Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 30 March 2018

[Joyce Takamine]

Compiler:   Joyce Takamine

Date:        March 30, 2018

e-mail:      RBA AT cobirds.org  

This is the Rare Bird Alert for Friday, March 30 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 now using the new AOU checklist and the order of families has changed.

Snow Goose (Boulder)

Greater White-fronted Goose (Delta, Fremont, Weld)

Wood Duck (Summit)

Greater Scaup (Jackson, Weld)

Barrow’s Goldeneye (Arapahoe, Weld)

Sharp-tailed Grouse (Weld)

Red-necked Grebe (Larimer)

Greater Roadrunner (*El Paso)

White-throated Swift (Dolores, El Paso, Larimer, Pueblo)

Virginia Rail (Chaffee)

Sandhill Crane (Larimer, Rio Grande, Weld)

American Avocet (Boulder, Jefferson)

Mountain Plover (El Paso, Weld)

Baird’s Sandpiper (Weld)

Long-billed Dowitcher (*El Paso, Kit Carson, Rio Grande)

Spotted Sandpiper (Arapahoe)

Lesser Yellowlegs (Boulder, El Paso, Weld)

Greater Yellowlegs (Boulder, *El Paso, Weld)

Bonaparte’s Gull (Boulder, Jackson, *Larimer, Pueblo)

Franklin’s Gull ( Jackson, *Larimer, Pueblo, Weld)

California Gull (Douglas, Mesa)

Iceland Gull (El Paso, Pueblo) 

YELLOW-BILLED LOON (*Pueblo)

American White Pelican (Douglas)

Turkey Vulture (Boulder, Douglas, Ouray, Park)

Osprey (Boulder, Larimer, Weld)

Northern Goshawk ( Jefferson, Larimer, Weld)

Ferruginous Hawk (La Plata)

Burrowing Owl (El Paso)

Williamson’s Sapsucker (Jefferson)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Larimer)

Red-napped Sapsucker (El Paso, La Plata, Montezuma)

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (*El Paso)

Black Phoebe (Dolores, Fremont, Mesa, Pueblo)

Eastern Phoebe (*Boulder, Jefferson, Larimer, &Pueblo)

Say’s Phoebe (Boulder, Lincoln)

Vermilion Flycatcher (Arapahoe)

Steller’s Jay (Arapahoe)

Chihuahuan Raven (Fremont)

Tree Swallow (*Boulder, *Broomfield, *Larimer, *Pueblo)

Bank Swallow (*Larimer)

Cliff Swallow (Boulder, *Larimer, *Pueblo)

Barn Swallow (*Larimer, Pueblo, Weld)

Bushtit (Weld)

Winter Wren (Morgan)

Carolina Wren (Boulder)

Golden-crowned Kinglet (Weld)

Curve-billed Thrasher (*El Paso)

Sage Thrasher (*Arapahoe)

Northern Mockingbird (El Paso)

Bohemian Waxwing (Gilpin, Summit)

American Pipit (Summit)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (San Miguel)

Black Rosy-Finch (San Miguel)

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (San Miguel)

Common Redpoll (*Boulder)

Red Crossbill (Jefferson, Larimer)

Cassin’s Sparrow (*El Paso)

Sagebrush Sparrow (Boulder, Douglas, Jackson, *Jefferson)

Lark Bunting (Lincoln)

Savannah Sparrow (*Douglas, *Jefferson, *Mesa, Pueblo, Weld)

Lincoln’s Sparrow (Adams, Boulder, Douglas, *El Paso, *Jefferson, *Larimer, Lincoln)

Harris’s Sparrow (Adams, Denver, El Paso, Pueblo)

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Montrose)

Brown-headed Cowbird (Pueblo, Yuma)

Rusty Blackbird (Larimer) 

Common Yellowthroat (Weld)

Pine Warbler (Larimer)

ADAMS COUNTY:

---On March 24 at Lowell Ponds (Clear Creek Valley Park), Diane Roberts reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On March 25 at First Creek at Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR, Gregg Goodrich reported Harris’s Sparrow west of Buckley Rd.

---On March 25 at Barr Lake SP – Neidrach Nature Trail and Visitor Center, Justin Ferguson reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY:                                                                  

---On March 24 at South Platte Park, Meg and Richard Reck reported 2 f Barrow’s Goldeneyes.

---On March 25 on Big Dry Creek Trail from Dry Creek Blvd to Arapahoe Blvd, Mary O’Connor reported Stelller’s Jay.

---On March 25 at Cherry Creek SP near East Shades parking lot, Allen Hagood and Michael Lester and Autumn Amici  reported m Vermilion Flycatcher.  On March 26 at Cherry Creek SP, Edward Donnan and Karen Drozda reported Sage Thrasher.

---On March 28 on South Platte River from Union Ave south to footbridge, Crystal Wilson reported Spotted Sandpiper.

---On March 29 at 26000 E. Quincy Ave, in Aurora, Cheri Phillips reported Sage Thrasher.

BOULDER COUNTY:

---On March 24 at Walden/Sawhill Ponds, Dan Zmolek, Leslie S, Kim Score, Elena Klaver, Alex Brown reported Turkey Vulture, Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, and Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On March 27 at Golden Ponds, David Dowell reported Eastern Phoebe and Cliff Swallow; Luke Pheneger reported Osprey, Eastern Phoebe, and 5 Tree Swallows.  On March 28 at Golden Ponds Park, Dave Waltman reported Eastern Phoebe.  On March 29 at Golden Ponds Parks, Luke Pheneger reported Eastern Phoebe and 13 Tree Swallows.

---On March 25 at Lagerman Reservoir, Luke Pheneger reported 4 American Avocets.

---On March 26 at Waneka Lake/Greenlee Preserve, Ted Floyd reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On March 24 at Coal Creek Trail just east of Avalon Trailhead in Lafayette, Lindsey Wohlman heard Carolina Wren.

---On March 26 at Greenlee Preserve in Lafayette, Ted Floyd reported 2 Greater Yellowlegs and Say’s Phoebe.

---On March 27 at NE corner of Kittredge Loop Drive on CU Boulder campus, Nathan Pieplow reported Sagebrush Sparrow.

---On March 27 at Boulder Reservoir complex, Leslie S reported 2 Snow Geese.

---On March 29 at Meyers Gulch Trail, Tend, Hannah, and Andrew Floyd reported Common Redpoll.

BROOMFIELD COUNTY:

---On March 24 at Plaster Reservoir, David Ely, Eric Zorawowicz, and Matt Hofedtiz reported Tree Swallow.

---On March 29 at W 134th Place, Matt Hofeditz reported 2 Tree Swallows.

DELTA COUNTY:

---On March 25 at Sweitzer Lake, Eric Hynes reported Greater White-fronted Goose.

DENVER COUNTY:

---On March 25 at First Creek at DEN OS, John Breitsch reported Harris’s Sparrow on both sides of Buckley Rd.

DOLORES COUNTY:

---On March 25 at Bradfield Bridge Campground, Glenn Dunmire reported pair of Black Phoebes and White-throated Swift.

DOUGLAS COUNTY:

---On March 25 at Chatfield SP, a Sagebrush Sparrow was reported by Diane Roberts, Renee Casias at Marina Sandspit; Renee Casias, Chris Gilbert, Ginny Bergstrom, and Tim Ryan at Handicapped Fisherman’s Platform; Tim Ryan also reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On March 29 at Chatfield SP Model Airplane Field, Dale Pate and Cheri Phillips reported Savannah Sparrow.

EL PASO COUNTY:

---On March 24 at Hanover Fire Station, Terence Berger reported 2 Curve-billed Thrashers. On March 25 at Hanover Fire Station, John Drummon reported Curve-billed Thrasher.  On March 29 at Hanover Fire Station Eric Page and Tanja Britton reported Cassin’s Sparrows and Curve-billed Thrasher.

---On March 24 at Squirrel Creek Road and Ellicott Hwy, Kara Carragher and Robin Bredl reported Mountain Plover.  On March 25 on Squirrel Creek Road, east of Peyton Hwy, John Drummond and Robb Hinds reported Mountain Plover;  Drummond also reported 2 Turkey Vultures.

---On March 24 on Hanover Road, Alan Ketcham, David Tonnessen, and Jim Merrit reported Greater Roadrunner at intersection with Meridian, Burrowing Owl, 11 Curve-billed Thrashers, 17 Cassin’s Sparrows, and Lincoln’s Sparrow.  On March 25 on Hanover Road, John Drummond, Joy and Leonard Lake reported pair of Ladder-backed Woodpeckers.  On March 26 on Hanover road, Steve Brown reported 3 pairs of Curve-billed Thashers.  On March 29 on Hanover Road, Eric Plage and Tanja Britton reported Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Curve-billed Thrasher and 10 Cassin’s Sparrows.

---On March 24 at Chico Basin Ranch (fee area), Alan Ketcham, David Tonnessen, and Jim Merritt reported 3 Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows, and 3 Curve-billed Thrashers.  On March 25 at Chico Basin Ranch (fee area), John Drummond reported Curve-billed Thrasher.  On March 29 at Chico Basin Ranch (fee area), Eric Plage reported Greater Roadrunner, pair of Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, 2 Curve-billed Thrashers, and 14 Cassin’s Sparrows.

---On March 26 at Garden of Gods Park, Steve Brown reported 2 White-throated Swifts.

---On March 26 at Rock Ledge Ranch, Monday Birders reported m Red-naped Sapsucker.  On March 28 at Rock Ledge Ranch, Tanja Britton reported 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows.

---On March 26 at S Peyton Hwy and Hanover Road, Cathy Bondy and Christine Hubbell reported 4 Curve-billed Thrashers.

---On March 27 at Sand Creek Trail – Dublin Blvd to E Woodmen Rd, Alan Versaw reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On March 28 at Clear Spring Ranch, Jim Merritt and Alan Ketcham reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On March 29 at Kettle Lakes at Air Force Academy, David Tonnessen reported 3 Lincoln’s Sparrows.

---On March 29 at Ramah Reservoir SWA, Alan Versaw reported Long-billed Dowitcher and 5 Greater Yellowlegs.

---On March 29 on Voyager Pkwy south of North Gate Blvd, Roger Massey reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

FREMONT COUNTY:

--- On March 25 at Canon City Valco Ponds, Bob Spencer reported 3 Greater White-fronted Geese and Black Phoebe.

GILPIN COUNTY:

---On March 25 at Tolland Road W of Rollinsville, Bill Kaempfer reported 8 Bohemian Waxwings.

JACKSON COUNTY:

---On March 26 at Walden Reservoir, Sue Riffe, Danny Montalvo, and Joshua Smith reported Greater Scaup and Sagebrush Sparrow; Montalvo and Smith also reported Bonaparte’s Gull and 2 Franklin’s Gulls.

---On March 26 at Pole Mountain Lake, Danny Montalvo and Joshua Smith reported Franklin’s Gull.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

---On March 24 at Belmar Park, Bez Bezuidenhout reported American Avocet.

---On March 25 at Dinosaur Ridge Hawkwatch, Mike Fernandez reported Northern Goshawk.

---On March 26 at Staunton SP, Hillary White reported Northern Goshawk.

---On March 28 at Deer Creek downstream of Grizzly Drive, David Suddjian reported Eastern Phoebe.

---On March 28 at Buckhorn Road, David Suddjian reported m Williamson’s Sapsucker and Red Crossbill.

---On March 28 at Chatfield SP wetlands, Myron Gerhard reported Sagebrush Sparrow.  On March 28 at Chatfield SP wetlands, Matt Crooks reported 2 Sagebrush Sparrows.

---On March 29 at Harriman Lake Park, Myron Gerhard reported Savannah Sparrow and 3 Lincoln’s Sparrows.

KIT CARSON COUNTY:

---On March 26 at Flager Reservoir SWA, Norm Lewis reported 2 Long-billed Dowithers.

LA PLATA COUNTY:

---On March 25 on CR 302 east of Hwy 550, Jason St Pierre and Ryan Votta reported Ferruginous Hawk.

---On March 26 at Animas River Trail –Huck Finn Pond and Hatchery area, Ryan Votta reported m Red-naped Sapsucker.

LARIMER COUNTY:

---On March 25 at Wild Horse Birdfeeder, Eva Matthews Lark reported Pine Warbler.  On March 27 at Wild Horse Birdfeeder, John Reichhardt reported Pine Warbler.

---On February 28 at Fort Collins City Park and Sheldon Lake, Dave Leatherman found Red-necked Grebe which was seen by several other birders.   On March 25 at Fort Collins City Park and Sheldon Lake, Dave Leatherman and Janeal Thompson reported Red-necked Grebe.

---On March 24 at North Shield Pond NA, David Wade, John Shenot, Christine, and Richard Sparks reported Osprey, 2 Sandhill Cranes and 4 Lincoln’s Sparrows.  On March 25 at North Shield Pond NA, John Reichhardt reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.  On March 26 at North Shields Pond NA, Eva Matthews reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.  On March 27 at North Shields Ponds NA, Dave Leatherman reported Lincoln’s Sparrow and 5 Red Crossbill type 2.

---On March 25 at Lumpy Ridge Retreat, Joe Luedtke reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

---On March 26 at Oxbow NA, Christine Sparks reported Eastern Phoebe.

---On March 27 at Watson Lake Fish Hatchery, Dave Leatherman reported 3 White-throated Swift.

---On March 29 at Arapahoe Bend NA Ridgen Reservoir (Strauss Cabin Lake), Lori Zabel reported Bonaparte’s Gull, Franklin’s Gull, Tree Swallow, 4 Barn Swallows, 8 Cliff Swallows, and 3 Lincoln’s Sparrows; Nick Komar reported 3 Bonaparte’s Gulls, 3 Franklin’s Gulls, and 3 Bank Swallows.

LINCOLN COUNTY:

---On March 25 on CR 109 south of Hugo, Andrew Judd reported Say’s Phoebe and Lark Bunting.

---On March 26 at Kinney Lake SWA, Norm Lewis reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

MESA COUNTY:

---On March 27 at Grand Valley Audubon NC, Mike Henwood reported pair of Black Phoebe near Phoebe Rock;  at Connected Lakes bike path, David Price reported 2 Black Phoebe; at Connected Lakes Audubon Section, Ronda Woodward reported 2 Black Phoebe.

---On March 28 in Loma 11 8/10 Road from P ½ Rd to Q Rd, Mike Henwood reported Savannah Sparrow.

MONTEZUMA COUNTY:

---On March 26 at Mesa Verde NP, Richard Beilfuss reported Red-naped Sapsucker.

MONTROSE COUNTY:

---On March 28 at Bridges Drive in Montrose (town), Betty Fenton reported Yellow-headed Blackbird.

MORGAN COUNTY:

---On March 24 at Riverside Park (east section) in Fort Morgan, John Vanderpoel and Bill Kaempfer reported Winter Wren.

OURAY COUNTY:

---On March 25 at Ridgway (town), Chris Brobin reported 5 Turkey Vutures.

PARK COUNTY:

---On March 25 at Lake George, Adam Jack reported Turkey Vulture.

PUEBLO COUNTY:

---On March 27 at Pueblo Reservoir in Northeast Corner by dam,  Brandon Percival, Van Truan, and Darth Aves reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON.  On March 28 at Pueblo Reservoir in Northeast Corner by the dam, Brandon Percival and Jamie Adams reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON; Brandon also reported the following at Pueblo Reservoir:  Black Phoebe, Eastern Phoebe, Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Savannah Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Franklin’s Gull, Bonaparte’s Gull, and Harris’s Sparrow.  On March 29 at Pueblo Reservoir, Michael Shoop, Brandon Percival, and Bill Maynard reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON in Northeast Corner in morning and JoAnn Andrews reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON by Sailboard Launch area in the afternoon; Darth Aves reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON back at Northeast Corner in late afternoon; Percival also reported Eastern Phoebe, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow and Tree Swallow at Pueblo Reservoir.

RIO GRANDE COUNTY:

---On March 26 at Monte Vista NWRD, Scott Somershoe reported 4500 Sandhill Cranes and Long-billed Dowitcher.  On March 28 at Monte Vista NWR, John Rawinski reported 3 – 5,000 Sandhill Cranes.

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY:

---On March 27 at The Terrance at Mountain Village, Eric Hynes reported 2 Gray-crowned (Hepburn’s) Rosy-Finch, 4 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, 10 Black Rosy-Finch, and 200 Brown-capped Rosy-Finch.

SUMMIT COUNTY:

---On March 25 at Hoosier Pass, Summit county side, Alan Versaw reported 25 Bohemian Waxwings.

---On March 25 at Silverthorne Water Treatment Plant, Karen Goetz, Matt Clark and Susan Bonfiglio reported m Wood Duck.  On March 26 at Silverthorne Water Treatment Plant, Bea Weaver and Hank Tailaferro reported m Wood Duck.  On March 27 at Silverthorne Water Treatment Plant, JoAnn Riggle reported Wood Duck.

---On March 26 at Soda Creek Inlet to Dillon Reservoir, Hank Taliaferro reported American Pipit.

WELD COUNTY:

---On March 25 at Glenmere Park, Shawn Mason reported 6 Bushtits and 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets.  On March 27 at Glenmere Park, Shawn Mason reported 3 Bushtits and Golden-crowned Kinglets.

---On March 24 at CR 134 east of CR 111, John Drummond reported 16 Sharp-tailed Grouse lekking along side of road.  Lekking started around 0728.  On March 25 at CR 136 and CR 111, Gwen Moore and Frank Farrell reported 13 Sharp-tailed Grouse.  On March 28 at CR 134 east of CR 111, Sue Riffe reported 11 Sharp-tailed Grouse.  On March 28 at CR 111 between CR 128 and CR 124, Sue Riffe reported Sharp-tailed Grouse.

---On March 24 at Behrens Reservoir, Gene Rutherford reported 7 Greater White-fronted Geese, 5 Sandhill Cranes, 9 Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs.  On March 25 at Behrens Reservoir, Gene Rutherfort reported Baird’s Sandpiper.  On March 25 at Behrens Reserevoir, Steve Mlodinow reported 6 Greater Yellowlegs and 1 Lesser Yellowlegs.

---On March 24 at CR 59 wetland, south of US 34, Cameron Boyd, John Vanderpoel, and Bill Kaempfer reported Baird’s Sandpiper.

---On March 24 at playa at CR 77 and CR 116, Christine Alexander reported 2 Baird’s Sandpipers.

---On March 24 at Cozzens Lake, Gene Rutherford reported Lesser Yellowlegs.

---On March 25 at Pawnee NG (40,8246, -104.3347) Gwen Moore reported Baird’s Sandpiper.

---On March 25 at Union Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported Osprey, 9 Greater Scaup, 5 Sandhill Cranes.  On March 26 at Union Reservoir, John Rutenbeck reported Osprey.  On March 27 at Union Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported 2 Osprey at nest, 3 Franklin’s Gulls.

---On March 25 at Firestone Gravel Pits (view from road), Steve Mlodinow reported Barrow’s Goldeneye and Osprey.  On March 27 at Firestone Gravel Pits (View from road), Steve Mlodinow reported Barn Swallow.

---On March 25 at Lower Latham Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported Common Yellowthroat.

---On March 28 about 1/10 mile S of Hwy 14 on east side of CR 79, Dave Leatherman reported Mountain Plovers in a field.  

DFO Field Trips: 

The Field Trip for Saturday, March 31 will be a Chase Trip led by Pratyayadipta Rudra & Sreemlala Das Majumder (pratyayr AT gmail.com; 9191-699-4043)  This trip is full.

The Field Trip for Saturday, March 31 will be to Walden Ponds WIldife Habitat /Sawhill led by Chuck Hundertmark (chundertmark8 At gmail.com; 303-604-0531)  This trip is full.

Good Birding,

Joyce Takamine

Boulder