Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 15 April 2018

[Joyce Takamine]

Compiler:   Joyce Takamine

Date:        April 15, 2018

e-mail:      RBA AT cobirds.org  

This is the Rare Bird Alert for Sunday, April 15 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 (Arapahoe, Jefferson)

Greater White-fronted Goose (Arapahoe, *Jackson, Prowers, Rio Grande)

Tundra Swan (Alamosa)

Mallard (Mexican intergrade) (*Pueblo)

Greater Scaup (*Jackson, Montrose, Phillips)

White-winged Scoter (*Pueblo)

Long-tailed Duck (*Montezuma)

Barrow’s Goldeneye (*Gunnison)

Red-breasted Merganser (*Montrose)

CALIFORNIA QUAIL (*Moffat)

Sharp-tailed Grouse (Weld)

Red-necked Grebe (Jefferson, Pueblo)

Common Nighthawk (*Pueblo)

White-throated Swift (Pueblo)

ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD (*Boulder, *Larimer)

Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Arapahoe, El Paso)

Virginia Rail (Chaffee)

Black-necked Stilt (*La Plata)

Snowy Plover (Alamosa)

Mountain Plover (El Paso, Weld)

Long-billed Curlew (Chaffee, La Plata, Weld)

Marbled Godwit (*Boulder, Mesa)

Baird’s Sandpiper (Larimer)

Least Sandpiper (Larimer, Weld)

Pectoral Sandpiper (*Jackson)

Semipalmated Sandpiper (*Mesa)

Western Sandpiper (*Jackson, *La Plata, *Mesa)

Solitary Sandpiper (*Mesa)

Iceland Gull (*Larimer)

Caspian Tern (*Mesa)

Forster’s Tern (*Jackson)

American White Pelican (Douglas)

American Bittern (*Mesa)

Great Egret (Park)

Snowy Egret (Douglas)

Cattle Egret (*Mesa)

White-faced Ibis (*Boulder)

Turkey Vulture (Douglas)

Northern Goshawk  ( Jefferson, Larimer)

Rough-legged Hawk (Denver)

Burrowing Owl (Arapahoe, *Moffat)

Acorn Woodpecker (La Plata)

Red-naped Sapsucker (Weld)

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (El Paso)

Western Wood-Pewee (*Boulder)

Black Phoebe (Pueblo)

Eastern Phoebe (*Boulder, Chaffee, *Douglas, Jefferson, Pueblo)

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pueblo)

Ash-throated Flycatcher (*Arapahoe0

Western Kingbird (Adams, *Arapahoe, Jefferson)

Violet-green Swallow (*Adams, *Archuleta)

Northern Rough-winged Swallow (*Adams, *Moffat)

Bank Swallow (*Adams, *Boulder, *Chaffee, *El Paso, *Larimer)

Cliff Swallow (* Boulder, *Denver, *El Paso, Larimer, *Moffat)

Mountain Chickadee (Weld)

Bushtit (*Weld)

House Wren (Moffat, *Pueblo)

Carolina Wren (Las Animas)

Blue-gray Gnatchatcher (*Archuleta)

Eastern Bluebird (Chaffee)

Hermit Thrush (*Larimer)

Curve-billed Thrasher (El Paso)

Sage Thrasher (*Boulder)

Northern Mockingbird (Broomfield, El Paso)

Bohemian Waxwing (*Grand)

American Pipit (*Jefferson)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (San Miguel)

Black Rosy-Finch (San Miguel)

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (San Miguel)

Red Crossbill (*Arapahoe, Pueblo)

McCown’s Longspur (*Yuma)

American Tree Sparrow (Boulder, Denver)

Chipping Sparrow (Boulder, Larimer)

Clay-colored Sparrow (Adams)

Brewer’s Sparrow (*Yuma)

Vesper Sparrow (*Adams, *Archuleta, Las Animas, Ouray)

Lark Sparrow (Ouray)

Sagebrush Sparrow (Arapahoe, *Boulder, Larimer)

Savannah Sparrow (*Arapahoe)

Lincoln’s Sparrow (*Adams, Ouray)

Harris’s Sparrow (*Denver, El Paso)

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Park)

Brown-headed Cowbird (*Chaffee, El Paso, *Jefferson, Mesa, Yuma)

Northern Waterthrush (Boulder)

LUCY’S WARBLER (*El Paso)

Common Yellowthroat (*Arapahoe, Chaffee)

Pine Warbler (Larimer)

Black-throated Gray Warbler (Montrose)

Northern Cardinal (*Pueblo)

ADAMS COUNTY:

---On April 11 at Barr Lake SP boat ramp area, Danny Fritz reported 3 Clay-colored Sparrows.  On April 14 at Barr Lake SP, Ira Sanders reported 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallows.

--- On April 11 at Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR, R Knapp reported Western Kingbird.  On April 13 at Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR Bluestem Loop Trail, Jim Arnett reported Vesper Sparrow.

---On April 12 at McKay Lake, James McCall reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.  On April 14 at McKay Lake, Matt Hofeditz reported Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, 2 Bank Swallow and Lincoln’s Sparrow.

ALAMOSA COUNTY:

---On April 11 at Blanca Wetlands, Ricky Martinez reported Tundra Swan and 4 Snowy Plovers.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY:                                                                  

---On April 9 at Cherry Creek SP Wetlands Preserve, Wendy Wibbens reported American Tree Sparrow.  On April 10 at Cherry Creek SP path to Beaver Ponds on east side of wetlands, Bob Righter reported possible Sagebrush Sparrow.  On April 13 at Cherry Creek SP Lake Loop, Cheri Phillips reported 2 Western Kingbirds.

---On April 9 at Exposition Park, Meg Reck reported Snow Goose and Greater White-fronted Goose.  On April 10 at Exposition Park, G Stacks reported Greater White-fronted Goose.

---On April 10 along CR 269 about 1.3 miles S of Hwy 36, David Suddjian and his DFO Field Trip reported 5 Burrowing Owls.

---On April 11 at Littleton Cemetery, David Suddjian reported Broad-tailed Hummingbird.

---On April 11 on High Line canal Trail – E Belleview to E Quincy (Blackmer Lake area), Santiago Tabares reported 6 Red Crossbills.

---On April 12 at South Platte Park C470 area, Robert Folzenlogen, reported m Common Yellowthroat.

---On April 12 at Progress Park, Edward Donnan reported 2 Savannah Sparrows.

---On April 12 at Big Dry Creek Trail—from Dry Creek Blvd to Arapahoe Blvd, Mary O’Connor reported 9 Red Crossbills.

---On April 14 at Willow Creek Park, Cynthia Madsen reported 16 Red Crossbills in NE Corner of park.

---On April 14 at Ketring Park and Lake, Edward Donnan reported Ash-throated Flycatcher.

ARCHULETA COUNTY:

---On April 14 at Navajo SP and Reservoir, Susan Allerton, Brenda Wright, and Coen Dexter reported Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 3 Vesper Sparrows, and 3 Violet-green Swallows.

BOULDER COUNTY:

---On April 10 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Ted Floyd and Bill Kaempfer reported Eastern Phoebe.  On April 11 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Cameron Boyd reported Eastern Phoebe.  On April 12 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Carl Bendorf, John Rutenbeck, Mike Hensley reported Eastern Phoebe.  On April 14 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Christine Alexander Cheri Phillips, Renee Casias, and Chris Brown reported Eastern Phoebe.

---On April 10 at Golden Ponds Park and NA, Luke Pheneger reported Eastern Phoebe.

---On April 11 at University of Colorado South Campus Confluence Ponds and Skunk Creek, Jack Ostrand reported Northern Waterthrush.

---On April 12 on IBM connector Trail, Ron Podhajsky reported Vesper Sparrow.

---On April 12 on Old Stain Vrain Road in Lyons, Carl Bendorf reported Eastern Phoebe.

---On April 12 at Boulder Community Garden, Richard Trinkner reported Chipping Sparrow.

---On April 12 at Eldorado Springs Alison Sheets reported ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD at her feeder.  On April 13 Willem Van Vliet and many other birders reported ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD at Eldorado Springs

---On April 13 at Boulder Reservoir Complex, David Dowell and Christian Nunes reported Marbled Godwit; Dowell reported Sagebrush Sparrow.  On April 14 at Boulder Reservoir Complex, Paul  Barchilon and several other birders reported Marbled Godwit; Andy Jordan reported Sage Thrasher.

---On April 13 at Erie Reservoir, Jack Bushong reported Bank Swallow and 2 Cliff Swallows.

---On April 13 at Lagerman Reservoir, Dan Zmolek and Leslie S reported White-faced Iblis and Marbled Godwit which flew to ? Boulder Reservoir.

---On April 14 at Walden/Sawhill Ponds, David Tonnessen, Jim Merritt, Leslie S and Chris Brown reported Bank Swallow and 3 Cliff Swallows.

---On April 14 at Boulder creek and 109th, Chris Brown reported Bank Swallow.

---On April 14 at Hecla Lake, Bob Muckle reported 2 Western Wood-Pewee.

CHAFFEE COUNTY:

---On April 10 at Mt Shavano Fish Hatchery, Riley Morris reported Eastern Phoebe.  On April 14 at Mt Shavano Fish Hatchery, Luke Pheneger and Boulder Audubon Field Trip reported Bank Swallow

---On April 10 in Salida, Pinon Dr, Hather Shirley reported 2 Eastern Bluebirds near E Cherokee Dr.

---On April 10 at Buena Vista Ice Pond (View from road), Christian Hagenlocher reported 4 Long-billed Curlew and Common Yellowthroat.

---On April 12 at Buena Vista San Isabell NF, Christian Hagenlocher reported 2 Brown-headed Cowbirds.

DENVER COUNTY:

---On April 10 at First Creek at DEN OS, John Breitsch reported Harris’s Sparrow.  On April 14 at First Creek at DEN OS, Alison Hixon and John Breitsch reported Harris’s Sparrow.

---On April 12 at Gun Club Road, S of E 112th Ave, Doug Kibbe reported American Tree Sparrow.

---On April 12 at DIA Northeast, Doug Kibbe reported Rough-legged Hawk.

---On April 12 at Commercity Hudson Road, Doug Kibbe reported Rough-legged Hawk.

---On April 13 at Rocky Mountain Lake Park, Matt Gray reported 8 Cliff Swallows.

DOUGLAS COUNTY:

---On April 9 at Parker Regional Park (aka Salisbury Equestrian Park), Tim Ryan reported Ross’s Goose.

---On April 9 at Bar CCC Park, Tim Ryan reported Snowy Egret.

---On April 10 at Platte Canyon Reservoir, Matt Crooks reported 2 Eastern Phoebe.  On April 11 at Platte Canyon Reservoir, Christ Gilbert reported Eastern Phoebe.

---On April 11 at Chatfield SP – downstream of Kingfisher Bridge (E), Cynthia Kirstensen reported Eastern Phoebe.

---On April 13 on Cherry Creek trail south from Walker Road, Urling Kingery reported 2 Eastern Phoebe.

EL PASO COUNTY:

---On April 11 at Chico Basin Ranch, Tanja Britton reported Ladder-backed Woodpecker and Curve-billed Thrasher.

---On April 10 at Sand Creek Trail – Dublin Blvd to E Woodmen Rd, Alan Versaw reported  Brown-headed Cow bird.

---On April 11 at Hanover Fire Station, Tanja Britton reported Curve-billed Thrasher and Brown-headed Cowbird.

---On April 13 at Memorial Park and Prospect Lake, Donna Kuhn, Donna Pomeroy, and Jean Bickal reported Bank Swallow.

---On April 13 at Double Tree Hotel Pond, Gloria Nikolai reported Bank Swallow and 2 Cliff Swallows.

---On April 14 at Sinton Ponds OS, David Tonnessen and Jim Merritt reported  LUCY’S WARBLER.

GRAND COUNTY:

---On April 14 on CO 125 W of Willow Creek Reservoir, Wesley Honoya reported 61 Bohemian Waxwings.

GUNNISON COUNTY:

---On April 9 at Blue Mesa Reservoir eastern end, High Lonesome Grouse Tour reported 4 Barrow’s Goldeneyes.  On April 14 at Blue Mesa Reservoir eastern End, Marcel Such and Megan Miller reported 3  Barrow’s Goldeneyes (2m, 1f)

JACKSON COUNTY:

---On April 13 at Walden Reservoir, Kevin and Jerry DeBoer reported Forster’s Tern and 2 Greater Scaup.  On April 14 at Walden Reservoir, Michael O’Brien, Sean Walters, Jerry and Kevin DeBoer reported Greater white-fronted Goose.

---On April 13 at Arapaho NWR, Kevin and Jerry DeBoer reported 4 Western Sandpipers and 2 Pectoral Sandpipers.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

--- On April 12 at Coors Ponds, Loch Kilpatrick reported Red-necked Grebe.

---On April 9 at Kendrick Lake Park,  Barbra Sobhani reported Snow Goose.

---On April 10 in Waterton Canyon from Waterton RD to overhead pipes, Myron Gerhard reported Eastern Phoebe.

---On April 10 in Morrison on Willow Wood Dr, Rodene Harwood reported 2 Western Kingbirds.

---On April 10 at Falcon Ridge Cub Creek, Chuck Aid reported Northern Goshawk.

---On April 12 at Harriman Lake Park, Matt Clark and Susan Bonfiglio reported Eastern Phoebe.  On April 12 at Harriman Lake Park, Myron Gerhard reported 2 Brown-headed Cowbirds.  On April 14 at Harriman Lake Park, Jim Arnett and Scott Somershoe reported Brown-headed Cowbird.

---On April 14 at Arvada Blunn Reservoir, Lorrain Lanning and Matt Clark reported American Pipits.

LA PLATA COUNTY:

---On April 10 at Pastorius Reservoir, Amy Dobbins reported 14 Long-billed Curlew.    On April 11 at Pastorius Reservoir, Susan Allerton reported 5 Black-necked Stilts.  On April 13 at Pastorius Reservoir, Susan Allerton and Ryan Votta reported Black-necked Stilt; Ryan Votta reported Western Sandpiper;  On April 14 at Pastorius Reservoir, Susan Allerton, Brenda Wright, and Coen Dexter reported Black-necked Stilt and Western Sandpiper.  

---On April 9 on Meadow Road, Rafter J subdivision, Sydney Penner reported 3 Acorn Woodpeckers.

LARIMER COUNTY:

---On April 9 at Arapahoe Bend NA Rigden Reservoir (Strauss Cabin Lake), Lori Zabel reported 2  Baird’s Sandpipers.  On April 12 at Arapahoe Bend NA RIgden Reservoir (Strauss Cabin Lake), Ken Duncan reported 3 Cliff Swallows and Lori Zabel reported Least Sandpiper.  On April 13 at Arapahoe Bend NA, Nick Komar reported Iceland (Thayer’s X Icleand) Gull and 5 Bank Swallows.

---On April 10 at Wild Horse Birdfeeder in Loveland, John Reichhardt reported Pine Warbler.

---On April 11 at North Shield Pond NA, Brad Biggerstaff reported Chipping Sparrow.

---On April 11 at Dixon Reservoir, Bill Krochuk and Ethan Kistler reported Sagebrush Sparrow.

---On April 12 at 1721 Cottonwood Pt Dr in Fort Collins, Rachel Hopper reported a f ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD coming to her feeders.  Many birders were able to see this bird thanks to Rachel.  On April 13 Rachel Hopper again reported ANNA’s HUMMINGBIRD and several birders got to see it.  On April 14 Rachel Hopper reported ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD; John Shenot, Kevin and Gail Kiern, and Walter Wehtje saw the hummer.

---On April 13 at Oak and Grant in Fort Collins, Georgia Doyle reported Hermit Thrush.

LAS ANIMAS COUNTY:

---On April 10 at Cottonwood Canyon, Michael O’Brien and VENT Grouse Tour reported Vesper Sparrow and Carolina Wren.

MESA COUNTY:

---On April 10 at Highline Lake SP, Mike Henwood and Eileen Cunningham reported 5 Brown-headed Cowbirds, 4 White-faced Ibs along 11 8/10  Road on way in; and Marbled Godwit.

---On April 10 at Grand Valley Audubon NC, Hank Schoch reported Solitary Sandpiper.

---On April 12 at Ela Wildlife Sancutary, Mike Henwood, Kathleen McGinley, and Carol Ortenzio reported Solitary Sandpiper; Mark and Denise Vollmar reported 3 Semipalmated Sandpipers.

---On April 13 at Highline Lake SP, Denise and Mark Vollmar reported Caspian Tern.

---On April 13 Redlands Parkway Ponds, Denise and Mark Vollmar reported 3 Semipalmated Sandpipers; Mike Henwood reported 2 Semipalmated Sandpipers and Western Sandpiper.

---On April 14 at Connected Lake SP, Nic Korte and group reported American Bittern.

---On April 14 at Grand Valley Audubon Nature Center, Diane Trappet  and Mike Henwood reported American Bittern.

---On April 14 at 10 Rd Hudson Ranch Ponds, David Price and Hank Schoch reported Cattle Egret.

---On April 14 Mack Mesa Airport to Highline Lake SP, Mike Henwood reported 4 Solitary Sandpipers.

MOFFAT COUNTY:

---On April 9 Dinosaur National Monument Canyon Area Visitor Center, Kenny Frisch photographed a CALIFORNIA QUAIL a first time in Colorado.  On April 10 at Dinosaur National Monument Canyon Area Visitor Center, Vic Zerbi , Stu Elson, and Jan Leonard saw and photographed CALIFORNIA QUAIL.  On April 13 at Dinosaur National Monument Canyon Area Visitor Center, Joey, Kellner, Kathy Mihm Dunning, Peter Gent, and Maggie Boswell reported CALIFORNIA QUAIL.  On April 14 at Dinosaur National Monument Canyon Area Visitor Center, Connie and Joyce Takamine reported CALIFORNIA QUAIL.

---On April 12 at Dinosaur NM Echo Park, Wolfe Repass reported 2 House Wrens.

---On April 13 at Bitter Bush SWA, Joey Kellner and Kathy Mihm Dunning reported 2 Burrowing Owls.

MONTEZUMA COUNTY:

---On April 13 at Dolores Ponds (wastewater plant area), Coen Dexter and Brenda Wright reported Long-tailed Duck.

MONTROSE COUNTY:

---On April 14 at Otter Pond,  Betty Fenton reported Red-breasted Merganser.  On April 12 at Otter Pond, Coen Dexter and Brenda Wright reported Red-breasted Merganser.

---On April 11 on Lower Nucla – Delta Rd, Coen Dexter and Brenda Wright reported ad m Black-throated Gray Warblet.

OURAY COUNTY:

---On April 10 at Billy Creek SWA, Sandy Beraich reported 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows.

---On April 12 at Ridgway Reservoir and SP, Coen Dexter and Brenda Wright reported 2 Vesper Sparrows and Lark Sparrow.

PARK COUNTY:

---On April 9 on Hwy 96, Lake George, Alan and MaryLynne Ketcham reported Great Egret and Yellow-headed Blackbird.

PHILLIPS COUNTY:

---On April 12 at Haxtun Sewage Ponds, Michael O’Brien and VENT Grouse Tour reported Greater Scaup.

PROWERS COUNTY:

---On April 11 at Northgate, Jane Stulp reported 3 Greater White-fronted Geese.

PUEBLO COUNTY:

---On April 9 at Pueblo Reservoir, Brandon Percival reported pair of Black Phoebe, pair of Eastern Phoebe and Red Crossbills fly over at Swallows.  

---On April 9 at Pueblo Reservoir SWA, Brandon Percival reported 2 breeding plumaged Red-necked Grebes; Monday  Birders reported 1 Red-necked Grebe and that they saw all 6 Colorado Grebes.  On April 10 at Pueblo Reservoir SWA, Sally Waterhouse reported Red-necked Grebe.

---On April 12 at Runyon Lake, Mark Yeager reported Vermilion Flycatcher.

---On April 14 at Pueblo Reservoir  Rock Canon below dam N or river, David Dowell and Brandon Percival reported Mallard (Mexican intergrade) and 3 House wrens; Diana Beatty reported Common Nighthawk.

---On April 14 at Pueblo Reservoir, Sailboard Area, Diana Beatty reported Northern Cardinal.

---On April 14 at Lake Beckwith in Colorado City, David Dowell reported White-winged Scoter.

RIO BLANCO COUNTY:

---On April 13 at Kenney Reservoir, Joey Kellner and Kathy Mihm Dunning reported Cliff Swallow and 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallows.

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY:

---On April 10 at Mountain Village, Tom Johnson and his Field Guides grouse tour reported 3 Gray-crowned (Hepburn’s) Rosy-Finch, 10 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, 12 Black Rosy-Finch, 110 Brown-capped Rosy-Finch.

WELD COUNTY:

---On April 11 at CR 59 Wetlands Shawn Mason reported  6 Least Sandpipers.

---On April 9 on CR 136 between CR 77 and CR 79, Gene Rutherford reported Mountain Plover and Savannah Sparrow.

---On April 9 at Sanborn Park, Shawn Mason reported red-naped Sapsucker and Gene Rutherford reported 2 Mountain Chickadees.

---On April 9 at Eaton Cemetery, Gene Rutherford reported 2 Mountain Chickadees.

---On April 9 at CR 115 and CR 138, Norm Lewis reported 2 Sharp-tailed Grouse.

---On April 10 at Pawnee Grasslands, Dave Leatherman reported Chestnut-collared Longspurs on W side of CR 115 N of CR 134 and Long-billed Curlew S of CR 134 just W of CR 125.

---On April 14 at Glenmere Park in Greeley, Shawn Mason reported 2 Bushtits.

YUMA COUNTY:

---On US 385 south of CR 14, Sue Riffe reported Brewer’s Sparrow and McCown’s Longspur.

DFO Field Trips: 

The DFO Field Trip for April 14 – April 15 will be to Cameron Pass for Boreal Owls led by Francis Commercon & Paul Slingsby (siskinbyderailleur AT gmail.com;303-470-9130).  This trip is FULL.

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, April 15 will be to Genessee Park led by Wendy Wibben (wibbwj AT aol.com; 303-330-1175)  This trp is FULL.

Good Birding,

Joyce Takamine

Boulder