Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 19 January 2018

[Joyce Takamine]

Compiler:   Joyce Takamine

e-mail:      RBA AT cobirds.org  

Date:        February 19, 2018

This is the Rare Bird Alert for Monday, February 19  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.

Greater White-fronted Goose (*El Paso, Jefferson, Morgan, *Washington, Weld)

BRANT (*Arapahoe)

Trumpeter Swan (*Fremont, *Yuma)

Wood Duck (*Prowers)

Greater Scaup (Jefferson, *Weld)

White-winged Scoter (Arapahoe, Jefferson)

Long-tailed Duck (Montezuma)

Barrow’s Goldeneye (Adams, El Paso, Montezuma, *Weld) 

Red-breasted Merganser (Montezuma)

Clark’s Grebe (*Fremont)

Sandhill Crane (Alamosa, Costilla, *Kiowa, *Mesa, Rio Grande)

Spotted Sandpiper (*Mesa)

AMERICAN WOODCOCK (Larimer)

Mew Gull  (*Weld)

California Gull (Adams, Archuleta, *Kiowa, *Larimer, Mesa)

Iceland Gull (El Paso,*Kiowa,  Pueblo) 

Glaucous Gull (*Kiowa)

Great Black-backed Gull (*Pueblo)

YELLOW-BILLED LOON (*Arapahoe, Gunnison, Jefferson)

Double-crested Cormorant (Otero)

American White Pelican (Otero, *Weld)

Black-crowned Night-Heron (Weld)

Osprey (*Larimer)

Northern Goshawk (Larimer)

HARRIS’S HAWK (*Larimer)

Swainson’s Hawk (*Prowers)

Ferruginous Hawk (Park)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (*Washington)

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (El Paso)

Black Phoebe (Montrose)

Say’s Phoebe (Adams, *Arapahoe, Archuleta)

Chihuahuan Raven (Fremont)

Juniper Titmouse (Montezuma)

Bushtit (Weld)

Pygmy Nuthatch (Arapahoe, Broomfield)

Brown Creeper (*Kiowa)

Winter Wren (*Archuleta, *Morgan)

Bewick’s Wren (Montezuma, Otero)

Eastern Bluebird (*Washington)

Hermit Thrush (Arapahoe, *Washington)

Gray Catbird (Arapahoe)

Curve- billed Thrasher (El Paso)

Brown Thrasher (Morgan, Otero)

Northern Mockingbird (*Adams)

Bohemian Waxwing (Summit)

American Pipit (La Plata)

Rosy-Finch spec (Archuleta)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Park)

Common Redpoll (Chaffee, Larimer)

Lapland Longspur (Denver, *Kiowa)

McCown’s Longspur (*Kiowa)

Green-tailed Towhee (Montrose)

Field Sparrow (Baca)

Vesper Sparrow (Larimer)

Sagebrush Sparrow (*Mesa)

Savannah Sparrow (Weld)

Fox Sparrow (Prowers)

Lincoln’s Sparrow (Archuleta, *Larimer, Mesa)

Swamp Sparrow (Boulder, La Plata)

White-throated Sparrow (Arapahoe, Otero, Prowers)

Harris’s Sparrow (*Arapahoe, Denver, El Paso, *Kiowa)

Brown-headed Cowbird (El Paso, Morgan, *Weld)

Rusty Blackbird (*Morgan)

Pine Warbler (*Larimer)

Yellow-rumped Warbler (*Archuleta, *Mesa, Otero, *Prowers)

Northern Cardinal (Otero, *Prowers)

ADAMS COUNTY:

---On February 11 at Mann Nyholt Lake, Adam Vesely reported California Gull.

---On February 12 at Barr Lake Bird Conservancy of Rockies Office and below dam, Colin Woolley reported Say’s Phoebe.

---On February 18 at Big Dry Creek OS, David Ely reported Northern Mockingbird.

---On February 18 at South Platte River  Sand Creek mouth, Riley Morris reported Black Phoebe.  This would be new county record if accepted.

ALAMOSA COUNTY:

---On February 16 on Hwy 17 near Hooper, James Loy reported 1100 Sandhill Cranes.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY:                                                                  

---On February 13 at South Platte Reservoir, David Suddjian and Dale Pate reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON; Suddjian, Pate, Myron Gerhard, and Frank Farrel reported White-winged Scoter in SW Bay (Jefferson); Matt Newport reported White-winged Scoter in Arapahoe side.  On February 16 at South Platte Reservoir, Chris Wood reported White-winged Scoter, YELLOW-BILLED LOON, and Say’s Phoebe; Chris Wood reported White-winged Scoter in SW  Bay (Jefferson).  On February 17 at South Platte Reservoir, Meg Reck and Holden Maxfield reported White-winged Scoter and YELLOW-BILLED LOON; Michelle Desrosiers and Colin Woolley reported White-winged Scoter and YELLOW-BILLED LOON in SW bay (Jefferson).  On February 18 at South Platte Reservoir, Anna Lenshek reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON.

---On February 13 at Highline Canal Trail from E Quincy Ave to S Colorado Blvd, Joe Roller reported Say’s Phoebe.  On February 14 at High Line Canal Trail from E Quincy Ave to S Colorado Blvd (Three Pond and Dahlia Hollow Parks), Jared Del Rosso reported Hermit Thrush.

---On February 14 at High Line Canal Trail E Bellview Ave to E Quincy Ave (Blackmer Lake), Jared Del Rosso reported Pygmy Nuthatch.

---On February 14 at Ketring Park, Elaine Wagner and Doug Kibbe reported Hermit Thrush and Gray Catbird.  On February 16 at Ketring Park in Littleton, Doug Kibbe and Elaine Wagner reported BLACK BRANT.  On February 17 at Ketring Park in Littleton, Matt Crooks and several other birders reported BLACK BRANT.  On February 18 at Ketring Park, Cheryl Teuton and several other birders reported BLACK BRANT.  The BRANT was also seen at neighboring Gallup Park.

---On February 17 at Dahlia Hollow Park, Bez Bezuidenhout reported Pygmy Nuthatch.

---On February 18 at Chapel Hill Memorial gardens, Jared Del Rosso reported Harris’s Sparrow.

---On February 18 at Gallup Park in Littleton, Jared Del Rosso and Christian Hagenlocher reported BLACK BRANT.

---On February 18 at St Mary’s Catholic Church lower area, David Suddjian reported Say’s Phoebe

ARCHULETA COUNTY:

---On February 16 at Navajo Lake Sailboard beach, Kathy Mihm Dunning reported California Gull.

---On February 16 at Pagosa Riverwalk, Kathy Mihm Dunning reported Lincoln’s Sparrow and Winter Wren.  On February 17 at San Jan River Walk in Pagosa Springs, Jason St Pierre and Ryan Votta reported Winter Wren and Yellow-rumped Warbler.  On February 18 on San Juan River Walk in Pagosa Springs, Ryan Votta reported Yellow-rumped Warbler and Jim Beatty reported Winter Wren.

---On February 17 at Cat Creek, CR 700, Ben Bailey, Cedar Mcgrath, and Judy Jones reported 75 Rosy-Finch and Say’s Phoebe.

BOULDER COUNTY:

---On February 17 at Pella Crossing OS, Steve Frye reported Swamp Sparrow.

COSTILLA COUNTY:

---On February 16 on E Hwy 160 near Blanca, Emily Samuel reported 10 Sandhill Cranes.

DENVER COUNTY:

---On February 13 on Gun Club Road E of 112th Ave, Brian Johnson reported Lapland Longspur.

---On February 17 at First Creek at DEN OS, Lorraine Lanning reported Harris’s Sparrow in vegetation near Creek just east of Buckley.

EL PASO COUNTY:

---On February 13 at Monument Wastewater Treatment Plant, Rod Schmidt, David and Cheryl Hubbard, Alan and Mary Lynn Ketcham, and David Tonnessen reported f Barrow’s Goldeneye.  On February 14 at Monument Watewater Treatment Plant, Alan Ketcham reported pair of Barrow’s Goldeneye.  On February 15 at Monument Wastewater Treatment Plant, Chris  Brobin reported pair of Barrow’s Goldeneye.

---On February 13 on Hanover Road, Kevin Ash reported Ladder-backed Woodpecker.

---On February 13 on Birdsall Road, John Drummond reported 4 Brown-headed Cowbirds.

---On February 16 on Chapel Hills Drive in Colorado Springs, Roger Massey reported  Greater White-fronted Goose foraging on a front lawn.  On February 17 on Chapel Hills Drive Joy and Leonard Lake reported Greater White-fronted Goose on grassy bank across from library.   On February 18 on Chapel Hills Drive, Susan Stover reported Greater White-fronted Goose.

---On February 17 at Reflection Pond, John Drummond, Alan and MaryLynne Ketcham reported Greated White-fronted Goose.  On February 18 at Reflection Pond, Richard Bunn reported Greater White-fronted Goose.

---On February 17 on Birdsall Road in Fountain, Alan and MaryLynne Ketcham reported Curve-billed Thrasher and 2  Brown-headed Cowbirds.

FREMONT COUNTY:

---On February 13 at Brush Hollow Reservoir, Rich Miller reported 2 Trumpeter Swans.  On February 14 at Brush Hollow Reservoir, Kevin Ash reported 2 Trumpeter Swans.  On February 17 at Brush Hollow Reservoir, Norm Lewis and Mike Serruto reported 2 Trumpeter Swans and Clark’s Grebe.   On February 18 at Brush Hollow Reservoirk, Ginny Bergstrom reported 2 Trumpeter Swans and Clark’s Grebe; Gwen Moore reported 2 Trumpeter Swans.

GUNNISON COUNTY:

---On February 13 at Blue Mesa Reservoir between mm 138 and mm 139 on US 50 east of Red Creek, Kathy Mimh Dunning reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON.  Location was on US 50 between Red Creek and Bay of Chickens.

 

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

---On February 16 on Clear Creek trail from Golden to I-70, Chuck Aid and Micahel Kiessig reported 3 Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warblers.

---On February 16 at Clement Park and Johnson Reservoir, Thomas Holub reported Greater White-fronted Goose.

---On February 16 at Harriman Lake Park, Chris Wood reported 14 Greater Scaup.

KIOWA COUNTY:

---On February 17 on CR 3E, Bill Kaempfer reported 2 Lapland Longspurs.

---On February 17 at Neenoshe Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported 4 Iceland (Thayer’s) Gulls, 2 California Gulls, Glaucous Gull, and 4 McCown’s Longspur.

---On February 17 at Upper queens/Neeskah Reservoir, Steve Mlodiow reported 110 Sandhill Cranes, California Gull, Lapland Longspur, 3 Harris’s Sparrows, and Brown Creeper.

LA PLATA COUNTY:

---On February 16 at Pastorius Reservoir, Kathy Mihm Dunning and Jason St. Pierre reported American Pipit and Swamp Sparrow.

LARIMER COUNTY:

---On February 13 at Horsetooth Mountain Park, Carl Schimmel and Arvind Panjabi reported Common Redpolls.

---On February 9 at Bobcat Ridge NA, Sue Riffe reported AMERICAN WOODCOCK.  On February 10 at Bobcat Ridge NA, Nick Komar and David Wade reported AMERICAN WOODCOCK at Buffum Creek in the morning and in the afternoon Nick Komar and Walter Wehtje reported AMERICAN WOODCOCK at creek below parking lot; Andy Bankert and Caroline Olson found the AMERICAN WOODCOCK on the road to Bobcat Ridge on the south side by 3rd stream crossing and 15 mph sign.  On February 12 at Bobcat Ridge NA, Norm Lewis reported AMERICAN WOODCOCK near cattails below Castle House.

---On February 13 at Larimer County Landfill (restricted access), Joshua Smith reported California Gull.  On February 17 at Larimer County Landfill (restricted access), Chris Wood reported 2nd year California Gull.

---On February 13 at Running Deer NA in Fort Collins, Richard Herrington reported Northern Goshawk.

---On February 16 on I-25 near Loveland, Gene Rutherford reported HARRIS’S HAWK near Exit sign.   On February 18 near I-25 Loveland exit, Susan Broderick reported the HARRIS’S HAWK flying over trees near Wyngate Hotel on Ronald Reagan Blvd.

---On February 16 at Cottonwood Run NA Rec trail Wilson to Taft, Christine Sparks reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On February 17 at Dixon Reservoir, Jim Nachel reported Vesper Sparrow.

---On February 17 at Horsetooth Reservoir, Chris Wood reported 2 ad California Gulls.

---On February 18 from Dixon Reservoir to Horsetooth Reservoir, Elaine Leslie reported Osprey flying north to south.

---On February 18 at Wild Horse Birdfeeder in Loveland, John Reichhardt reported Pine Warbler.

---On February 18 at Hillsdale Park in Berthoud, Christine and Richard Sparks reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

MESA COUNTY:

---On February 14 at Grand Junction Wildlife Area, Aaron Yappert reported Spotted Sandpiper.

---On February 15 at Colorado River Isaland SWA, Glenn Pearson reported 2 California Gulls.

---On February 16 at Grand Junction Wildlife Area, Kathleen McGinley and Mike Henwood reported 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows.

---On February 18 at State Line, Denise and Mark Vollmar reported 12 Sandhill Cranes and 3 Sagebrush Sparrows.

---On February 18 at Horsethief Canyon SWA, David Price and Eileen Cunningham reported Spotted Sandpiper and Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warbler.

MONTEZUMA COUNTY:

---On February 14 at McPhee Reservoir Dolores End, Kathy Mihm Dunning reported Long-tailed Duck.  On February 15 at Dolores Ponds (wastewater plant) Jim Beatty reported f Long-tailed Duck in second pond past Dolores wastewater treatment ponds.  On February 14 at West End, Jim Beatty reported 2 f Red-breasted Mergansers.  On February 16 at Dolores Ponds (Watewater Treatment Plant), Jason St Pierre and Eric Hynes reported Long-tailed Duck and Barrow’s Goldeneye.

---On February 14 at Sand Canyon Trail, Kathy Mihm Dunning reported 6 Juniper Titmouse and 3 Bewick’s Wrens.

MONTROSE COUNTY:

---On February 15 at Marine Road Park, Susna Entsminger reported Black Phoebe at edge of North Ponds and Green-tailed Towhee at South side of Park.

MORGAN COUNTY:

---On February 13 at Jackson Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported 2 Greater White-fronted Gees, Brown Thrasher, and 3 Brown-headed Cowbirds.

---On February 18 at Riverside Park (east section) in Fort Morgan, Chris Wood and David Dowell reported Winter Wren and Rusty Blackbird.

OTERO COUNTY:

---On February 17 at Rocky Ford SWA, David Dowell reported Brown Thrasher, Yellow-rumped Warbler, White-throated Sparrow and 2 Northern Cardinals.

---On February 17 at Holbrook Reservoir, David Dowell reported 2 Double-crested Cormornats, 17 American White Pelicans and Bewick’s Wren.

PARK COUNTY:

---On February 13 in town of Jefferson, Jerry Baines reported 3 Ferruginous Hawks and 40 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches.

PROWERS COUNTY:

--- On February 16 at Lamar Community College, Jane Stulp reported Red Fox Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, and 2 Northern Cardinals.  On February 18 at Lamar Community College, Jon Horn reported f Wood Duck, 4 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Northern Cardinal.

---On February 18 on Hwy 196 from Kornman to county line, Jon Horn reported 1st year light phase Swainson’s Hawk.

PUEBLO COUNTY:

---On February 17 at Pueblo Reservoir South Marina, Jon Horn reported Great Black-backed Gull.  On February 18 at Pueblo Reservoir, Robb Hinds reported Great Black-backed Gull.

RIO GRANDE COUNTY:

---On February 17 at Monte Vista NWR Hwy 15 Viewing Area, John W. Cobb reported 120 Sandhill Cranes.

SUMMIT COUNTY:

---On February 17 at Arapaho NF near Dillon, Helen Butts reported 120 Bohemian Waxwings.

WASHINGTON COUNTY:

---On February 18 at Prewitt Reservoir, Chris Wood reported 7 Greater White-fronted Geese, Red-bellied Woodpecker, 9 Eastern Bluebirds, and Hermit Thrush.

WELD COUNTY:

---On February 13 at Woods Lake, Steve Mlodinow reported Black-crowned Night-Heron.

---On February 13 at Lower Latham Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow Reported Savannah Sparrow.

---On February 14 at LUNA Reservoir, Sean Fitzgerald reported Greater Scaup.  On February 18 at LUNA Reservoir, Gene Rutherford reported 3 Greater Scaup (2m, 1f) and Brown-headed Cowbird.

---On February 16 in Bittersweek Park in Greeley, Matthias Sirch reported Bushtit.

---On February 17 at Behren Reservoir, Gene Rutherford reported Savannah Sparrow.

---On February 18 at St Vrain SP Great Egret Pond, Gene Rutherford reported American White Pelican.

---On February 18 at Firestone Gravel Pits (view from road), Steve Mlodinow, Gene Rutherford, and Luke Pheneger reported m Barrow’s Goldeneye and American White Pelican; Mlodinow also reported 1st cyc Mew Gull.

---On February 18 at Barefoot Lakes, Gene Rutherford reported Mew Gull.

YUMA COUNTY:

---On February 18 at Stalker Lake, David Dowell reported Trumpeter Swan.

The next monthly meeting of Denver Field Ornithologists will be on Monday, February 19 at 0700 at Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Ricketson Auditorium.  Enter through the north side security/employee entrance and tell the guard that you are attending the DFO meeting.  Chris Wood will speak on “eBird and the Elephant’s Child”.

DFO Field Trips:

The DFO Field Trip for Tuesday, February 20 will be to Northeastern Colorado led by david Suddjian (dsuddjian AT gmail.com; 831-713-8659).  Directions:  Meet at 0500 at Colorado Park and Wildlife Office at 6060 N. Broadway.  Exit I-25 at 58th Ave, go west 2 blocks to Broadway,  then north 2 blocks to parking lot on right. 

     Special guest leader:  Norm Lewis.  May visit Jumbo, Red Lion, and Tamarack and Prewitt.  Prepare for this full day winter outing with supplies of food.  Possible park entry fees.  Register online or contact leader.

The DFO Field Trip for Saturday, February 24 will be to South Platte River Trail at E 88th Ave and I-76 led by Mark Amershek (mamershek AT msn.com; 303-329-8646)  This trip is full.

The DFO Field Trip for Saturday, February 24 will be to Sloan’s Lake led by Jackie King (jackie.king At ccd.edu; 720-381-3314)  Directions:  Meet on the north side of Solan’s Lake near the boat house just south of W 25th Ave at Wolff.  Lunch is optional.  Register online or contact leader.

The DFO Field Trip for Saturday, February 24 will be Front Range Owling led by David Suddjian (dsuddjian AT gmail.com; 831-713-8659).  This trip is full.

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, February 25 will be to Fort Collins Grandview Cemetery led by Gregg Goodrich (GreggGoodrich AT gmail.com; 303-665-9135).  This trip is full

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, February 25 will be Boulder County:  From the Mountains to the Plains led by Paula Hansley (plhansley AT gmai.com; 720-890-2628).  Directions:  Meet at 0800 at Cinnebarre Theaters parking lot off Dillon Rd in Louisville.  Take McCaslin Blvd exit from Hwy 36 (Boulder Turnpike) to the north; go left at first traffic light at Dillon Rd, take first left and follow little road into a large parking lot for Cinebarre Theaters.  Meet on west side.    Carpool.  Check out feeders including Mtn Research Station and Allenspark.  Will work way back to plains.  Bring lunch, water (and/or warm Beverage), warm clothes, including gloves and hat.  Register online or contact leader.

Good Birding,

Joyce Takamine

Boulder