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Birds
at the Rawhide Energy Station - The 2002 Ryder Report
Since 1986 Dr. Ronald A. Ryder, Professor Emeritus, Department of
Fishery and Wildlife Biology, Colorado State University, has
conducted an ongoing study of migrating bird populations using the
Rawhide
Energy Station site. His objective is to document, by species
and population numbers, birds frequenting Hamilton Reservoir at Rawhide
and the adjacent wetland and surrounding short-grass prairies
at
key periods of the year. He also determines peaks of migration,
routs, places of breeding, and wintering areas for the more abundant
species.
The program involves capturing and banding various species
of waterbirds. Banded birds have been recovered from such
distances as Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Canada; Sinaloa,
Guadalajara,
and Jalisco in Mexico; and Alaska, Missouri, Ohio, California,
Louisiana, and Mississippi in the U.S.
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Common Goldeneye and Ringneck enjoying
the pond at Platte River's Headquarters facility. |
Dr. Ryder also coordinates studies for the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, and the U.S. Public
Health Service, documenting the presence of heavy metals, pesticides,
Vibrio cholerae, and equine encephalitis, if observed, in the migratory
species.
In 2002, Dr. Ryder banded 31 birds as follows: American Coot,
10; Mallard, 2; American Wigeon, 11; Green-winged Teal, 7;
and Blue-winged Teal, 1.
During 2002, 25 counts and 10 banding trips were conducted.
Counts indicated far fewer birds used Rawhide compared to the
previous 15 years, probably in large part due to drought, maintenance
and construction activities, and reduced abundance of aquatic
plants (food) resulting from efficient feeding by three species
of herbivorous carp.
Dr. Ryder has presented findings to the Colorado Field Ornithologists,
the Wildlife Society, the International Ornithological Congress
in New Zealand, the Colorado-Wyoming Academy of Sciences, and
the Cooper Ornithological Society. Dr. Ryder also hosts many
ornithological organizations on field trips to Rawhide and
conducts the National Audubon Society's Annual Christmas Bird
Count (an international event) in the Rawhide area.
2000 Ryder
Report
2001 Ryder Report
2003 Ryder Report
2004
Ryder Report
2005 Ryder Report
2006 Ryder Report
2007
Ryder Report
Statistics HTML pages:
Birds
1986-2011 (pdf) 8.5X14 (legal-sized)
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