Date: 6/26/26 4:44 pm From: Marty <wolfmartinc...> Subject: [cobirds] BBS route summary in SE El Paso County
Greetings, Cobirders,
I ran my Breeding Bird Survey route in the very SE corner of El Paso County (well east of Chico Basin) last Friday (6/19) for the 13th year, and wanted to share its status & results a bit for those interested.
I suspect the area has gotten some precipitation since then, but it was quite dry the 18th & 19th--tho not the driest I've seen it in mid/late June. One rancher I spoke with said they'd have to sell off cattle before long if rains don't come so they can plant feed crops, since they couldn't afford to continue buying feed. Also, of course, the air was quite hazy/smoky from the UT/NM fires--it was difficult to make out Pikes Peak, Cheyenne Mtn, & Rampart Range, which normally is not the case.
This route generally has a half-dozen or so plowed or newly planted fields along it, interspersed with the short-grass prairie (& grazing cattle--including some open range), but not a single field had even been plowed this year... hence not a single Mountain Plover detected. There have been 5 other years with no plovers on count day, but as many as 12 and 13 spotted in other years (2021 & 2025). I know folks were seeing them out there early this spring (possibly further west, along/off of Hanover?)--maybe it was greener there/then, or any in the area of my route decided to move along to breed in better pastures.
Numbers of Horned Lark, Cassin Sparrow, and Lark Bunting were below average for my tenure since 2013; not a single Grasshopper or Brewer Sparrow. At 22, the number of species was my lowest (but tied the previous surveyor's species count in 2011. [2025 had my highest species count at 36]). The total individuals observed this year was my 3rd lowest at 404 (my highest was in 2018, at 539).
On the brighter side, numbers of Scaled Quail, Burrowing Owl, and Loggerhead Shrike were above average--9, 15, and 10, respectively (as were House Sparrow & House Finch). Also, on the 18th while scouting I had two Canyon Towhee, an unexpected new species for the route.
Interestingly, when I was at the first Stop on the 18th to scout things out, an Xcel employee pulled up in one of their pickups, asking if I was OK, and when he saw my binoculars & camera and heard I was doing my annual June bird survey he expressed concern for my safety. He said Xcel was underway with layout & construction (& also doing bird & wildlife surveys for Environmental Impact analyses) for that #5 segment of their Colorado's Power Pathway (transmission lines especially for future solar and wind power)--but said that many local folks weren't too happy about it--and they might assume I was with Xcel. He said their crews actually have security travelling with them for protection.
Here are some pics from the 2 days (first 4 from scouting on the 18th; next 4 from count day the 19th).
...looking west past the parched prairie toward the Peak--not as clear as normal. [image: IMG_3009be.jpg]
Count day-- [image: IMG_3032e.jpg]
...there's the Peak...? [image: IMG_3035e.jpg] [image: IMG_3044e.jpg] 5 owls in this shot (6 were present): [image: IMG_3048ce.jpg]
Curious to hear from other BBS-ers.
Marty Wolf, NW CO Spgs
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