3,12,15 13,19,25 5 ....
Ferruginous Hawk .... .... .... a.m. pl. 20 ....
Rough-legged Hawk 13 18 1 a.m. pl. 9 BK(11)
Golden Eagle a.m. 19,24,30,33 6 a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 10 ....
American Kestrel a.m. pl. 6 a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 41 ....
Merlin 9 35 1 3,15,31 13,31,U,BCBC 4 BE(11)
Prairie Falcon 2 23 1 7,15 22,BCBC 5 ....
Ring-necked Pheasant .... .... .... 20 3 3 BK
Wild Turkey 1-13,15,17 37 5 10 37 5 G and LM
Virginia Rail .... .... .... 15 BCBC 2 ....
American Coot Present .... .... Present .... .... ....          
Killdeer 2-4,9 13,23,25 5 7,15 13,U 2 BK(12)
Greater Yellowlegs 2,3,6,9,13 18,19,23 5 .... .... .... ....
Baird’s Sandpiper 2 U 4 .... .... .... BSc,CW
Wilson’s Snipe a.m. 12,23,31 3 a.m. 3,13,23,BCBC 7 ....
Bonaparte’s Gull 2-9 19,25 18 .... .... .... ....
Mew Gull 15 25 1 3,14 U 1 NL(11)
Ring-billed Gull a.m. pl. 434 a.m. pl. 838 ....
California Gull a.m. 6,19,24,25 252 5,12,15,27 24,U 4 ....
Herring Gull 1,2,9,21,30 6,10,25 16 a.m. 18,24,U,BCBC 31 ....
Thayer’s Gull 1,2,6,9 6,10,25 4 1,5,15,27 24,U 2 ....
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1-13 6,19,22 6 5 U 1 BSc,CW(12
Glaucous Gull .... .... .... 1*,3 U 1 BG*,NP*,EZ*
Black-legged Kittiwake .... .... .... 5* U 1 BSc,CW(11)
Rock Dove Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Mourning Dove 23 23 1 15 BCBC 20 ....
Eastern Screech Owl .... .... .... 15,27 23,BCBC 5 ....
Great Horned Owl 9,20,21,28 23,25,29 4 1-15 13,23,26,42,BCBC 22 ....
Northern Pygmy Owl .... .... .... 15 BCBC 2 ....
Long-eared Owl .... .... .... 20* 3 2 BK
Belted Kingfisher a.m. pl. 10 a.m. pl. 53 ....
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2* 23 1 .... .... .... BSc,CW
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker .... .... .... 15 BCBC 1 ....
Downy Woodpecker a.m. thruout 8 a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 76 ....
Hairy Woodpecker a.m. 37,40 3 a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 41 ....
Three-toed Woodpecker .... .... .... 8 46 1 RT
N. (Red-shafted) Flicker Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Northern Shrike 9,16 23,U 2 12 23 1 CW(12)
Steller’s Jay Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Blue Jay a.m. 6,23,30,31 5 a.m. pl.,ft. 117 ....
Western Scrub-Jay 13,22,30 30,33 2 5,15,27,31 13,31,32,BCBC 35 ....
Clark’s Nutcracker 13 44 1 a.m. 42,BCBC 5 ....
Black-billed Magpie Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
American Crow a.m. pl. 79 a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 1195 ....
Common Raven a.m. 19,23,30,40 5 a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 127 ....
Horned Lark .... .... .... 15 BCBC 44 ....
Black-capped Chickadee Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Mountain Chickadee Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Bushtit 16 25 2 .... .... .... LAG
Red-breasted Nuthatch 27 40 1 a.m. 40,42,BCBC 41 BK(11)
White-breasted Nuthatch a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 9 a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 135 ....
Pygmy Nuthatch a.m. 37,40 9 a.m. 36,37,40,42,BCBC 376 ....
Brown Creeper 9,21 23 1 a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 64 ....
Rock Wren .... .... .... 15 BCBC 2 ....
Canyon Wren 5,9,13,21,27 33,40 3 3,10,15 37,40,BCBC 8 ....
House Wren .... .... .... 15 BCBC 1 ....
Winter Wren .... .... .... 14,15 BCBC,LCBC 2 ....
American Dipper 3,6,9,23 23 2 3,8,14,15 23,42,BCBC 20 ....
Golden-crowned Kinglet .... .... .... 15 BCBC 26 ....
Eastern Bluebird 16,28,29 14,23 4 15 23,BCBC 7 ....
Western Bluebird .... .... .... 15 BCBC 2 ....
Mountain Bluebird 3 24 1 .... .... .... AB
Townsend’s Solitaire 6,13,19,26 30,30A,31,33 7 a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 153 ....
American Robin Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Northern Mockingbird .... .... .... 5,12,15 32 1 SJ
Brown Thrasher .... .... .... 14 LCBC 1 ....
American Pipit .... .... .... 15 BCBC 2 ....
European Starling Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Cedar Waxwing 5,6 30,30A 30 15 BCBC 18 ....
Yellow-rumped Warbler 3,30 23 6 5,12,14,15 23 8 ....
Myrtle Warbler 23 23 6 .... .... .... CW
Palm Warbler .... .... .... 14,17 3 2 ....
Northern Waterthrush 3,4 23 1 15 BCBC 1 ....
Spotted Towhee 19 30 1 5,8,12,15 13,30,32,BCBC 41 ....
American Tree Sparrow a.m. 19,23,25 18 a.m. pl.,BCBC 184 ....
Field Sparrow .... .... .... 6-10 30 1 ....
Vesper Sparrow 1 22 1 .... .... .... CW
Fox Sparrow .... .... .... 15 BCBC 1 ....
Song Sparrow a.m. 23-25 7 a.m. pl.,ft.,BCBC 135 ....
Swamp Sparrow 21,23,27,28,30 23 1 3,5,8,12,13 23 1 ....
White-throated Sparrow .... .... .... 15 BCBC 3 ....
White-crowned Sparrow 2,9,30 19,23 3 15 23,BCBC 26 ....
Harris’ Sparrow 2,3 19 1 6-12 18,30 3 ....
Dark-eyed Junco Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
White-winged Junco a.m. 31,37 2 a.m. 30,37,42,BCBC 97 ....
Slate-colored Junco a.m. 37 4 a.m. 23,37,42,BCBC 156 G and LM(11)
Oregon Junco a.m. 23,37 8 a.m. 37,BCBC 118 ....
Pink-sided Junco 1,2 31 2 14,15,26,28 23,31,BCBC 2236 AB(11)
Gray-headed Junco Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Red-winged Blackbird Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Western Meadowlark Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Rusty Blackbird 15*,23 23 3 8,15 23 3 NL*,AB(12)
Brewer’s Blackbird 6,9,19,23,30 14,23 33 13,15 13,23,BCBC 356 ....
Common Grackle .... .... .... 15 BCBC 30 ....
Great-tailed Grackle 3,9,30 13,14 2 13 14 1 BK(12)
Pine Grosbeak .... .... .... ? 42 2 CL
Purple Finch 4* 25 1 9 30 1 S andMP*,BS(12)
Cassin’s Finch 13 37 3 15 BCBC 39 G and LM(11)
House Finch Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Red Crossbill .... .... .... 29 42 10 CL(12)
Pine Siskin 10,13,19,27 37,40,44 4 5,12,15 13,25,32,BCBC 57 ....
Lesser Goldfinch 1 37 1 .... .... .... RED
American Goldfinch a.m. 19,23,24,31,37 8 a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 299 ....
Evening Grosbeak 1,15 24,30 11 19,28 31 1 A and GB(12)
House Sparrow Present .... .... Present .... .... ....

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Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians
SPECIES DATE(S) NOVEMBER
AREA (S)
NO. DATE(S) DECEMBER
AREA (S)
NO. OBSERVER
Spotted Skunk 2* 37 1 .... .... .... RED
Red Fox .... .... .... 15 BCBC 3 ....
Gray Fox .... .... .... a.m. 30 1 TVZ
Coyote 3,11 12,37 3 a.m. 23,26,37,42 19 ....
Bobcat .... .... .... a.m. 42 3 CL
Black-tailed Prairie-Dog Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Least Chipmunk 6 37 1 .... .... ... G AND LM
Chickaree .... .... .... a.m. 37,42,BCBC 12 ....
Abert’s Squirrel a.m. 37 1 a.m. 37,42 7 G and M(11)
Fox Squirrel Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
Pocket Gopher Species .... .... .... a.m. 42 10 CL
Woodrat Species .... .... .... a.m. 42 1 CL
Vole Species .... .... .... a.m. 42 10 CL
Muskrat 2 23 1 15 23,BCBC 6 DS(11)
Deer Mouse a.m. 37 9 .... .... .... G and M
Nuttall’s Cottontail .... .... .... a.m. 42 7 CL
Cottontail Species .... .... .... 15 23,BCBC 18 ....
Wapiti/Elk 1-2,5 37 9 15,23 42,BCBC 100 G and M(11)
Mule Deer Present .... .... Present .... .... ....
White-tailed Deer .... .... .... 8,15 23,BCBC 23 ....

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Contributors to the November/December 2002 Inventory:
Linda Andes-Georges, Alan Bell, Steve Belmont, Maggie Boswell, Alex and Gillian Brown, Carol Cushman, Raymond E. Davis, Rob and Amanda Ellis, Bob Evans, Ted Floyd, Steve Frye, Peter Gent, Nancy Gobris, Greg Goodrich, Bryan Guarente, Jack Harlan, Ann Hicks, Steve Jones, Bill Kaempfer, Loch Kilpatrick, Chris Knight, Tony Leukering, Norm Lewis, Cherie and Ed Long, Sand McMannis, Gene and Lynn Monroe, Nathan Pieplow, Peter Plage, Suzi and Myron Plooster, Bill Prather, John Prather, Jeff Price, Scott Rashid, Scott Reumann, Bay Roberts, Ira Sanders, Mary Scheller, Bill Schmoker, Larry Semo, Scott Severs, Debra Sparn, Andrew Spencer, Marianne Stilson, Richard Trinkner, David J. Waltman, Chris Wood, Eric Zorawowicz. TOP