Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 9 March 2017

[Ira Sanders]

Compiler:           Ira Sanders
e-mail:                RBA AT cobirds.org
Date:                   March 9, 2017
This is the Rare Bird Alert for  Thursday, March 9 sponsored by Denver
Field Ornithologists and the Bird
Conservancy of the Rockies.

Highlight species include:  (* indicates new information on this species)

NOTE:  The RBA is using the new AOU checklist and the order of
families has changed.

BRANT (*Jefferson)
Trumpeter  Swan (Douglas)
Tundra Swan (Eagle, Pueblo)
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK (Weld)
Long-tailed Duck (Larimer)
Sharp-tailed Grouse (Larimer)
Red-necked Grebe (Pueblo)
Greater Roadrunner (Baca)
American Woodcock (Larimer)
Thayer’s Gull (Adams, Larimer, Weld)
ICELAND GULL (Weld)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Adams, Douglas, Larimer, Pueblo, 8Weld)
Great Black-backed Gull (Larimer, Pueblo)
Lewis’s Woodpecker (Las Animas)
 ACORN WOODPECKER (Pueblo)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Baca)
Williamson’s Sapsucker (Boulder, Pueblo)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (El Paso)
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Baca)

American 3-toed Woodpecker (*Boulder)
Chihuahuan Raven (Baca)
Winter Wren (Baca, *El Paso)
Curve-billed Thrasher (Prowers, Pueblo)
Red Fox Sparrow (El Paso)
Lincoln‘s Sparrow (Boulder)
Rusty Blackbird (Arapahoe)
Great-tailed Grackle (Weld)

ADAMS COUNTY:
---On March 2 at Rocky Mountain Arsenal at Lake Ladora, Candice
Johnson reported Lesser Black-backed Gull.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
---On March 5 at Cherry Creek SP, Christine Alexander reported Rusty Blackbird.

BACA COUNTY:
---On March 3 at Two Buttes Reservoir, Daniel Maynard reported Greater
Roadrunner and 2 Chihuahuan Ravens.
---On March 3 at Two Buttes SWA below dam, Daniel Maynard reported
Red-bellied Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, and Winter Wren.

BOULDER COUNTY:
---On March 4 at Heil Valley Ranch, Wapiti Trail, Kathy Mihm Dunning
reported Williamson’s Sapsucker.

---On March 7, Thomas Heinrich reports an American 3-toed Woodpecker at Heil Ranch.

DOUGLAS COUNTY:
---On February 27 Brandon Percial reported Trumpeter Swan at Chatfield
SP on pond viewed from High Line Canal Trail, accessed from Titan
Road.  On March 3, Gregg Goodrich and Ben Lagasse reported Trumpeter
Swan in SE Pond at Chatfield, best viewed from Highline Canal Trail on
Rampart Range Rd.
On March 4, Joy and Leonard Lake reported Trumpeter Swan viewed from
High Line Canal Trail accessed from W Titan Road.

EAGLE COUNTY:
---On March 3 at Blue Lake in El Jebel, Lynne Hertzog reported 2 Tundra Swans.

EL PASO COUNTY:
---On February 27 at Sinton Pond Open Space, Richard Taylor, David
Tonnessen, Brandon Percival, Kara Carragher and Richard Bunn reported
Red Fox Sparrow.  On March 2 at Sinton Pond Open Space, David
Tonnessen reported Winter Wren and John Bruder reported Fox Sparrow.
On March 4, Chris Brobin reported Winter Wren at Sinton Pond Open
Space.  On March 5, John Drummond reported Winter Wren at Sinton Pond
Open Space.
---On March 3 at Sondermann Park in Colorado Springs, John Bruder
reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  On March 4 at Sondermann Park,
David Tonnessen, Aaron Driscoll, Richard Bunn, and Jan Albright
reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker .  On March 6 at sondermann Park,
Kim Mauritz reported Winter Wren.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:
---On February 27 at Indian Tree Golf Course, Brandon Percival
reported BRANT.  On February 28, Heidi Retherford reported BRANT at
Indian Tree Golf Course.  On March 7, Tyler Stuart reported the BRANT continues at Indian Tree Golf Course.

LARIMER COUNTY:
---On February 26 at Bobcat Ridge, Cheryl Teuton and Dan Brooke
reported American woodcock in creek east of ranger’s house.  On
February 27 at Bobcat Ridge, Brandon Percival reported American
Woodcock.  One February 28, Susan Rosine reported American Woodcock at
Bobcat Ridge.  On March 3, Marier Hoerner reported American Woodcock
at Bobcat Ridge.
--- On March 1 at Horseshoe reservoir, Andy Bankert reported 2
Thayer’s Gulls, 13 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and Great Black-backed
Gull.  On March 2 at Horseshoe Reservoir, Robert Beauchamp reported 2
Thayer’s Gulls and 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.  On March 3 at
Horseshoe Reservoir, David Wade reported Thayer’s Gull, 8 Lesser
Black-backed Gulls (3 imm, 5 ad) and Great Black-backed Gull.  On
March 3 at Horsehsoe reservoir, Brandon Nooner reported juv Thayer’s
Gull, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and juv Great Black-backed Gull.
---On March 3 at Lory State Park, Cheryl Teuton and Dan Brooke
reported Long-tailed Duck viewed from North Eltuck Bay.  On March 4,
Joe Mammoser reported Long-tailed Duck at Lory State Park, North
Eltuck Bay.
---On March 3 at Boyd Lake SP, David Wade reported Thayer’s Gull and
Lesser Black-backed Gull on the North end.
---On March 5 at Douglas Reservoir, David Wade reported Sharp-tailed Grouse.

LAS ANIMAS COUNTY:
---On March 1 at Lake Dorothy, Chuck Hundertmark reported 12 Lewis’s
Woodpeckers.

PUEBLO COUNTY:
---On February 28 at Pueblo Reservoir, Brandon Percival reported that
the Red-necked Grebe continues.
On March 5 at Pueblo Reservoir, Art Hudak and Mark Chavez reported
Red-necked Grebe and 2 Curve-billed Thrashers.
---On March 3, at Pueblo Reservoir, Brandon Percival reported Lesser
Black-backed Gull and ad Great Black-backed Gull.  On March 5 at
Pueblo Reservoir South Marina, Heidi Eaton reported Great Black-backed
Gull.
---On March 4, Christine Alexander and Renee Casias reported ACORN
WOODPECKER at Pueblo Mountain Park.  On March 5 at Pueblo Mountain
Park, Kara Carragher, Art Hudak, and Mark Chavez reported ACORN
WOODPECKER and Williamson’s Sapsucker.
---On March 5 at Chico Basin Ranch (fee area), John Drummond reported
5 Tundra Swans.

WELD COUNTY:
---On February 25, Glenn Walbek reported AMERICAN BLACK DUCK at Woods
Lake.  On March 4 at Woods Lake, Kara Carragher,
Lisa Edwards, and Tim Smart reported AMERICAN BLACK DUCK.  On March 4,
Frank Farrel, Matt Clark, Susan Bonfiglio, and Gene Rutherford
reported AMERICAN BLACK DUCK at Woods Lake.    On March 5 at Woods
Lake, Joey Kellner and Adam Vesely reported Great-tailed Grackles.
---On March 4 at Angel Lake, Steve Mlodinow reported Great-tailed Grackle.
---On March 4 at Black Hollow Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported
Thayer’s Gull, ICELAND GULL, and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
---On March 5 at Drake Lake, Gary Lefko reported Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Denver Field Ornithologists Field Trips:
The DFO Field Trip for Saturday, March 11 will be to Prospect Park
(Wheat Ridge Greenbelt) led by Jackie King (jackie.king AT ccd.edu;
720-381-3314).  FromI-70 exit 267, take Kipling south about ¾ mile and
turn right (west) on 44th Avenue.  Go one mile west.  Look for the
entrance to Prospect Park on your left (South).  Meet at 0830 just
inside the park in the lot right next to Prospect Lake.
     This is a trip with easy walking and accessible for mobility
impaired individuals.  Bring water and a snack; lunch option.  Good
trip for novice birders and new members.  Register online or contact
leader.

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, March 12 will be to Cherry Creek SP
Wetlands Loop led by Karen von Saltza (kvonsaltza AT yahoo.com;
303-941-4881).  Meet at 0800 at the Prairie Loop lot in Cherry Creek
SP.  From either park entrance, follow Lake View Road to the Prairie
Loop that is located at the south rim of the reservoir.  State Parks
pass or day pass required.
   Day Light Savings Time starts March 12.  This half day of walking
passes through most of the important habitats found in the park over a
distance of about 3 miles.  Trails could be slippery or muddy, so
dress accordingly.  Bring water and snacks; lunch is optional.
Register online or contact leader.

Good Birding,
Ira Sanders

Golden, CO

[Dave Hyde]

Yesterday, March 8th at 1.15pm I spotted a Northern shrike near Storm Mountain, east of Estes Park in Larimer county