Vol. 51 No. 3 Summer 2017 Colorado Birds The Colorado Field Ornithologists’ Quarterly The Hungry Bird: Sapsucking Woodpeckers Barn Owl Nest Box Swap In the Scope: Subspecies in Colorado Colorado Field Ornithologists PO Box 929, Indian Hills, Colorado 80454 cfobirds.org Colorado Birds (USPS 0446-190) (ISSN 1094-0030) is published quarterly by the Col- orado Field Ornithologists, P.O. Box 929, Indian Hills, CO 80454. Subscriptions are obtained through annual membership dues. Nonprofit postage paid at Louisville, CO. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Colorado Birds, P.O. Box 929, Indian Hills, CO 80454. Officers and Directors of Colorado Field Ornithologists: Dates indicate end of cur- rent term. An asterisk indicates eligibility for re-election. Terms expire at the annual convention. Officers: President: David Gillilan, Littleton, 2019*, [email protected]; Vice Pres- ident: Christy Carello, Golden, 2019*, [email protected]; Secretary: Chris Ow- ens, Longmont, 2019, [email protected]; Treasurer: Michael Kiessig, Indian Hills, 2019*, [email protected] Directors: Amber Carver, Littleton, 2018*; Gloria Nikolai, Colorado Springs, 2018*; Christian Nunes, Longmont, 2019; Christy Payne, Wheat Ridge, 2020*; Jason St. Pierre, Durango, 2019* Colorado Bird Records Committee: Dates indicate end of current term. An asterisk indicates eligibility to serve another term. Terms expire 12/31. Chair: Mark Peterson, Colorado Springs, 2018*, [email protected] Committee Members: Lisa Edwards, Secretary; Peter Gent, Boulder, 2017*; Tony Leu- kering, Largo, Florida, 2018; Dan Maynard, Denver, 2017*; Kathy Mihm Dunning, Den- ver, 2018*; Christian Nunes, Longmont, 2019*; Steven Mlodinow, Longmont, 2019* Immediate Past President: Doug Faulkner Colorado Birds Quarterly: Editor: Scott W. Gillihan, [email protected] Staff: Christy Carello, science editor, [email protected]; Debbie Marshall, de- sign and layout, [email protected] Annual Membership Dues (renewable quarterly): General $25; Youth (under 18) $12; Institution $30. Membership dues entitle members to a subscription to Colorado Birds, which is published quarterly. Back issues/extra copies may be ordered for $7.50. Send requests for extra copies/back issues, change of address and membership renewals to [email protected]. Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. COPYRIGHT © 2017 by Colorado Field Ornithologists. Reproduction of articles is permitted only under consent from the publisher. Works by U.S. and Canadian governments are not copyrighted. 126 Colorado Birds Summer 2017 Vol. 51 No. 3 The Colorado Field Ornithologists’ Quarterly Vol. 51 No. 3 Summer 2017 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ....................................... 128 David Gillilan CFO BOARD MEETING MINUTES ......................... 130 Chris Owens CORRECTION: BIRDS AT LAIR O' THE BEAR PARK OVER THE LAST DECADE .......................... 133 Scott W. Gillihan SUMMER OBSERVATIONS OF PACIFIC WRENS LIKELY BREEDING IN COLORADO ......... 134 Mike Britten, Jeff Connor, and Kurt Fristrup NEWS FROM THE FIELD: WINTER 2016–2017 .... 142 David Dowell IN THE SCOPE: SELECTED BIRD SUBSPECIES OF INTEREST IN COLORADO: PART 1 .................. 154 Tony Leukering and Steven G. Mlodinow THE HUNGRY BIRD ............................................. 170 Dave Leatherman EXCHANGING AN ACTIVE BARN OWL Purple NEST BOX ............................................................. 174 Sandpiper, Scott Rashid 1st Colorado record, Iron Spring Creek near where it enters Dillon Reservoir, Summit Coun- ty, 19 Dec 16. Photo by Bill Maynard PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Like many incoming Colorado Field Ornithologist presidents be- fore me, my first President’s Message for our flagship journalColorado Birds is being written shortly after the conclusion of another suc- cessful annual convention and membership meeting, this one having taken place in Steamboat Springs. I was first inspired to join CFO by the prospect of attending an upcoming convention (Trinidad, 2012), which may very well be how many of you first became members of CFO as well. CFO and conventions have been closely entwined from the start; CFO was created in 1965 as a statewide entity to sponsor annual con- ventions (Colorado Birds, Vol. 46:3, July 2012). At the conclusion of my first con- vention in Trinidad, I pondered which I had enjoyed more; all the birds I saw, or getting to know so many other birders. Though I leaned toward the latter, I was glad I didn’t have to choose between them. At our Steamboat convention, events like the welcome picnic held at The Nature Conservancy’s Carpenter Ranch, and the banquet and annual David Gillilan meeting held at the Colorado Moun- tain College with expansive views out over the valley, were just as popular as the dozens of field trips rang- ing near and far across northwestern Colorado, the keynote address by Sheri Williamson, and the presentations of scientific papers, all of which were superb. Though we continue to experiment with our convention formats, we expect our next convention, based in eastern Boulder County in May 2018 (precise venues and dates not yet available), to continue the trend of mixing people who like birds with birds, and other bird- ers, and people who study birds! Boulder County provides us with a variety of good venues to host events, and an opportunity to send field trips in virtually every direction through a huge range of habi- tats, from high peaks to the plains and everything in between. It also gives us a chance to host a convention in an area that has not hosted the convention since 1987. Though convention work understandably dominates the thoughts and time of the CFO board during the first half of the year, I would be remiss in failing to remind our membership that a great deal of work is done year-round on a great number of matters, large and small, by an all-volunteer board, which also serves as its own unpaid staff. 128 Colorado Birds Summer 2017 Vol. 51 No. 3 I would also like to recognize the significant contributions of three board members who just left the board after many years of hard and exceptional work: Doug Faulkner, who has served several stints with CFO as editor of Colorado Birds, CBRC chair, and president; Lisa Edwards, our membership chair who also did anything and every- thing else, and could (did?) keep the entire organization functional; and Ted Floyd, who in the last several years was most likely the one who communicated to you most of the information you needed to know about CFO events. We wish them all well, and don’t be at all surprised if we continue to see more of their handiwork in the future. On the flip side, the membership voted to bring in three new board members, Sue Riffe, Jason St. Pierre, and Christy Payne, who we welcome. Work they’ve already done as volunteers for the Steam- boat convention has proved them to be a very competent and ener- getic group. There has been a distinct shift in the demographics of the board recently, some of it intentional; when I joined the board just three years ago I could legitimately count myself as being part of the younger set, notwithstanding that I am older than CFO, and two- thirds of us, including all four officers, were male. That has changed, on all counts; today’s officers and board members now look a lot more like the overall CFO membership in both age and gender. And though we now have fewer experienced board members (ten current members came on board within the last three years), I’m confident that the board still has the people it needs to accomplish CFO’s goals. Colorado Birds Summer 2017 Vol. 51 No. 3 129 CFO BOARD MEETING MINUTES 4 February 2017 Chatfield State Park Littleton, CO Chris Owens President Doug Faulkner called the meeting to order at 11:11 A.M. Other officers present included Vice President David Gillilan, Trea- surer Michael Kiessig, Secretary Chris Owens; directors present were Mark Peterson, Amber Carver, Gloria Nikolai, Lisa Edwards, Christy Carello, and Christian Nunes. Guests Larry Modesitt and Buzz Scha- umberg were also present. Scott Gillihan and Ted Floyd sent their regrets. Secretary’s Report: Chris Ow- further discussed after the upcoming ens’ minutes from the 3 December convention and annual meeting in 2016, meeting were approved with no Steamboat Springs. changes or additions. Western Field Ornithologists Treasurer’s report: Treasurer Mi- Partnership: Larry Modesitt, for- chael Kiessig previously submitted mer CFO BOD member, and current his report electronically to the board. Western Field Ornithologists, WFO, Prior to the board meeting, President board member, made a presentation Doug Faulkner convened a subcom- to the CFO BOD members on the mittee to go through the Treasurer’s similarities and differences between budget projections, including conven- WFO and CFO. WE have an official tion expenses, so as to be in a better partnership with WFO and intend to position to discuss options and make keep a working relationship. Primar- recommendations to the full board at ily the differences are in membership the meeting. The budget projections numbers, convention focus, internal indicate that CFO continues to be in organizational operations, and money good financial shape and will maintain making ventures including special its intended reserve amount, but that events, and membership categories. recurring expenses for important parts WFO will be hosting their conven- of CFO’s mission, such as publication tion this fall, 16–20 August 2017, in of Colorado Birds, maintenance of Pueblo, Colorado. Larry encouraged three websites, and funding of grants all BOD members to attend. He also and scholarships, have been going up suggested we work together as partners and need to be addressed. The focus to encourage members from both or- at the board meeting was in develop- ganizations to attend both conferenc- ing different ideas and options that es. WFO hopes to cooperate further will continue to keep the organization in the coming years since our partner- in good financial shape, that will be ship is mutually beneficial. CFO will 130 Colorado Birds Summer 2017 Vol.