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September/October 2002 Wildlife Inventory

September 2002 continued a dry and warm summer, while October had a more typical precipitation pattern with a major snowstorm in the middle of the month. By the end of October most of our winter residents were in evidence and the summer migrants had left. Several birds were seen after a gap of at least a year: Wood Thrush (last seen in 1994), a male Northern Cardinal (1985), Black-throated Sparrow (1999) and Swamp Sparrow (2000). New sightings for the year were Surf Scoter, Short-billed Dowitcher, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Black-throated Blue Warbler. Fall shorebird migration seemed particularly strong with many of the less usual shorebird species being seen. Reporting from the foothills was somewhat spotty for both months, and may explain the low numbers of certain birds. More complete lists including common species would be very helpful. There did seem to be a trend of observations of mountain- foothills birds seen unexpectedly far east into the plains: noteworthy were a Red Crossbill in Niwot and a Stellar’s Jay at Little Gaynor Lake. The Indian Peaks Fall Bird Count (IP) increased the number of mountain birds seen for September. Altogether a very respectable total of 172 bird species was seen in September, and a record total of 149 bird species in October. TOP


Birds
SPECIES SEPT. DATE(S) AREA(S) NO. OCT. DATE(S AREA(S) NO. OBSERVER
Pacific Loon .... .... .... 16-18,26 U 2 ...
Common Loon 15 41 1 9-on 24,25 5 IP(9)
Pied-billed Grebe a.m. 12,18,24,39 17 a.m. pl. 10 ...
Horned Grebe 18,28 12,24 3 a.m. pl. 27 ...
Eared Grebe 2,17,27 12,U 3 6,9,16,22,30 12,13,24,U 5 BK(9)
Western Grebe a.m. pl. 2349 a.m. pl. 294 ...
Clark’s Grebe 2,18,27 9,24 8 4,16 9,25,U 6 BK(9)
American White Pelican 27 8 1 4,13,22 9,U 202 BK(9)
Double-crested Cormorant a.m. pl. 113 a.m. pl. 66 ...
Great Blue Heron a.m. pl.,41 17 a.m. pl. 19 ...
Great Egret 1,2,17,22,27 6,9,14,U 33 4,9 9 3 ...
Snowy Egret a.m. 5,14,25 8 .... .... .... ...
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2 12 2 .... .... .... BK
Turkey Vulture a.m. pl.,33 51 1,2,4,6 9,25,30 16 ...
Snow Goose .... .... .... 31 13,24 23 ...
Canada Goose Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Wood Duck 2,3,18 18,24 12 a.m. 13,24 18 ...
Gadwall 3,18,28 12,19,24 67 a.m. pl. 100 ...
American Wigeon a.m. 5,10,12,18,19 234 a.m. pl. 171 ...
Mallard Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Blue-winged Teal 17 12 3 9 2 3 BK(9),CW(10)
Cinnamon Teal 2,24 12,24 4 9,15 2 1 CW(10)
Northern Shoveler 17,28 12 49 a.m. pl. 374 ...
Northern Pintail 17,18 12,23 7 a.m. 8,12,23 20 ...
Green-winged Teal 17,27,28 12,18 18 a.m. pl. 177 ...
Canvasback .... .... .... 16,17,25 8,12,U 4 ...
Redhead 2,18,28 12,24 8 a.m. 12,18,23,25 126 ...
Ring-necked Duck a.m. pl.,mt.,alp. 32 a.m. 8,12,13,18,23 65 ...
Lesser Scaup 22 48 4 17-on 8,12,18,23 24 ...
Surf Scoter .... .... .... 24* U 1 CW
Bufflehead .... .... .... 13-on 8,12,18,23,U 43 ...
Common Goldeneye .... .... .... 26,31 25,U 4 ...
Hooded Merganser 2,3,26 25 3 a.m. pl. 31 ...
Common Merganser 2,3,25,27 18,25,33 31 a.m. 9,18,24,25 24 ...
Red-breasted Merganser .... .... .... 13,16 25,U 3 ...
Ruddy Duck 3,18,22,27,28 8,12,19,U 216 a.m. 12,18,23 27 ...
Osprey 2,22,25 18,25,48 3 2,23 5,23 2 ...
Bald Eagle .... .... .... 5,19-on pl. 12 ...
Northern Harrier 14,22 40,48 3 a.m. pl. 7 ...
Sharp-shinned Hawk 20,22,27 30,36,40 12 19,22,30 5,26,32,37 4 ...
Cooper’s Hawk 21,22,24 36,39,40,48 10 6 25 1 BK(10)
Northern Goshawk 23 48 1 .... .... .... IP
Broad-winged Hawk 20-22 36,39,40 7 .... .... .... ...
Swainson’s Hawk 2,27 12 2 .... .... .... BK
Red-tailed Hawk a.m. thruout 39 a.m. pl. 35 ...
Harlan’s Hawk .... .... .... 19,22,23 23,25 2 ...
Ferruginous Hawk 30 21 1 3,5,19 13,14,19 3 SS(9)
Golden Eagle 8,14,18,22 24,33,40 5 1,6,9,19 18,24,29,33 4 ...
American Kestrel a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 13 a.m. pl. 16 ...
Merlin .... .... .... 6 32 1 BK
Prairie Falcon 8,17 6,33 2 13,19,23 12,14,25,26 4 ...
Ring-necked Pheasant .... .... .... 2,23 6,7 2 BK
White-tailed Ptarmigan 16,17 47 2 .... .... .... IP
Blue Grouse 19 48 4 .... .... .... IP
Wild Turkey a.m. 37 6 a.m. 37 6 G and LM
Sora 2 2 1 .... .... .... BK
American Coot Present ... Present ... ... ... ...
Sandhill Crane 19,21 21,25 4 1 31 1 SJ(10)
Black-bellied Plover .... .... .... 24 U 2 CW
Killdeer a.m. pl.,41 74 a.m. pl. 82 ...
American Avocet 2,6 9,14 8 .... .... .... ...
Greater Yellowlegs 2,3,6,25 9,14,18 6 2,16,23 5,6,10,22,23 6 ...
Lesser Yellowlegs 1,2,17,25,28 12-14,23 47 16,23,26 10,23 2 ...
Solitary Sandpiper 1,2,25 13,14 8 5 23 1 SS(10)
Spotted Sandpiper 2 24 1 .... .... .... BK
Sanderling 27 9 1 24 U 2 BK(9),CW(10)
Western Sandpiper 14 13 1 .... .... .... PG
Least Sandpiper 1,2,17 12-14 10 26 10 1 CW(10
Baird’s Sandpiper 2 14 4 16,24 10,U 3 BK(9),CW(10)
Pectoral Sandpiper 14 23 2 2,6,24,26 23,U 5 PG(9)
Stilt Sandpiper 1,2 14 7 26 U 1 CW(10)
Long-billed Dowitcher .... .... .... 2,16,22,23,26 6,9,10,12,U 33 ...
Short-billed Dowitcher .... .... .... 6* 14 1 BK
Wilson’s Snipe 2,17,24,28 12,13 5 19,23 12,23 16 ...
Wilson’s Phalarope 2 14 1 .... .... .... BK
Red-necked Phalarope 2 13 2 9 2 1 BK(9),CW(10)
Franklin’s Gull a.m. pl. 2127 a.m. 6,9,23,25,U 451 ...
Bonaparte’s Gull .... .... .... 21,26,28 19,25,U 3 ...
Ring-billed Gull a.m. pl. 202 a.m. pl. 255 ...
California Gull a.m. 6,12,14,25 111 a.m. 6,24,25,U 51 ...
Herring Gull .... .... .... 2,16,26 25,U 3 ...
Lesser Black-backed Gull .... .... .... 1*-17 25 1 BK*
Forster’s Tern 22 U 1 17 U 1 BS(9)
Rock Dove Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Band-tailed Pigeon 21 39,48 28 .... .... .... IP
Mourning Dove a.m. pl.,ft.,alp. 23 .... .... .... ...
Eastern Screech Owl 24 36 2 .... .... .... LC,TF
Great Horned Owl 3,19,24 23,27,36,40 4 2,6. 25 1 ...
Northern Pygmy Owl 1,25 25,40 2 .... .... .... ...
Burrowing Owl 24,28,29 13 2 5 13 2 AB(10)
Common Poorwill 1,3 37,40 2 .... .... .... ...
White-throated Swift 2,8 32,33 23 .... .... .... ...
Calliope Hummingbird 18 40 1 .... .... .... BK
Broad-tailed Hummingbird a.m. thruout 27 1 25 1 LAG(10)
Rufous Hummingbird 28 40 1 .... .... .... BK
Belted Kingfisher a.m. pl.,ft.,alp. 7 a.m. 5,13,23,24,30 10 ...
Lewis’ Woodpecker 8,25,27 33,36 4 1 36 1 JK(10)
Williamson’s Sapsucker 14,20,21 36,39,40,48 4 .... .... .... ...
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker .... .... .... 28* 40 1 BK
Red-naped Sapsucker 14,18,24,25 32,36,40,48 6 6 30 1 BK(10)
Downy Woodpecker a.m. thruout 8 a.m. pl.,mt. 9 ...
Hairy Woodpecker a.m. thruout 24 a.m. 25,30,36,37,40 6 ...
Three-toed Woodpecker 16,23 47,48 4 .... .... .... IP
N. (Red-shafted) Flicker Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Yellow-shafted Flicker 15 31 1 .... .... .... HG
Western Wood-Pewee 8 33 4 .... .... .... RED
Say’s Phoebe 8,25,27 18,27 4 4 18 1 BK(10)
Cassin’s Kingbird 14 32 1 .... .... .... PG
Western Kingbird 3,25,27 18,27 4 .... .... .... BK
Loggerhead Shrike 27 18 1 .... .... .... BK
Warbling Vireo 20 36 1 .... .... .... MB,SS
Gray Jay a.m. 39,40,45,47,48 35 .... .... .... ...
Steller’s Jay Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Blue Jay a.m. thruout 37 a.m. pl.,37 26 ...
Western Scrub-Jay a.m. pl.,ft. 15 a.m. 18,31-33 11 ...
Pinyon Jay 8,15 33,48 4 18 37 18 G and LM(10)
Clark’s Nutcracker a.m. 39,40,46-48 39 .... .... .... ...
Black-billed Magpie Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
American Crow a.m. pl.,mt.,alp. 92 a.m. pl.,mt. 257 ...
Common Raven a.m. thruout 88 a.m. pl.,mt. 12 ...
Horned Lark 2,23 9,48 3 4 18 2 BK(10)
Violet-green Swallow 3 18 10 .... .... .... BK
Barn Swallow a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 50 4,6 14,18 2 BK(10)
Black-capped Chickadee Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Mountain Chickadee Present ... ... Present ... .... ...
Red-breasted Nuthatch a.m. ft.,mt.,alp. 69 17 21 1 CW(10)
White-breasted Nuthatch a.m. thruout 44 a.m. pl.,mt. 8 ...
Pygmy Nuthatch a.m. ft.,mt.,alp. 64 1,17 21,40 6 ...
Brown Creeper a.m. thruout 34 6-on 18,23,25,26,30 7 ...
Rock Wren 2,21 36,39 2 19 12 1 CW(10)
Canyon Wren a.m. 32,33,36,40,41 7 1,6,19,23 31,40 2 ...
House Wren 1-21 pl.,ft.,mt. 17 11 26 1 SJ(10)
American Dipper 1,14,22-24 30A,40,41,45,48 10 9,22,25 23,33 4 ...
Golden-crowned Kinglet a.m. 39,46-48 53 .... .... .... IP
Ruby-crowned Kinglet a.m. 39,40,46-48 57 a.m. 23,25,27,30,40 18 ...
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2,8,18,19,24 24,32,33,36 6 .... .... .... ...
Western Bluebird .... .... .... 30 34 6 DJW
Mountain Bluebird a.m. thruout 53 4,22,30 18,26,29 8 ...
Townsend’s Solitaire a.m. thruout 26 a.m. 5,18,30,31,36 6 ...
Swainson’s Thrush 15-17 25 1 7 21 1 S and MP(9),CW(10)
Hermit Thrush 11,21-24 25,30A,32,39,48 5 2,7,14,23 21,23,26 3 ...
Wood Thrush .... .... .... 7* 21 1 CW
American Robin Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Gray Catbird 8,19 33,36 3 19,29 31,36 2 ...
Sage Thrasher 14,18 32 2 .... .... .... ...
American Pipit 16-18,21,23 24,39,41,47,48 27 9 24 1 BK(10)
European Starling Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Cedar Waxwing 20 31 5 .... .... .... ...
Orange-crowned Warbler a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 18 2,4-6,9 18,23,25,30 10 ...
Virginia’s Warbler 14,21 39,40 2 .... .... .... IP
Yellow Warbler 2,14,24 2,36,40,41 4 .... .... .... ...
Black-throated Blue Warbler .... .... .... 5 30A 1 NH
Audubon’s Warbler a.m. thruout 242 a.m. pl. 74 ...
Myrtle Warbler 24 23 1 7,19 21,25 3 TF(9)
Townsend’s Warbler 20,21 36,39 8 16 10 1 CW(10)
Ovenbird 13 33 1 .... .... .... DA
Northern Waterthrush 2 25 1 30 23 1 MBo(9),BK(10)
MacGillivray’s Warbler 21 39 1 5 23 1 IP(9),SS(10)
Common Yellowthroat 17,19 6,23 2 19 25 1 BK(9),TF(10)
Wilson’s Warbler a.m. thruout 86 1,5,7,9 18,21,23,33 6 ...
Yellow-breasted Chat 2,8 33,36 2 .... .... .... ...
Western Tanager 8,14,17,18 25,30,33 4 .... .... .... ...
Green-tailed Towhee 2,8,14,18 32,33,36,40,48 11 .... .... .... ...
Spotted Towhee a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 30 6,11,13,14,28 23,26,30,33 7 ...
American Tree Sparrow 15 41 1 14,19,23,25,31 8,12,13,23,25 10 IP(9)
Chipping Sparrow a.m. thruout 89 2,22 5,26 6 ...
Clay-colored Sparrow 10,14 23,31,32 6 30 31 1 BK(10)
Brewer’s Sparrow 2,18 32,36 4 .... .... .... ...
Vesper Sparrow 1-22 pl.,ft.,alp. 60 3 24 1 LAG(10)
Lark Sparrow 2,15 14,48 5 .... .... .... ...
Black-throated Sparrow 18* 32 1 .... .... .... BK
Savannah Sparrow 2 14 1 .... .... .... BK
Fox Sparrow 15 48 1 .... .... .... IP
Song Sparrow a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 17 a.m. pl.,ft. 20 ...
Lincoln’s Sparrow a.m. 19,25,36,39,47 25 2,19 23,25 4 ...
Swamp Sparrow .... .... .... 19*,22,23 23 3 TF*
White-throated Sparrow .... .... .... a.m. 2,5,11,23,31 6 ...
White-crowned Sparrow a.m. thruout 90 a.m. pl.,ft.,mt. 90 ...
Dark-eyed Junco 15,17,22,24 32,47,48 31 .... .... .... ...
White-winged Junco .... .... .... 17-on 21,31,37,45 4 ...
Slate-colored Junco 21 39 1 19-on 2,13,37,45 9 IP(9)
Oregon Junco 21 39 1 a.m. 2,21,31,37,45 8 IP(9)
Pink-sided Junco .... .... .... 7,19,30,31 2,21,31,45 6 ...
Gray-headed Junco Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Northern Cardinal .... .... .... 23* 23 1 CW
Black-headed Grosbeak 15 41 1 .... .... .... IP
Blue Grosbeak 2 14 1 .... .... .... BK
Red-winged Blackbird Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Western Meadowlark Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Yellow-headed Blackbird 14 40 5 15,16 2 1 IP(9),CW(10)
Rusty Blackbird .... .... .... 23 2 1 CW
Brewer’s Blackbird a.m. 5,14,16,23,41 39 a.m. 5,14 44 BK(10)
Common Grackle a.m. pl.,ft. 526 1-15 pl.,ft. 375 ...
Great-tailed Grackle .... .... .... 23,30,31 14,23 2 ...
Pine Grosbeak 14,18 48 4 .... .... .... IP
Cassin’s Finch 14,16,22 40,47,48 4 1,30 36,37 3 IP(9)
House Finch Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Red Crossbill 14,16,19 40,41,47,48 77 26 10 1 IIP(9),CW(10)
White-winged Crossbill 14,19 48 3 .... .... .... IP
Pine Siskin a.m. 39,41,47,48. 91 11,27,29,30 26,30,31,37. 9 IP(9)
Lesser Goldfinch a.m. 31,33,36,40 19 5,22,28-30 26,30,31 18 ...
American Goldfinch a.m. pl.,47 12 a.m. 14,26,30,31,33 20 ...
Evening Grosbeak 22,24 36,48 2 2,3,14,15 25,34 3 ...
House Sparrow Present ... ... Present ... ... ...

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Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians
SPECIES SEPT. DATE(S) AREA(S) NO. OCT. DATE(S AREA(S) NO. OBSERVER
Black Bear .... .... .... 3,9 34,37 2 ...
Red Fox .... .... .... 17 25 1 LAG
Coyote .... .... .... a.m. 13,26,37 15 ...
Bobcat 1,8 33,37 2 .... .... .... RED
Black-tailed Prairie-Dog Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Least Chipmunk a.m. 33,37 5 a.m. 37 3 ...
Abert’s Squirrel 8 33 1 a.m. 37 2 RED(9),LM(10)
Fox Squirrel Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Deer Mouse a.m. 37 30 a.m. 37 31 G and LM
Wapiti/Elk 20,21 37 20 25,30 28 100 LM(9),DJW(10)
Mule Deer Present ... ... Present ... ... ...
Fence Lizard Species 8,29 37 2 .... .... .... ...
Northern Watersnake 11* 14 1 .... .... .... JT

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Contributors to the September/October 2002 Inventory:
Linda Andes-Georges, Diane Andrews, Alan Bell, Joan Bloom, Maggie Boswell, Alex and Gillian Brown, Marlene Bruning, Lucy Clark, Raymond E. Davis, Eugene De Mayo, Gene Ellis, Ted Floyd, Steve Frye, Hector Galbraith, Peter Gent, Bryan Guaarente, Jack Harlan, Nathan Heick, Ann Hicks, Steve Jones, Bill Kaempfer, Joan Kleypas, Joe LaFleur, Gene and Lynn Monroe, Diane Mullineaux, Sharon Norfleet, George and Marti Oetzel, Suzi and Myron Plooster, Bill Schmoker, Scott Severs, Debra Sparn, Richard Trinkner, John Tumasonis, David J. Waltman, Carl Whitehurst, Chris Wood, Eric Zorawowicz. TOP