Ouray National Wildlife Refuge
General Waterbird Surveys

Randlett, UT     (435)545-2522 x 12    diane_penttila at fws.gov

January
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge
General Waterbird Survey
1/3/07

Pretty quiet here. The river is almost now totally frozen over. The following birds were seen within the survey route:

Canada geese 1,100 Bald eagle 6 American kestrel 1
Common merganser 1 Red-tailed hawk 12 Northern harrier 4
Great blue heron 1        

Diane Penttila
Ouray NWR

February
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge
General Waterbird Survey
2/20/08


We haven't had any waterfowl on the Refuge since December. Lots of snow; almost all the Refuge roads are impassable. But the elk are frequently seen. Their trails are like highways. The pronghorn and coyote are often
hanging out right in front of the office. Good selection of raptors seen today, though not in any high numbers. One little sliver of open water on the river with a few birds. Maybe some more open water on the river too,
but we are limited to where we can get to. The following birds were seen within the survey route:

Canada geese 14 Rough-legged hawk 3 Merlin 1
Green-winged teal 3 Bald eagle 7 Short-eared owl 1
Red-tailed hawk 3 Golden eagle 1    

Diane Penttila
Ouray NWR

March
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge
General Waterbird Survey
3/6/09

Spring is coming. The Green River is open and several units are starting to thaw pretty good. Seems to be very attractive fishing for bald eagles. Also saw a yellow-shafted flicker. The following birds were seen within
the survey route:

Canada geese 1,398 Ringneck 9 Sandhill crane 7
Mallard 831 Scaup 1 Great blue heron 2
Gadwall 92 Bufflehead 3 Northern harrier 1
Green-winged teal 117 Common goldeneye 6 Cooper's hawk 1
Cinnamon teal 7 Common merganser 63 Red-tailed hawk 2
Northern shoveler 9 Redhead 8 Bald eagle 86
Northern pintail 1,965 American coot 43 Golden eagle 1
American wigeon 9        

Diane Penttila
Ouray NWR  

April
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge
General Waterbird Survey
4/7/09

The following birds were seen within the survey route:
 

Canada geese 95 Common merganser 25 Marbled godwit 1
Mallard 193 Canvasback 27 Dowitcher spp 1
Gadwall 311 Redhead 16 Clark's grebe 2
Green-winged teal 1,484 Ruddy duck 148 Western grebe 15
Cinnamon teal 93 American coot 2,012 Eared grebe 4
Northern shoveler 267 Sandhill crane 5 Pied-billed grebe 3
Northern pintail 125 Double-crested cormorant 56 Northern harrier 3
American wigeon 17 Great blue heron 67 American kestrel 5
Wood duck 2 American white pelican 19 Red-tailed hawk 6
Ringneck 182 Killdeer 7 Great horned owl 1
Scaup 197 American avocet 22 Bonaparte's gull 1
Bufflehead 45 Black-necked stilt 2 Ring-billed gull 2
Common goldeneye 12        

Diane Penttila
Ouray NWR  

May
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge
General Waterbird Survey
5/6/09

Some very interesting and unusual birds seen, including a common loon. River levels are coming up and we have been getting some flooding. If you plan to come out this weekend, our Open House is Saturday from 7:30 to 1:00 pm. The following birds were seen within the survey route:

Canada geese 145 Sandhill crane 1 Marbled godwit 35
Mallard 113 Double-crested cormorant 184 Dowitcher spp 825
Gadwall 586 Great blue heron 25 Wilson's phalarope 493
Green-winged teal 100 Black-crowned night heron 6 Red-necked phalarope 110
Cinnamon teal 97 Snowy egret 7 Common loon 1
Blue-winged teal 12 Cattle egret 1 Clark's grebe 7
Northern shoveler 131 White-faced ibis 203 Western grebe 55
Northern pintail 19 American white pelican 150 Eared grebe 10
American wigeon 4 American bittern 1 Pied-billed grebe 14
Wood duck 5 Killdeer 5 Northern harrier 1
Ringneck 21 Black-bellied plover 4 American kestrel 3
Scaup 17 American avocet 76 Red-tailed hawk 1
Bufflehead 21 Black-necked stilt 36 Turkey vulture 2
Common merganser 1 Lesser yellowlegs 10 Forster's tern 9
Redhead 64 Willet 20 Caspian tern 2
Ruddy duck 53 Western sandpiper 20 Bonaparte's gull 4
American coot 940        

Diane Penttila
Ouray NWR

June
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge
General Waterbird Survey
6/4/09

The following birds were seen within the survey route:

Canada geese 637 Double-crested cormorant 138 Clark's grebe 8
Mallard 52 Great blue heron 65 Western grebe 122
Gadwall 213 Black-crowned night heron 9 Eared grebe 31
Green-winged teal 12 Snowy egret 3 Pied-billed grebe 16
Cinnamon teal 19 Great egret 1 Northern harrier 1
Blue-winged teal 1 Sandhill crane 7 American kestrel 5
Northern shoveler 5 White-faced ibis 14 Red-tailed hawk 3
Northern pintail 7 American white pelican 116 Cooper's hawk 1
American wigeon 6 American bittern 1 Osprey 1
Ringneck 5 Virginia rail 1 Turkey vulture 2
Common goldeneye 1 Killdeer 13 Forster's tern 7
Redhead 84 American avocet 18 Black tern 2
Ruddy duck 77 Black-necked stilt 19 Caspian tern 1
American coot 434 Spotted sandpiper 14 Ring-billed gull 10

Diane Penttila
Ouray NWR

July
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge
General Waterbird Survey
7/9/09

Part of the auto tour has been re-opened. Only the section along the Green River is still closed. Broods are becoming numerous, especially gadwalls. The following birds were seen within the survey route:

Canada geese 826 American coot 1,269 Spotted sandpiper 3
Mallard 161 Double-crested cormorant 76 Clark's grebe 14
Gadwall 1,429 Great blue heron 58 Western grebe 94
Green-winged teal 2 Black-crowned night heron 6 Eared grebe 84
Cinnamon teal 24 Snowy egret 10 Pied-billed grebe 88
Blue-winged teal 6 Cattle egret 1 American kestrel 5
Northern shoveler 6 Great egret 2 Red-tailed hawk 6
American wigeon 11 White-faced ibis 27 Northern harrier 1
Wood duck 13 American white pelican 60 Forster's tern 8
Ringneck 14 Killdeer 10 Black tern 2
Bufflehead 1 American avocet 4 Caspian tern 1
Redhead 90 Black-necked stilt 7 Ring-billed gull 3
Ruddy duck 92 Dowitcher spp. 30    

Diane Penttila
Ouray NWR

August
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge
General Waterbird Survey
8/5/08

While many nests initiated were wiped out during the flooding, many are still doing well. Namely the western grebe with 27 broods found in two units of Leota Bottom. The snowy plover young are still doing well. Also
found a sandhill crane colt, which could also be a Refuge first, many Virginia rail young and finally found the rookery of black-crowned night herons and snowy egrets. The following birds were seen within the survey
route (that I could get to):

Canada geese 62 Cattle egret 1 Spotted sandpiper 6
Mallard 162 Black-crowned night heron 16 Wilson's snipe 1
Gadwall 498 Great blue heron 90 Dowitcher spp. 19
Cinnamon teal 25 Double-crested cormorant 194 Wilson's phalarope 4
Green-winged teal 59 American pelican 320 Western sandpiper 1
Blue-winged teal 5 White-faced ibis 29 Pied-billed grebe 51
Northern shoveler 1 American bittern 2 Eared grebe 11
Wood duck 13 Sora 6 Western grebe 210
Ruddy duck 5 Virginia rail 10 Clark's grebe 24
Redhead 15 American avocet 2 Cooper's hawk 2
American coot 1,634 Black-necked stilt 7 American kestrel 1
Sandhill crane 3 Killdeer 12 Turkey vulture 2
Snowy egret 13 Snowy plover 2 Forster's tern 11
Great egret 3 Lesser yellowlegs 4 Black tern 3
        Franklin's gull 6

Diane Penttila
Ouray NWR

September
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge
General Waterbird Survey
9/3/08

Still have a good amount of water for this time of year. The following birds were seen within the survey route (that I could get to):

Canada geese 193 Sandhill crane 7 Lesser yellowlegs 8
Mallard 204 Snowy egret 35 Greater yellowlegs 1
Gadwall 642 Great egret 1 Western sandpiper 1
Cinnamon teal 103 Black-crowned night-heron 16 Wilson's snipe 1
Green-winged teal 44 Great blue heron 102 Pied-billed grebe 58
Northern shoveler 9 Double-crested
cormorant 		95 Eared grebe 2
Northern pintail 5 American pelican 992 Western grebe 240
American wigeon 18 White-faced ibis 376 Clark's grebe 11
Wood duck 1 American bittern 1 American kestrel 3
Ruddy duck 11 Sora 3 Red-tailed hawk 1
Redhead 10 American avocet 9 Forster's tern 6
Ring-necked duck 3 Killdeer 11 Ring-billed gull 19
American coot 968        

Diane Penttila
Ouray NWR

October
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge
General Waterbird Survey
10/2/08

Water has finally receded off most of the wetland dikes. For this time of year, we have a lot of water. Except for cranes, migration has been slow. The following birds were seen within the survey route:

Canada geese 896 American coot 605 Killdeer 6
Mallard 297 Sandhill crane 148 Lesser yellowlegs 4
Gadwall 458 Snowy egret 9 Dowitcher spp. 180
Cinnamon teal 50 Great egret 2 Pied-billed grebe 43
Green-winged teal 375 Black-crowned night heron 7 Western grebe 285
Northern shoveler 174 Great blue heron 26 Clark's grebe 16
American wigeon 307 Double-crested cormorant 72 Northern harrier 2
Wood duck 2 American pelican 60 American kestrel 1
Ruddy duck 26 White-faced ibis 37 Red-tailed hawk 1
Redhead 3 American bittern 3 Ring-billed gull 16
Northern pintail 60 Wilson's snipe 1    

Diane Penttila
Ouray NWR

November
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge
General Waterbird Survey
11/3/08

The following birds were seen within the survey route:

Canada geese 957 Ruddy duck 64 Great blue heron 14
Snow goose 1 Ringneck 37 Double-crested cormorant 2
Tundra swan 69 Scaup 1 American bittern 1
Mallard 1,116 Bufflehead 1 Wilson's snipe 18
Gadwall 86 Hooded merganser 2 Pied-billed grebe 57
Green-winged teal 185 Common merganser 10 Western grebe 27
Northern shoveler 370 American coot 420 Northern harrier 2
Northern pintail 272 Sandhill crane 637 Red-tailed hawk 1
American wigeon 6 Black-crowned night heron 1 Ring-billed gull 5

Diane Penttila
Ouray NWR

December
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge
General Waterbird Survey
12/3/08

Bald eagles are moving in and we are just starting to freeze up. Winter must be coming soon. But hopefully it will stay mild for just a bit longer so we have some open water for our CBC on Sunday, Dec. 14. With some open water and waterbirds we have a chance of beating Fish Springs NWR. The following birds were seen within the survey route:

Canada geese 527 Bufflehead 20 Eared grebe 1
Mallard 7,994 Hooded merganser 12 Pied-billed grebe 5
Gadwall 11 Common merganser 101 Western grebe 2
Green-winged teal 443 American coot 260 Northern harrier 2
Northern shoveler 90 Sandhill crane 351 Red-tailed hawk 2
Northern pintail 128 Great blue heron 7 Bald eagle 5
Ruddy duck 88 American white pelican 2 Ring-billed gull 62
Scaup 2        

Diane Penttila
Ouray NWR

  

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