Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Sunday, April 19, 2020

[Allison Hilf]

Date: Sunday, April 19, 2020

Email: RBA  AT cobirds.org

Compiler:  Allison Hilf, ahilf AT me.com

Phone:  303-888-5110

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The Colorado Rare Bird report is an informational service. 

Because of statewide coronavirus “Stay at Home” orders, the purpose of this report is to keep homebound readers abreast of rare bird sightings across the state during spring migration.

It does NOT endorse or encourage illegal travel to see or "chase" rare birds beyond your own local area.

Once again, we must urge readers to respect state and local restrictions on non-critical travel and limits on outdoor activities that include birding.

Please bird ONLY at or close to home and ONLY with universally promoted safety precautions, including physical “social distancing” and face coverings.

Or, as Dave Leatherman noted this week, “Be like a Cedar Waxwing . . . very compliant in their wearing of masks.”

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Birders have been helpful by reporting updates to COBirds. Thanks!

CAPITAL LETTERS denote very rare species, as listed by the Colorado Bird Records Committee at the CFO website.

(*) indicates new information on a species.

For more information on birds seen today, go to cobirds.org and scroll to the bottom for “Recent eBird Sightings.”

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Spring migration notes: 

Raptor migration is in full swing.   Numerous reports of many species, in particular Broad-winged Hawks and Turkey Vultures.

Cassin’s Finches are continuing to be reported around the State, but at much fewer numbers than earlier in the week.

Swallows, Broad-tailed and Black-chinned Hummingbirds, phoebes, finches, sparrow and longspur migrations are also upon us.

Shorebirds (sandpipers, plovers, phalaropes, Dunlins, curlews, godwits) are showing up at shores and flooded fields.

And did somebody say “warblers”?

What’s in your yard or near your home?  Let us know on COBirds.

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Rare, out-of-place and some out-of-season species reports are listed below. 

BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (*Otero)

Trumpeter Swan (Eagle)

Long-tailed Duck (Jefferson)

Red-necked Grebe (El Paso)

Black-necked Stilt (Ouray)

Long-billed Curlew (Arapahoe, *Boulder, Denver, Montezuma)

Marbled Godwit (Boulder, El Paso, *Montezuma, *Weld)

Dunlin (*Boulder)

Iceland Gull (Thayer’s) (*Larimer)

Yellow-billed Loon (*Jefferson)

Cattle Egret (*Archuleta)

Glossy Ibis (*El Paso)

Broad-winged Hawk (*RECORD NUMBERS)

Olive-sided Flycatcher (El Paso)

Gray Flycatcher (Ouray)

BLACK PHOEBE (Larimer, San Miguel)

White-eyed Vireo (Pueblo)

Winter Wren (Fremont)

Eastern Bluebird (*Chaffee, Denver)

Black Rosy-Finch (Eagle, Grand, Larimer)

Chestnut-collared Longspur (Adams, *Boulder, Jefferson)

McCowns Longspur (Boulder, Douglas, El Paso)

Grasshopper Sparrow (Arapahoe) 

Fox Sparrow (Red) (Washington)

Sagebrush Sparrow (*Denver, El Paso, Jefferson)

Swamp Sparrow (Chaffee, La Plata)

Black-and-white Warbler (Boulder)

Summer Tanager (El Paso)

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ADAMS COUNTY:

—On April 17 a Chestnut -collared Lonspur was reported at Rocky Mountain Arsenal on the Wildlife Drive at approx. .5 mile (northern leg), by Bob Shade.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY:

—On April 16 nine Long-billed Curlew were reported at Cherry Creek State Park-Lake Loop by Diane Roberts.

—On April 14 a Grasshopper Sparrow was reported at Cherry Creek State Park, in the Pelican Point parking lot area near the bathrooms, by Joey Negreann.

—On April 14 a Long-tailed Duck was reported at Quincy Reservoir.  First reported April 3 by G Stacks.

ARCHULETA COUNTY:

—On April 18 a Cattle Egret was reported in Pagosa Springs at Village Lake by Charles Martinez.   There are no previous eBird records for Archuleta County.

   

BOULDER COUNTY:

—On April 18 twelve Dunlin were reported at Lagerman Agricultural Preserve/Lagerman Reservoir near one of the spits on the west side of reservoir by Karen and David Coupland. 

—On April 18 a Chestnut-collared Longspur was reported in Longmont at Pipit Rd east of N. 119th Street.  First reported on April 17 by John Rutenbeck.

—On April 18 two Long-billed Curlews were reported at Lagerman Reservoir,  Eight birds were first reported on April 12 by Peter Burke.

—On April 16 a McCowns Longspur was reported in Longmont at 10936–11440 Oxford Rd by Peter Burke.

—On April 14 a Marbled Godwit was reported at Carolyn Holmberg Preserve at Rock Creek Farms / Stearns Lake, in the field just N of the CloudView Stables and west of S 104th St by Chris Petrizzo.

—On April 14 a Black-and-white Warbler was reported at the Grapewood Townhouse Complex in North Boulder.  First reported Apr 13 by Jon Webb.

CHAFFEE COUNTY:

—On April 17 an Eastern Bluebird was reported at Mount Ouray State Wildlife Area by Sally Waterhouse.

—On April 15 a Swamp Sparrow was reported at Mount Ouray State Wildlife Area by Greg Mihalik.

  

DENVER COUNTY:

—On April 18 a Sagebrush Sparrow was reported at Overland Park are by Jacqui Geiselman.

—On April 17 an Eastern Bluebird was reported in the Overland Park area, on the east side of platte about 1/4 mile south of Florida bridge, by Eric Dinkel

—On April 16 three Long-billed Curlews were reported at Marston Reservoir by Claire and Tom H. 

DOUGLAS COUNTY:

—On April 17 a McCown’s Longspur was reported at Chatfield State Park -Model Airplane Field.  First reported on April 16 by Myron Gerhard.

EAGLE COUNTY:

—On April 17 a Black Rosy-Finch, along with several Gray-crowned and Brown-capped rosy-finches, was reported in Avon at feeders on Old Trail Rd D by Jennifer Prusse.

—On April 14 two Trumpeter Swans were reported flying over the Rio Grande Trail (from Hooks Spur Rd. to ACES Rock Bottom Ranch) by John Anderson.

   

EL PASO COUNTY:

—On April 18 a Glossy Ibis was reported at Clear Spring Ranch by John Drummond.

—On April 18 a Rusty Blackbird (male) was reported at Kettle Lakes, in the NE corner of the lower pond.  First reported on April 17 by Kip Miller. 

—On April 17 a McCown’s Longspur was reported at Squirrel Creek Rd on the eastern prairie by Linda Hodges.

—On April 17 a Summer Tanager was reported in a NW Colorado Springs backyard.   First reported on April 16 by Marty Wolf.

—On April 15 a Sagebrush Sparrow was reported at Bar 10 Rd and S. Ellicot Hgwy.  First reported April 13 by David Tønnessen.

—On April 14 an Olive-sided Flycatcher was reported at Nancy Lewis Park by Terence Berger.

—On April 14 a Red-necked Grebe was reported at Big Johnson Reservoir & Bluestem Prairie Open Space.  First reported on March 13.  by David Tønnessen.

—On April 14 a Marbled Godwit was reported at Big Johnson Reservoir & Bluestem Prairie Open Space.  First reported April 13 by David Tønnessen.

NOTE: Chico Basin Ranch is closed until at least Apr 30 because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

FREMONT COUNTY:

—On April 17 a Winter Wren was reported at Cañon City Riverwalk--Sell Lake to S Raynolds Ave by Joel Adams.

GRAND COUNTY:

 —On April 16 multiple Gray-crowned and Brown-capped rosy-finches were reported at CR 8314 by Mark Obmascik.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

—On April 18 a Yellow-billed Loon was reported at Standley Lake and Park by Will Anderson.

—On April 17 a Sagebrush Sparrows were reported at Bear Creek Lake Park feeding on the road near the stables by Ginny Bergstrom.

—On April 17 two Long-tailed Ducks were reported at South Platte Park/South Platte Reservoir —Southwest Bay Area.  First reported March 11 by David Bailey.

—On April 16 a Chestnut-collared Longspur was reported at Robert A. Easton Regional Park In the south bay of the lake. flying between the bushes and the shoreline, by Reed Gorner.

NOTE:  Red Rocks Park is closed indefinitely because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

LA PLATA COUNTY:

—On April 16 a Swamp Sparrow was reported at Zink’s Pond, near the right end of the second island from left, by James Beatty.

LARIMER COUNTY:

—On April 18 four Iceland Gull (Thayer’s) were reported at Horseshoe Reservoir.  First reported on March 10 by Nick Komar.

—On April 16 one Black-Rosy-Finch and twenty-three Brown-capped Rosy-Finches were reported in Estes Park by Scott Rashid.  

—On April 15 a BLACK PHOEBE Black was reported in Fort Collins on the north side of Rigden Reservoir, which is at the east terminus of Horsetooth Road, by Joe Mammoser.

MONTEZUMA COUNTY:

—On April 18 a Marbled Godwit were reported at McPhee Reservoir. Ten birds were first reported on April 16 by Eric Hendrickson.

—On April 15 ten Long-billed Curlews were reported at Summit Reservoir by Erik Hendrickson.

OTERO COUNTY:

—On April 18 six BLACK-BELLIED-WHISTLING DUCKS were reported in La Junta at Blaine Park by Susan DietrichSchneider.   There are very few previous records in the State.

OURAY COUNTY:

—On April 17 a ray Flycatcher was reported at Ridgeway SP-Visitor Center & Campground By Don Marsh.

—On April 17 a Black-necked Stilt was reported at Ridgeway SP - Marina Area.  First reported on April 9 by Brenda Wright and Coen Dexter.

 

PUEBLO COUNTY:

—On April 17 a White-eyed Vireo was reported along the Arkansas River, on the south west side of Runyon Lake in Pueblo by Evan Carlson.

NOTE: Chico Basin Ranch is closed until at least Apr 30 because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY:

—On April 13 Black Phoebe was reported at Gypsum Valley - boat launch to bridge area by Eric Hynes.

TELLER COUNTY:

—On April 18 a Broad-winged Hawk was reported in Florissant by Michael Britten.  There are no previous eBird reports for Teller County.

WASHINGTON COUNTY:

—On April 15 a Fox Sparrow (Red) was reported at Last Chance—Rest Area by Glenn Walbek.

WELD COUNTY:

—On April 18 ten Marbled Godwits were reported on the north central shore of Union Reservoir by Bill Fink.

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PLEASE NOTE: Because of COVID-19 pandemic precautions, Denver Field Ornithologists has suspended all field trips scheduled for April, May and June. Other birding clubs have also canceled activities, and the annual Colorado Field Ornithologists convention, set for Pueblo in May, has been canceled.

 

Please share interesting and/or unusual birds and behavior observations on COBirds.  

 

Good birding,

 

Allison Hilf

Aurora, CO

ahilf AT aol.com

303-888-5110