[cobirds] Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Monday, February 24, 2014

[Mary Driscoll]

Compiler: Mary Driscoll
Date: February 24, 2014
email: rba AT cfobirds.org
phone: 303-659-8750
 
This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Monday, February 24, 2014 sponsored  by the Denver Field Ornithologists and the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. If you are phoning in a message, you can skip the recording by pressing the star key (*) on your phone at any time. Please leave your name, phone number, detailed directions including county, and dates for each sighting. It would be helpful if you would spell your last name.
 
Highlight species include (* indicates new information on this species in this report).
 
BRANT (Douglas*)
TUNDRA SWAN (Boulder*)

Barrow’s Goldeneye (Jefferson*)
GYRFALCON (Larimer)
MEW GULL (Pueblo)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Arapahoe, Larimer*,Pueblo, Weld)
Thayer's Gull (Arapahoe,Pueblo)

ICELAND GULL (Weld)

GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (Arapahoe,Pueblo)
Glaucous Gull (Arapahoe, Pueblo)
GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL (Pueblo)

Northern Pygmy-Owl (Larimer)
Winter Wren (El Paso)
VARIED THRUSH (Huerfano)
Swamp Sparrow (El Paso)

White-throated Sparrow (Montrose)
Harris's Sparrow (Boulder, Huerfano)
Lapland Longspur (Adams)
Rusty Blackbird (Adams, Douglas, El Paso,)
Rosy-Finch (Boulder)
 
ADAMS COUNTY:
--2 Rusty Blackbirds were reported by the DFO Field Trip led by Hundertmark at Barr Lake SP below the dam on January 26.  Walbek reports that 6 continue at this location as of February 7.
--Lapland Longspurs were reported by Breitsch on the DIA Owl Loop which starts .5 mile east of Tower Rd on 96th Ave.  On February 3, he found them on Trussville Rd between 114th and 120th Aves. On February 7, Walbek reports a flock of 75 longspurs near 128th and Pohawton Rd.
 
ARAPAHOE COUNTY:

--On February 22, Mlodinow reports a 1st yr. GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, 3 Glaucous Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 6 Thayer’s Gulls, and a 1st yr. Thiceland Gull (that is, a bird in between Iceland and Thayer’s Gull.

  
BOULDER COUNTY:
--On February 1, Wilberding reported a TUNDRA SWAN at Cottonwood Marsh, the swan was seen again on  February 23 by Breitsch, at Cottonwood Marsh.
--On February 15,  Piombino reports the return of Harris’s Sparrows to her yard.  On 2/16, Dunning reports seeing one Harris’s Sparrow at Piombino’s. Birders are welcome to visit, she lives near the little hamlet of Hygiene. Call her for directions at 303-776-1939. Park at the end of her driveway, tapes not necessary.
--On February 8, at Fawn Brook Inn in Allenspark, Hill reports a flock of several hundred Rosy-Finches at the feeders. 95+% Brown-capped, with at least one adult Black, and at least a couple Gray-crowned.

  

DOUGLAS COUNTY:

-- Stachowiak reports seeing the BRANT, on February 15, at the southeast corner of Redstone Park located in Highlands Ranch. Access the parking lot located on the west side of S Foothills Canyon Blvd approximately 2/10's of a mile south of W Town Center Drive.  Look straight ahead as you enter the parking lot or to the left towards the houses on the edge of the park.  I have located the bird in this area in the past as well. The Brant was seen by Keller on February 23, at the playground pond at Redstone Park.

--On February 22, Kellner reports up to 20 male, and female Rusty Blackbirds were see at Chatfield Reservoir State Park. The birds were singing in a cottonwood tree along Plum Creek between the Plum Creek picnic area parking lot and the reservoir.  The birds were present for about 20 minutes singing up a storm and then flew towards the reservoir and out of sight.

   
EL PASO COUNTY:
--A Winter Wren was seen on February 10 in the cattails on the west side of the creek adjacent to Trail Marker 18 (concrete, 3 feet tall) on the left (east) side of the trail.
--On February 12, Jones reports 1 male Rusty Blackbird below the Fountain Creek Regional Park Nature Center. Take the trail south of the Nature Center and the bird was at the first bridge you come to. A Swamp Sparrow was at this location. A WINTER WREN was also at this same area.

--On February 16, Percival reports seeing a Swamp Sparrow at Fountain Creek Regional Park.

HUERFANO COUNTY:

--A VARIED THRUSH has been visiting a private yard in La Veta.  The owners welcome visitors but the bird is best seen from inside the home.  If you would like to try to see the bird please contact Polly Neldner at pollywren AT gmail.com and she will help you make arrangements to see the bird.   On February 14, Nelder reports the VARIED THRUSH continues in La Veta.  
 
JEFFERSON COUNTY:

--On February 18, Hackos reports seeing a Barrow’s Goldeneye at Chatfield Reservoir over the weekend.  It was in the open water near the dam and west of the tower.  On February 23, Kibbe reports the Barrow’s Goldeneye continues on the northwest side of the reservoir, and is easily seen just south of the picnic area near the NW boat launch parking lot.

 

LARIMER COUNTY:

--On February 23, Wade reports a Lesser Black-backed Gull at Douglass Reservoir.

--On February 16, Rashid reports hearing a Northern Pygmy-Owl at 4:45 pm east of his house in Estes Park. He is right on time, as male Northern Pygmy-Owls begin vocalizing on territory about the middle of February. 

--On February 13, Todd reports seeing a beautiful white morph Gyrfalcon over the open land between Fort Collins and Horsetooth Reservoir. It has likely flown many miles since then, but birders along the front range may want to keep an eye peeled for it. John states the bird was too large and stocky to be a Northern Harrier, and flight pattern was unlike a Northern Harrier.

MONTROSE COUNTY:

--On February 16, Wright reports a White-throated Sparrow one mile southeast of Nucla. 

PUEBLO COUNTY:

--On February 17, C. Smith reports seeing the MEW GULL below Pueblo Reservoir dam, flying around the pond, in the middle of Rock Canyon, which is on the North side of the Arkansas River. The pond is closest to the Kestrel and Red-tailed Picnic Area parking lots.

--On February 16, Percival reports a Lesser Black-backed Gull (1st yr.) at Runyon Lake, in Pueblo.

--On February 15, Percival reports seeing a first year GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL at the South Shore Marina at Pueblo Reservoir. A  GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, and Juvenile Thayer’s Gull were also in the same area.

--On February 16, Percival reports a first yr. Glaucous Gull, first yr. Lesser Black-backed Gull at the South Shore Marina in Pueblo.
 
Upcoming DFO Fieldtrips:

Saturday, March 1 and Sunday, March 2
San Luis Valley Exploration
Leaders: Chris Owens and Jim Petri, <chri...@q.com>, 303-772-6048

Day and a half trip to “The Valley,” as the locals call it. Meet the leaders at the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge entrance at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning. The trip will end at 12 noon on March 2. The trip is limited to 10 participants so be sure to register. This is especially important if the weather threatens to turn nasty.

This trip is timed to see some of the Sandhill Cranes that will be migrating through the area on the way to their breeding grounds. (Remember, there is never a guarantee of anything except a good time!) We will also look for waterfowl on the numerous bodies of water in the Valley as well as raptors, including eagles. In addition, this trip will be free-flowing since I will not have time or money to scout it ahead of time. Be prepared for last minute changes, back-tracking, and general flexibility.

We will likely be walking on some easy- to moderate-ability trails, maybe up to two or three miles, so be sure you are able to participate or be willing to wait patiently at the car. You will be responsible for your own reservations and meals. We will plan to have dinner together at a restaurant on Saturday night. But arrange your own breakfasts timed for our morning meetings and bring lunches for the field.

Weather is fickle in the Valley so watch the forecast and bring appropriate clothing. Also bring scopes, binocs, and other birding necessities. Please read the liability release on the DFO website prior to signing up for the trip.

Saturday, March 1
88th and the Platte
Leaders: Cheryl Teuton and Dan Brooke, cells 303-550-0825 or 303-912-3341, leave a message, or email <teu...@earthlink.net> or <aco...@earthlink.net>
Meet leaders at 7:45 a.m. at the parking lot just south of the intersection of 88th and Colorado. We’ll look for lingering winter ducks, search the sky for raptors, and see what we can find in the bushes, trees, and on the riverbank. This is a paved trail; plan on walking 2–4 miles. This will be a half-day trip, ending about noon. Bring binocs, scopes, water, and snacks. Dress for the weather. Let one of the leaders know to expect you, in case we need to cancel for weather. 

Good Birding,

Mary Driscoll
Unincorporated Arapahoe Co.
 


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