Birds and More of the Pawnee National Grassland's Journal

Hi all

We did the Pawnee-East (Stoneham) count on Xmas eve day. Weather was okay, winds probably 10-15+ at times.

Species counted:
Common Raven
Rough-legged Hawk
Lapland Longspur - 54 (good spot is CR 102 west of Hwy 71. There are alternating tilled dirt field and shorter grass field lanes. Horned Lark and Lapland Longspur were coming to road together frequently. CR 102 bends north where I had them on both sides of road.)
Horned Lark
Ferruginous Hawk
Golden Eagle
European Starling
Bald Eagle
Prairie Falcon
Northern Harrier
Northern Shrike
Red-tailed hawk
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian-collared Dove
Great Horned Owl
American Kestrel
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Tree Sparrow
Western Meadowlark
Section photos:

https://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org/albums/view/250/stoneham-xmas-count-21

Woods Lake continues to host massive Canada/Cackling and Snow (tons) Goose. Along with six mindfully watching Bald Eagle.

Thanks to those that participated!
Gary Lefko, Nunn
https://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org/
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/birds-and-more-of-the-pawnee-national-grassland

Hi all

NO WIND for both counts-a bonus! Colder Saturday (Crow Valley), gorgeous and warmer Sunday (Nunn).

Crow Valley Count Species

Photos from Willow Creek section: https://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org/albums/view/248/crow-valley-xmas-count-21

Mourning Dove
Golden Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Ferruginous Hawk
Great Horned Owl
Merlin
Northern Shrike
Horned Lark
House Sparrow
Lapland Longspur (41, plenty flying around Willow Creek-area)
American Tree Sparrow
Canada Goose
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian-collared Dove
Rough-legged Hawk
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
European Starling
House Finch
Dark-eyed Junco
Western Meadowlark
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Raven
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Mockingbird
Song Sparrow
Bald Eagle
Count Week: Northern Flicker

Nunn Count Species (so far, waiting on one section)

Photos from west section: https://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org/albums/view/249/nunn-xmas-count-21

Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Horned Lark
Bald Eagle
European Starling
Eurasian-collared Dove
Prairie Falcon
Lapland Longspur (plenty around again, playa (water) north of 114 along west side of 49 is attracting them as well)
Northern Flicker
Black-billed Magpie
American tree Sparrow
Rock Pigeon
Rough-legged Hawk
Western Meadowlark
Ferruginous Hawk
Golden Eagle
House Finch
House Sparrow
Bluejay
Red-winged Blackbird
American Robin
Dark-eyed Junco
Common Raven
Song Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Great Horned Owl
Northern Shrike
American Kestrel

Thanks Gary
https://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org/

Hi all

Walked around Crow Valley Campground yesterday. A total of 27 species. Best bird: Eastern Bluebird (2) found southwest of large pavilion along south-north fence line T-intersecting with campground south boundary.

First 19 photos: http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org/albums/view/177/crow-valley-campground-briggsdale

Thanks Gary Lefko, Nunn
http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org/
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/birds-and-more-of-the-pawnee-national-grassland

Hi all
Our Colorado Field Ornithologists organization is hosting the 1st Annual Colorado Birding Challenge on May 8th.It is a fundraising event to support grassland bird species conservation efforts. The objectives of this new Big Day event are:

To raise funds for conservation of declining Colorado grassland birds
To generate eBird data for all 64 counties on the same day
To provide a fun recreational event for the Colorado birding community and enable more people to engage in bird conservation.

More details on the conservation aspect (where monies go) are here: https://cobirds.org/Conservation/

The Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (fabulous organization itself) is the lead for conservation projects-https://www.birdconservancy.org/

The goal of any team is seeing/hearing the most species that day.

I formed a participating team of four named "Friends of the Pawnee National Grassland" and we'll cover as much as Weld County, home of me and the Pawnee National Grassland, as we can that day. As Colorado's third largest county, Weld County covers 4,016 square miles in the northern part of the state and is larger than the size of Rhode Island, Delaware and the District of Columbia combined.

It will be loads of fun and fast-paced birding to say the least. :-)

If you wish to support my team you can pledge a single amount or by species count (you pledge .50/species, we see 100 species, you donate $50.00)

Make your pledge here: https://cobirds.org/CFO/COBC/Pledge.aspx

Our name, "Friends of the Pawnee National Grassland" is currently at bottom of the drop down list.

Absolutely share with any of your other birder friends and family!

Thanks for considering our team and we appreciate your support!
Gary

Reaching out here to ascertain participation interest, in this era of COVID, for our four Pawnee CBCs. I am designing sections to be able to meet rules below.

12/16 Crow Valley (New)
12/23 Pawnee Buttes (New)
12/26 Nunn
1/2 Stoneham

Tentative Friends of the Pawnee National Grassland CBC Rules of Engagement:

Limited number of participants to reduce COVID risk and accomplish the count

We will be asking all participants to follow State of Colorado and Weld County mask and distancing rules

There will be no in-person gatherings, so no countdown dinners or compilation meet-ups

Social distancing and masking is required in the field

Equipment (binoculars, scopes, clipboards, etc.) is not to be shared except within your family group or social pod

There will be only one family group or social pod per assigned section of a CBC

If you are feeling sick, have a temperature or are showing COVID-19 symptoms within 48 hours of your start time, stay home

Carpooling may only occur within existing family or social pod groups

As an example, I will be covering an assigned section by myself. An existing family or social pod would cover an assigned section by themselves.

If you wish to participate on any/all of the four above let me know, "coloradobirder"
Yahoo! account. Trying to establish interest and headcount.

Did I leave out any reasonable "rules" other than above?

Thanks, Gary Lefko, Nunn
http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/birds-and-more-of-the-pawnee-national-grassland

First flight: 10 great places where beginning birders can get their wings. While most of us have stuck close to home this year, bird watching has taken flight. The outdoor activity, which naturally encourages social distancing, has soared in popularity.

Full story here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/10greatplaces/2020/09/20/birding-for-beginners-10-great-places-to-try/3491443001/

Thanks Gary, Nunn, CO
http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org

Ornithologists believe they are getting closer to understanding why thousands of migratory songbirds literally fell out of the sky across the Southwest earlier this month, including in areas of Colorado.

Read/listen to the full story here: https://www.cpr.org/2020/09/23/why-did-birds-fall-out-of-the-sky-in-september-colorado-new-mexico/

Thanks Gary, Nunn, CO
http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org/

Hi all

"In 1990 I (Kevin J. Cook) had the remarkable good fortune to spend a week with Roger Tory Peterson. I could write a book about that one week, but for now I only want to emphasize the importance of one particular conversation." read full story here https://www.reporterherald.com/2020/08/12/wildlife-window-time-to-study-up-on-the-gray-wolf/.

Thanks Gary

Hi all

Sharing ... For the July Nature Almanac, Scott Severs and Ruth Carol Cushman join a secret friend at his hummingbird haven near Lyons (CO), spotting hummingbirds and talking about healthy ways to feed them or provide their favorite flowers. Listen here https://news.kgnu.org/2020/08/nature-almanac-hummingbird-haven/.

Thanks Gary

Hi all

Update 8/21/2020: crossed over the 700 species barrier, great job!

Thanks to all who have made many contributions, observations and identifications over the years within our project and special place!

To date we have had 2,348 observations, 669 species, 599 Identifiers and 250 Observers. I'd like to challenge us to reach 700 species in near term! The Pawnee National Grassland is special place and reaching 700 species is certainly attainable--I know I am out there chasing that goal. :-)

These species are needed and are reported by eBird data (some rare) to be on Pawnee NG: ash-throated flycatcher, barn owl, black-billed cuckoo, blackburnian warbler, black-throated green warbler, blue-winged warbler, cassin's vireo, chestnut-sided warbler, Chimney Swift , common redpoll, eastern pheobe, field sparrow, fox sparrow, golden-crowned kinglet, hooded warbler, indigo bunting, kentucky warbler, magnolia warbler, mourning warbler, nashville warbler, northern parula, olive-sided flycatcher, ovenbird, philadelphia vireo, rose-breasted grosbeak, snow bunting, Sora , surf scoter, tennessee warbler, upland sandpiper, violet-green swallow, Virginia Rail , virginia's warbler, white-eyed vireo, white-throated sparrow, Willow Flycatcher , wood thrush, worm-eating warbler, yellow-billed cukcoo, yellow-throated warbler, white-throated swift, snowy plover, white-rumped sandpiper, dunlin, common poorwill, brown creeper, eastern screech owl, black-throated blue warbler, summer tanager, lewis's woodpecker, bell's vireo, canyon wren, winter wren, yellow-bellied sapsucker, canada warbler, eastern wood-pewee, american bittern, pine warbler, painted redstart, green heron, alder flycatcher, connecticut warbler, grace's warbler, golden-winged warbler, scarlet tanager, prairie warbler, costa's hummingbird,

Thanks
Colorado Birder (aka "The Nunn Guy")