Christmas Bird Count Species List | December 15, 2019

---

Sunday, December 15, 2019, 7:30AM – 3PM
 

“Count Day” Species Identified

Canada Goose Mallard Common Goldeneye Wild Turkey Great Blue Heron Bald Eagle Red-tailed Hawk Golden Eagle Wilson’s Snipe Rock Pigeon Eurasian Collared-Dove Belted Kingfisher Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Steller’s Jay Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay Clark’s Nutcracker Black-billed Magpie American Crow Common Raven Black-capped Chickadee Mountain Chickadee Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch American Dipper Townsend’s Solitaire American Robin Song Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Red-winged Blackbird Pine Grosbeak House Finch American Goldfinch House Sparrow

 

“Count Week” Species Identified

White-tailed Ptarmigan Pygmy Nuthatch Brown Creeper American Kestrel European Starling

Comments:

The 120th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count season is underway and the Aspen count took place on Sunday, December 15, 2019. More than 20 volunteers contributed to gathering bird census data within the 15-mile diameter circle centered roughly around Cozy Point Ranch, documenting 35 species plus 5 count week species. Cold weather and a deep early season snowpack made this a true winter experience, but fueled by hot coffee and Paradise Bakery muffins, the hardy groups covered their routes. Snowmass Ski Patrol helped as well by counting white-tailed ptarmigans in the extensive alpine terrain at the top of Snowmass Ski Area. We were also thrilled to have two young girls, Izzy and Sofia, join as volunteer birders. 

Highlights were a great blue heron, a Clark’s nutcracker foraging in a bald-faced hornet’s nest, a healthy number of downy and hairy woodpeckers, a bald eagle that flew into view just as we were hoping to see one, and many Townsend’s Solitaires. Absent from our count this year were cedar waxwings, white-throated sparrows, and rosy-finches. Count week species were American kestrel, brown creeper, pygmy nuthatch, European starling, and white-tailed ptarmigan.

This season more than 60,000 people across the Western Hemisphere will participate in the Christmas Bird Count, the longest-running citizen science project in the world. Thanks to our volunteers that made this possible and to ACES for hosting and supporting this important event.

~ Rebecca Weiss, ACES Bird Guide