Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 9 April 2018

[Joyce Takamine]

Compiler:   Joyce Takamine

Date:        April 9, 2018

e-mail:      RBA AT cobirds.org  

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

Snow Goose (*Boulder, *San Miguel)

Ross’s Goose (*Douglas, *Weld)

Greater White-fronted Goose (Jefferson, Rio Grande, Weld)

Wood Duck (Montezuma)

Greater Scaup (*Fremont, *Weld)

Sharp-tailed Grouse (*Weld)

Red-necked Grebe (*Jefferson, *Pueblo)

Clark’s Grebe (Fremont)

White-throated Swift (Chaffee, Pueblo)

Broad-tailed Hummingbird (El Paso)

Virginia Rail (Chaffee)

Sora (*Montezuma)

Sandhill Crane (Larimer, Mesa, Montezuma, Weld)

Black-necked Stilt (Weld)

Mountain Plover (El Paso, Lincoln)

Long-billed Curlew (Boulder, *Douglas, Mesa)

Marbled Godwit (*Pueblo)

Least Sandpiper (*La Plata, *Weld)

Western Sandpiper (*La Plata)

Spotted Sandpiper (*Mesa)

Willet (Arapahoe)

Franklin’s Gull (Montezuma)

Pacific Loon (Fremont)

Double-crested Cormornants (Denver)

American White Pelican (Douglas)

Great Egret (*Fremont, La Plata, Larimer, Moffat, Weld)

Snowy Egret (Denver)

Little Blue Heron (Otero)

White-faced Ibis (Mesa)

Turkey Vulture (*Boulder, Douglas, *Larimer, Mineral)

Osprey (*Pitkin)

Northern Goshawk (Douglas, Jefferson, Larimer)

Swainson’s Hawk (Jackson)

Ferruginous Hawk (*Mesa)

Burrowing Owl (El Paso, Mesa)

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (*El Paso)

Black Phoebe (*Fremont, *Mesa)

Eastern Phoebe (*Boulder, Chaffee, Fremont, Larimer, Otero)

Vermilion Flycatcher (El Paso)

Western Kingbird (El Paso)

Chihuahuan Raven (Crowley, Fremont)

Common Raven (*Weld)

Tree Swallow (*Larimer, Otero, *Pueblo)

Violet-green Swallow (Araphoe, Denver, Fremont, Jefferson, Larimer, *Pueblo)

Northern Rough-winged Swallow (*Adams, Arapahoe, Larimer)

Bank Swallow (*Chaffee, Larimer, Otero, *Pueblo)

Cliff Swallow (Chaffee, Larimer, Otero, *Pueblo)

Barn Swallow (Broomfield, Chaffee, Denver, Larimer, Otero, *Pueblo)

Mountain Chickadee (Otero)

Golden-crowned Kinglet (Denver)

Mountain Bluebird (Lincoln)

Swainson’s Thrush (Adams)

Hermit Thrush (Adams, Denver, Lincoln, Weld)

Gray Catbird (Larimer)

Curve-billed Thrasher (*El Paso, Fremont)

Sage Thrasher (*Boulder, *El Paso)

Northern Mockingbird (Broomfield, El Paso)

American Pipit (Crowley, Jefferson, Larimer, Lincoln)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (San Miguel)

Black Rosy-Finch (San Miguel)

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (San Miguel)

Chestnut-collared Longspur (Lincoln, *Weld)

McCown’s Longspur (El Paso, *Weld)

Green-tailed Towhee (Jefferson)

Cassin’s Sparrow (El Paso)

American Tree Sparrow (*Boulder, *Larimer)

Chipping Sparrow (Yuma)

Vesper Sparrow (*Adams, *Boulder, Crowley, El Paso)

Sagebrush Sparrow (Boulder, Larimer, *Mesa)

Savannah Sparrow (Weld)

Fox Sparrow (*Eagle)

Lincoln’s Sparrow (Adams, Crowley, Larimer, Otero, Weld)

Harris’s Sparrow (Denver, El Paso, Weld)

Brown-headed Cowbird Yuma)

Pine Warbler (*Larimer)

Blue Grosbeak (*Larimer)

ADAMS COUNTY:

---On April 6 at Barr Lake SP, Susan Quinlan reported Hermit Thrush.  On April 7 at Barr Lake SP Niedrach trail and Visitor Center,  Brian Johnson reported Swainson’s Thrush.

---On April 7 at Pond N of Big Dry Creek Park, Matt Hofeditz reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On April 7 at Metzger Farms OS, Matt Hofeditz reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On April 7 at Mann-Nyholt Lake, Adam Veseley reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On April 8 at Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR Bluestem Loop Trail, John Breitsch reported Vesper Sparrow.

---On April 8 at Ken Mitchell Park and OS, Adam Vesely reported Northern Rough-winged Swallow.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY:                                                                  

---On April 6 at South Platte Park, Edward Donnan reported Willet.

---On April 6 at Centennial Park, Art Hudak reported Northern Rough-winged Swallow and 8 Violet-green Swallows.

BOULDER COUNTY:

---On April 6 at Boulder Reservoir Complex, David Dowell reported 2 Snow Geese.  On April 7 at Boulder Reservoir Complex Ron Podhajsky, Peter Burke, Kathie Lehman, and David Haskell, Dan Zmolek, and Leslies S reported 2 Snow Geese, 2 Vesper Sparrows, and Sage Thrasher and 3 Turkey Vultures.  On April 8 at Boulder Reservoir Complex, Ted Floyd and several other birders reported Turkey Vultures, 2 Snow Geese, Sage Thrasher, 2 Vesper Sparrows, American Tree Sparrow.

---On April 5 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Gregg Goodrich and Anna Troth reported Eastern Phoebe on both sides of the bridge.  On April 7 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Emil Yappert and Richard Trinkner reported Eastern Phoebe; Ernest Crvich reported 2 Eastern Phoebes at Boulder Creek and 75th St but west of bridge.  On April 8 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Chuck Hundertmark and Bob Spencer reported Eastern Phoebe.

---On April 5 at Foothills Community Park North end, Christian Nunes reported Sagebrush Sparrow and several birders got to see it.

---On April 5 at Stearns Lake, Ted Floyd reported 2 Snow Geese.

---On April 7 in area around Hwy 66 between N 61st and N 63rd St in Longmont, Ethan Kistler, Christian Nunes, David Waltman, Dan Zmolek, Leslie S reported 2 Long-billed Curlews and Peter Burke reported 3 Long-billed Curlews N of Hwy 66; Willem van Vliet reported 3 Long-billed Curlews on N63rd West of McCall Lake.

BROOMFIELD COUNTY:

---On April 7 at Plaster Reservoir, Matt Hofeditz reported Barn Swallow.

CHAFFEE COUNTY:

---On April 5 at Bob’s Rocks, Christian Hagenlocher reported 4 White-throated Swifts.

---On April 7 at Sands Lake SWA, Michael O’Brien and VENT Grouse Tour reported Bank Swallow, Eastern Phoebe, 20 Cliff Swallows, and 5 Barn Swallows.

---On April 8 at Frantz Lake SWA, Christian Hagenlocher reported Bank Swallow.

CROWLEY COUNTY:

---On April 7 at Lake Henry, Steve Mlodinow reported Chihuahuan Raven, 3 American Pipits, Vesper Sparrow, and 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows.

DENVER COUNTY:

---On April 5 at First Creek at DEN OS, John Breitsch reported Harris’s Sparrow.  On April 7 at First Creek at DEN OS, Lorraine Lanning reported Harris’s Sparrow.

---On April 7 at Denver City Park, Patrick O’Driscoll and DFO Field Trip reported 4 Snowy Egrets, 445 Double-crested Cormornants and 200 nests, 2 Violet-green Swallows, 3 Barn Swallows and Golden-crowned Kinglet.

---On April 7 at Denver Botanic Gardnes and Cheeseman Park, Rebecca Laroche reported 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets and Hermit Thrush.

DOUGLAS COUNTY:

---On April 5 at Parker Regional Park (aka Salisbury Equestrian Park), Tim Ryan reported Ross’s Goose.  On April 7 at Parker Regional Park (aka Salisbury Equestrian Park), Sue Plankis reported Ross’s Goose.  On April 8 at Parker Regional Park (aka Salisbury Equestrian Park), Tim Ryand and Nancy Davis reported Ross’s Goose.

---On April 7 at Roxborough SP, Candice Johnson reported Northern Goshawk.  On April 8 at Roxbourgh SP, Stan Dodds and R Knapp reported Long-billed Curlew.

---On April 8 along south entrance road to Chatfield SP in Prairie dog colony, Cynthia Kristensen reported Long-billed Curlew.

EAGLE COUNTY:

---On April 8 on Eagle River from Gypsum to Dotsero, JoAnn Riggle reported 2 Fox Sparrows.

EL PASO COUNTY:

---On April 5 at Hanover Road, Diane Roberts and her DFO Field Trip reported pair of Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Curve-billed Thrasher, 2 Burrowing Owls, 4 Sage Thrashers, and 2 Cassin’s Sparrows.  On April 6 on Hanover Rd on pine tree at oasis, Jim Merritt reported Ladder-backed Woodpecker; R Knapp reported 2 Western Kingbirds.  On April 7 on Hanover Road Gloria Nikolai reported 3 Curve-billed Thrashers and 2 Burrowing Owls.  On April 8 on Hanover Road, Robin Bredl and Mark Chavez reported Curve-billed Thrasher and 2 Ladder-backed Woodpecker

---On April 5 at Chico Basin Ranch (fee area), Jeannie Mitchell and John Drummond  reported 2 Burrowing Owls, 3 Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, and Curve-billed Thrasher; Patraicia Bacchetti reported Curve-billed Thrasher.  On April 8 at Chico Basin Ranch, Alan and Mary Lynne Ketcham reported 3 pair of Curve-billed Thrashers and Sage Thrasher.

---On April 5 at DeGroot Road John Drummond reported Cassin’s Sparrow.

---On April 5 at 19250 Loop Rd Uldrickson Farm, Christine Alexander, Ginny Bergstrom and Tom Johnson and his Field Guides tour reported Vermilion Flycatcher.

---On April 5 at Hanover Fire Station, Jeannie Mitchell and John Drumond reported Cassin’s Sparrow.

---On April 5 on Birdsall Road, Jim Merrit reported Curve-billed Thasher.

---On April 5 at Blair Bridge OS, Joy Lake reported Broad-tailed Hummingbird.

---On April 6 on Sanborn Rd near Yoder, David Tonnessen reported 4 McCown’s Longspur and Vesper Sparrow.

---On April 7 on Loop Road, Riley Morris reported 2 Curve-billed Thrashers.

---On April 7 on S Meridian Road Hanover Rd to Pueblo County Line, Roger Massey, reported Ladder-backed Woodpecker and Vesper Sparrow.

FREMONT COUNTY:

---On April 7 at Brush Hollow, Cheryl Teuton and Norm Erthal reported basic plumaged Pacific Loon; Erthal reported Clark’s Grebe and Chihuahuan Raven; DeBoer reported Curve-billed Thrasher.  On April 8 at Brush Hollow, Dale and Joel Adams reported 2 Greater Scaup.

---On April 7 at Canon City Valco Pond, Jerry DeBoer reported 4 Violet-green Swallows and Eastern Phoebe.  On April 8 at Canon City Valco Pond, Dale and Joel Adams reported Great Egret and 2 Black Phoebe.

JACKSON COUNTY:

---On April 7 on Hwy 14 S of Coalmont, Mike Buccieri reported Swainson’s Hawk.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

---On April 6 at Bear Creek Lake Park, Mark Chavez reported American Pipit.

---On April 5 at Ken Caryl Cathy Johnson Trail, David Suddjian reported Green-tailed Towhee.

---On April 7 at Chatfield SP, Susan Blansett reported 6 Violet-green Swallows flying over the South Platte River.

---On April 7 at Maxwell Falls Lower Trail, Shayna Wieferich reported Northern Goshawk and 2 Sandhill Cranes.

---On April 7 at Ralston creek trail thru west Woods Golf Course, John Shunk reported Greater White-fronted Goose.

---On April 7 at Coors Ponds, Bruce Snyder reported Red-necked Grebe.  On April 8 at Coors Ponds, Karen Goetz, Matt Clark, and Susan Bonfiglio reported Red-necked Grebe.

LA PLATA COUNTY:

---On April 6 at Pastorius Reservoir, Susan Allerton reported Least Sandpiper and Great Egret; Ryan Votta reported Great Egret.  On April 8 at Pastorius Reservoir, Susan Allerton reported Least Sandpiper and Western Sandpiper.

LARIMER COUNTY:

---On April 5 at Arapahoe Bend NA Rigden Reservoir (Strauss Cabin Lake), Walter Wehtje reported 4 Barn Swallows and 2 Cliff Swallows.   On April 6 at Arapahoe Bend NA Rigden Reservoir (Strauss Cabin Lake), Lori Zabel reported Barn Swallow, 2 Vesper Sparrows, and 12 American Pipits.  On April 7 at Arapahoe Bend NA Rigden Reservoir (Strauss Cabin Lake), Christine and Richard Sparks, John Shenot, Brandon Nooner, Heather Shirley, and Eva Matthews Lark reported 20 Sandhill Cranes, Violet-green Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Bank Swallows, Cliff Swallows, and  Barn Swallows.

---On April 5 at Lee Martinez Park, Ethan Kistler reported 125 Turkey Vultures from 0900 and Gray Catbird.

---On April 7 at CSU Environmental Learning Center riparian area upstream of dam, Lori Zabel reported Eastern Phoebe.

---On April 7 at Bobcat Ridge NA, Skyler Bol reported Sagebrush Sparrow, and Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On April 8 at Wild Horse Birdfeeder in Loveland, John Reichhardt reported Pine Warbler.

---On April 8 at North Shields Pond NA, David Wade reported American Tree Sparrow.

---On April 8 at Grandview Cemetery, Dave Leatherman reported 80 Turkey Vultures and 2 Tree Swallows.

LINCOLN COUNTY:

---On April 6 on CR S near Karval, David Tonnessen reported American Pipit and 8 Chestnut-collared Longspur.

---On April 6 on CR T near Karval, David Tonnessen reported 14 Mountain Plover and Mountain Bluebird.

---On April 6 in Karval (town), David Tonnessen reported Hermit Thrush.

---On April 7 at Matthews-Reeser Bird Sanctuary, Ethan Kistler reported Great Egret.

---On April 8 at Horsetooth Mountain OS Towers Trail, Jonny Appleseed reported possible m Blue Grosbeak.

MESA COUNTY:

---On April 7 at Horsethief Canyon SWA, Carol Ortenzio and Katey Buster reported Black Phoebe.  On April 8 at Horsetheif canyon SWA Jon Horn reported Spotted Sandpiper and Black Phoebe.

---On April 6 at Highline Lake SP, Kathleen McGinley and Mike Henwood reported White-faced Ibis and 2 Sandhill Cranes.

---On April 6 at Brewster Ridge, Mike Henwood reported 5 Long-billed Curlew.  On April 8 at Brewster’s RidgeBar X Wash, Nic Korte reported Ferrugious Hawk and Sagebrush Sparrow.

---On April 6 on old Us Hwy 6 & 50 2 8/10 Rd N, Mike Henwood and Kathleen McGinley reported Burrowing Owl.

---On April 7 at Shiprock Pond, Nic Korte reported 3 White-faced Ibis.

MINERAL COUNTY:

---On April 5 at West Fork Rd, Ben Bailey reported 2 Turkey Vultures.  West Fork Rd is at mm158 on north Hwy 160.

MOFFAT COUNTY:

---On April 5 at Moffat County Road Dept Ponds, John Vaderpoel reported Great Egret.

MONTEZUMA COUNTY:

---On April 5 at Totten Lake, Glenn Dunmire reported 2 Sandhill Cranes and 6 Franklin’s Gulls.  On April 8 at Totten Reservoir, Erik Hendrikson reported Sora.

---On April 5 at Centennial Park pond in Cortez, Glenn Dunmire reported pair of Wood Ducks.

OTERO COUNTY:

---On April 6 at Holbrook Reservoir, Tom Johnson and his Field Guides Grouse Tour reported Little Blue Heron, 2 Tree Swallows, 2 Bank Swallows, and 6 Barn Swallows.  On April 7 at Lake Holbrook east side outflow, Janeal Thompson reported Little Blue Heron.

---On April 7 at Rocky Ford Dike, Steve Mlodinow reported 30 Tree Swallows, 2 Bank Swallows, 80 Barn Swallows, and 8 Cliff Swallows.

---On April 7 at Rocky Ford SWA Ryans Ponds, Steve Mlodinow reported 2 Eastern Phoebe, 2 Mountain Chickadees and Lincoln’s Sparrow.

PITKIN COUNTY:

---On April 8 on Emma Road in Basalt, Catherine Hagen reported 2 Osprey.

PUEBLO COUNTY:

---On April 6 at Pueblo Reservoir,  Brandon Percival reported breeding plumaged Red-necked Grebe.  On April 8 at Pueblo Reservoir, Brandon Percival reported Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, and Bank Swallow.

---On April 8 at Pueblo Reservoir SWA, Brandon Percival and David Chartier reported Marbled Godwit.

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY:

---On April 4 at The Terraces, Eric Hynes reported 1 Gray-crowned (Hepburn’s) Rosy-Finch, 4 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, 6 Black Rosy-Finch, and 140 Brown-capped Rosy-Finch.

---On April 8 at Hwy 145 and 44Z S Road, George Steele reported Snow Goose.

WELD COUNTY:

---On April 7 at ponds west of CR 41 N of CR 46, Sharon Kay reported Great Egret, 3 Black-necked Stilits, and 12 Sandhill Cranes across the road.

---On April 7 at CR 1376 W of CR 105, James Holmes reported Sharp-tailed Grouse, Savannah Sparrow, and 8 Chestnut-collared Longspurs.

---On April 7 at CR 111 and CR 134, James Holmes reported 3 Sharp-tailed Grouse.

---On April 7 at Briggsdale (town) at corner of Main and 5th Ave, James Holmes reported Harris’s Sparrow.

---On April 7 at Clark Lake, James Holmes reported 4 Ross’s Geese, and 4 Greater White-fronted Geese.

---On April 7 at Behrens Reservoir area, Renee Casias and David Dowell reported Least Sandpiper.   On April 8 at Behrens Reservoir, Gene Rutherford reported Least Sandpiper and Ross’s Goose.

---On April 7 at Crow Valley Campground, David Dowell and Georgiah Hartman reported Hermit Thrush and 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows.

--- On April 7 at CR 136 and CR 111 Georgiah Hartman reported Sharp-tailed Grouse; at CR 111 and CR 134, Matt Clark reported 2 Sharp-tailed Grouse.

---On April 8 at Pawnee NG at CR 134 east of CR 111, Christine Alexander reported 4 Sharp-tailed Grouse, 6 Chestnut-collared Longspur and 8 McCown’s Longspur.

---On April 8 at Pawnee NG at CR 111 south of CR 136, Christine Alexander reported 4 Sharp-tailed Grouse.

---On April 8 at CR 59 Wetlands Shawn Mason reported Least Sandpiper.

---On April 8 at Firestone Gravel Pits (View from road), Steve Mlodinow reported 2 Greater Scaup and Common Raven.

YUMA COUNTY:

---On April 7 at Wray, Bill Kaempfer reported Chipping Sparrow.

DFO Field Trips: 

The DFO Field Trip for Monday, April 9 will be to Southwest Metro Area Ponds and Lakes led by David Suddjian (dsuddjian At gmail.com; 831-713-8659)  This trip is FULL.

Good Birding,

Joyce Takamine

Boulder