Boulder County: Golden-crowned Sparrow, Tundra Swan, rosy-finches, Northern Shrike

[Charles Hundertmark]

I headed to Allenspark this morning via Teller Lakes and Valmont Res.

In just over 30 minutes around the Teller Lakes parking lot, I couldn't turn up the Golden-crowned Sparrow. The Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow flock it associates with seemed to be hanging out in front of the vacant white house across Valmont northwest of the parking lot.

Scoping Valmont Res from the east produced a distant look at the Tundra Swan that has been hanging out there as well as several Red-breasted Mergansers among the myriad Commons. 

A half hour standing at the Fawn Brook Inn feeders in Allenspark produced a single male Cassin's Finch along with the usual feeder birds. A walk through the town turned up an unexpected Northern Shrike. Back at Fawn Brook Inn, I was about to take a siesta in my truck to wait for the rosy-finches, when a Longmont birder drove up in a Volvo. 

I was about to tell the birder about the lack of rosy-finces when a flock of about 25 or so flew into the tops of the aspens in front of the inn. Most were Brown-capped, but there was one Gray-crowned. The other observer also spotted a banded Black Rosy-Finch.

Feeders elsewhere in town also produced Clark's Nutcrackers.

A quick stop at the Teller Farms parking lot produced the flock of sparrows in the usual place. This time the Golden-crowned Sparrow cooperated with a nice look at the edge of the road on the east side of the lot.

--
Chuck Hundertmark

2546 Lake Meadow Drive

Lafayette, CO 80026

303-604-0531

Cell: 720-771-8659

chunde...@gmail.com