Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 16 February 2017

[Joyce Takamine]

Compiler:  Joyce Takamine

e-mail:    RBA AT cobirds.org

Date:   February 16, 2017

This is the Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, February 16 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 using the new AOU checklist, & the order of families has changed.

BRANT (*Jefferson)

Trumpeter Swan (Douglas, Jefferson, Logan)

Tundra Swan (Boulder, Chaffee)

White-winged Scoter (Arapahoe)

Long-tailed Duck (Pueblo)

Barrow's Goldeneye (*Adams, Boulder, Fremont, Mesa)

Red-necked Grebe (Pueblo)

White-winged Dove (Mesa)

Greater Roadrunner (Bent)

Sora (*Pueblo)

Dunlin (Arapahoe, Douglas)

American Woodcock (Larimer)

Greater Yellowlegs (Boulder)

Lesser Yellowlegs (Adams)

Mew Gull (Arapahoe)

Thayer's Gull (Arapahoe)

ICELAND GULL (Washington)

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Arapahoe, Douglas)

Double-crested Cormorant (Bent)

American White Pelican (Adams, Bent)

Turkey Vulture (Jefferson)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Yuma)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Boulder, Denver)

Acorn Woodpecker (La Plata)

Pacific Wren (La Plata)

Carolina Wren (Prowers)

Hermit Thrush (Mesa)

Curve-billed Thrasher (*Pueblo)

Northern Mockingbird (Yuma)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Boulder, Pitkin, San Miguel)

Black Rosy-Finch (Boulder, Pitkin, San Miguel)

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (Boulder,  Pitkin, San Miguel)

White-winged Crossbill (Grand)

Lapland Longspur (Logan)

Northern Cardinal (Prowers)

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Otero)

Rusty Blackbird (Arapahoe)

*****For directions to unfamiliar locations (e.g. "Lower Latham"), please refer to CFO's Colorado County Birding site:  www.coloradocountybirding.org

ADAMS COUNTY:

---On February 14 at Barr Lake SP, David Dowell reported 4 American White Pelicans.

---On February 14 on South Platte River and 88th Ave, Mary Keithler reported 2 Barrow's Goldeneyes and Lesser Yellowlegs.

--On February 15 on South Platte River and 86th Ave, Tom Wilberding reported m Barrow's Goldeneye.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY:

---On February 11 at Aurora Reservoir, Glenn Walbek reported ad Mew Gull, 1-st cyc Thayer's Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull.  On February 12 at Aurora Reservoir, Holden Maxfied reported White-winged Scoter and Lesser Black-backed Gull; and Bill Buckingham reported Mew Gull and 1-st cyc Thayer's Gull.

---On February 4 at McLellen Reservoir, Ben Sampson and many other birders reported Dunlin.  McLellen is in both Arapahoe and Douglas County, but mostly in Arapahoe.  Only the SE portion of McLellen is in Douglas. On February 10, Joe Roller reported Dunlin at McLellen Reservoir.  On February 11, Allison Hixon reported Dunlin at McLellen Reservoir.  On February 12, David Blue, Jan Albright, Richard Bunn, Cynthia Madsen reported Dunlin at McLellen reservoir.  On February 13, Betty Glass reported Dunlin at McLellen Reservoir.

On February 14, Candice Johnson reported Dunlin at McLellen Reservoir.

---On February 10 at Cherry Creek Valley Ecological Park, Sunny Bradford reported 2 Rusty Blackbirds.

BENT COUNTY:

---On February 10 at north west entrance of Lake Hasty Campground, Janeal Thompson reported 5 Greater Roadrunners.

---On February 10, Janeal Thompson reported Double-crested Cormorant at Lake Hasty and one Double-crested Cormorant and 11 American White Pelicans on the reservoir side.

BOULDER COUNTY:

---On February 10 at 68th and Hygiene Rd, Bryan Guarente reported m Barrow's Goldeneye.

---On February 11 at Fawn Brook Inn in Allenspark, Nick Komar reported all 3 species of Rosy-Finches.  On February 13, Thomas Heinrich reported all 3 specied of Rosy-Finches at Fawn Brook Inn in Allenspark.

---On February 11 at Walden Ponds in Boulder, Steve Frye, Luke Pheneger, Wilem van vliet, David Waltman, and Laura Steadman reported 4 Tundra Swans and Greater Yellowlegs.

---On February 12 at Teller Farm and Lakes, Peter Burke reported Greater Yellowlegs.

---On February 12 at Bohn Park in Lyons, Peter Burke reported ad m Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

CHAFFEE COUNTY:

---On February 11 on CR 163, Jeff Guy reported 2 Tundra Swans.

---On February 12 at Buena Vista Ice Pond, Christian Hagenlocher reported 9 Barrow's Goldeneyes.

DENVER COUNTY:

---On January 26 at Washington Park, Aaron Tucker reported 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. On February 11 at Washington Park, Kara Carragher and Lisa Edwards reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  On February 13, Judith Henderson reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Washington Park.

DOUGLAS COUNTY:

---On December 27, Jeff Beavers reported Trumpeter Swan at Chatfield.  The Swan can be seen by going upstream from Kingfisher Bridge to Pond 5 or from High Line Canal Trail accessed from Titan Road.  On February 6, Josh and rachel Destree reported Trumpeter Swan from upstream from Kingfisher Bridge.  On February 19, Norm Lewis reported Trumpeter Swan upstream from Kingfisher Bridge.

---On January 24 at McLellen Reservoir, SE Corner and High Line Canal Trail, Gregg Goodrich reported Dunlin.  On February 6, Gwen Moore and Edward Done reported Dunlin at McLellen Reservoir.  On February 7 at McLellen Reservoir, Diane Roberts and Pam Zimmer reported Dunlin.  On February 9, Mark Minner-Lee and Gregg Goodrich reported Dunlin at McLellen Reservoir.  On February 10, Aaron Yappert and DuWayne Worthington reported Dunlin at McLellen Reservoir.  On February 11, Kara Carragher, Lisa Edwards, Riley Morris, Sunny Bradford, Christine Alexander, and Sue Twiford reported Dunlin at McLellen Reservoir.  On February 12, Brian Johnson, John Drummond, and Tina Jones reported Dunlin at McLellen Reservoir.

FREMONT COUNTY:

---On February 10 at Tunnel  Dr Trail Head in Canon City, Bill Buckingham reported Barrow's Goldeneye.

GRAND COUNTY:

---On February 12 at Winter Park Ski Area, Andy Boyce reported 12 White-winged Crossbills.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

---On January 26 at Indian Tree Golf Course on Wadsworth north of 72nd Ave, Arvada, Doug Faulkner reported a BRANT.   On February 10, Aaron Yappert and Norm Lewis reported BRANT at Indian Tree Golf Club.  On February 11 at Indian Tree Golf Club, Thomas Holub, Nelson Ford, and Frank Farrell reported BRANT.  On February 12 at Indian Tree Golf Club, Lorraine Lanning, Bez ezuidenhout, Bill Buckingham, and Susan Rosine reported BRANT.  On February 15, Candice Johnson reported BRANT at Indian Tree Golf Club.

---On February 9, Jessi Oberbeck reported BRANT at Pond at 75th and Wadsworth in Arvada.

---On February 11, Adams Block reported Trumpeter Swan on Audubon Center trails at Chatfield SP.

LA PLATA COUNTY:

---On February 2, Ryan Votta reported Pacific Wren at Animas River Trail/Huck Finn Pond and Hatchery Area. On February 8, Elyse Klingener and Robert Winslow reported Pacific Wren at Animas River Trail/Huck Finn Pond and Hatchery Area.

---On February 11 on Meadow Road in rafter J Subdivision, Kip Stransky reported 5 Acorn Woodpeckers.

  

LARIMER COUNTY:

---On January 8, David Wade and Cole Wild reported 2 American Woodcocks at Bobcat Ridge Natural Area in the creek between the parking lot and the road.   On February 11, Dave Leatherman reported American Woodcock at Bobcat Ridge NA.  On February 12, David Wade and many other birders reported American Woodcock at Bobcat RIdge NA.

LOGAN COUNTY:

---On February 12 at Jumbo Reservoir, Kathy Mihm Dunning and David Dowell reported 2 Trumpeter Swans.

---On February 12 at CR 66 and CR 93, Kathy Mihm Dunning and David Dowell reported 2 Trumpeter Swans.

MESA COUNTY:

---On February 9, JoAnn Potter Riggle reported 3 White-winged Doves in the alley east of the 13th and Grand block in Grand Junction.

---On February 14 at Grand Junction Wildlife Area, Mike Henwood reported 3 Barrow's Goldeneyes (1m, 2f) and Hermit Thrush.

OTERO COUNTY:

---On February 10 at Bent's Fort Marsh, Cheryl Teuton reported Yellow-headed Blackbird.

PROWERS COUNTY:

---On February 10, Janeal Thompson reported Carolina Wren and 4 Northern Cardinals (2m, 2f) at Lamar Community College Woods.  On February 11, Janeal Thompson reported Carolina Wren and 3 m Northern Cardinals at Lamar Community College Woods.

PUEBLO COUNTY:

---On February 10 at Pueblo Reservoir, Brandon Percival reported Long-tailed Duck.

---On February 13 at North Shore Marina of Pueblo Reservoir, Brandon Percival reported Red-necked Grebe.

---On February15 at Chico Basin Ranch Headquarters area (Fee Area), John Drummond and Jason Boyce reported 3 Curve-billed Thashers and heard a Sora in the marsh area.

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY:

---On February 12, Eric Hynes reported all three species of Rosy-Finches at his feeders in Telluride.  If you would like to try for the bird contact him at erichynes28 AT gmail.com.

WASHINGTON COUNTY:

---On February 12 at Prewitt Reservoir, Kathy Mimh Dunning, and David Dowell reported ICELAND GULL.

YUMA COUNTY:

---On February 8 at Hale Ponds, Adam Vesely reported 2 Red-bellied Woodpeckers and Northern Mockingbird.

Denver Field Ornithologists Field Trips:

The DFO Field Trip for Saturday, February 18 will be to Prospect Park (Wheat Ridge Greenbelt) led by Jackie King (jackie.king AT ccd.edu; 720-381-3314).  From I-70, exit 267, take Kipling south about 3/4 mile and turn right (west on 44th Avenue.  Go one mile west.  Look for the entrance to Prospect Park on your left (south).  Meet at 0900 just inside the park in the lot right next to Prospect Lake.

  This is a trip with easy walking and accessible for mobility imparied individuals.  Bring water and a snack; lunch optional.  Register online or contact leader.

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, February 19 will be to Jefferson County Parks led by Pratyaydipta Rudra & Sreemala Das Majumder (pratyayr AT gmail.com; 919-699-4043).  Meet at 0730 at Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 6060 Broadway to carpool.  Exit I-25 at 58th Ave, go west 2 block to Broadway, then north 2 blocks to parking lot on the right.  

    The is a 3/4 day trip.  Will bird at least two different locations in Jefferson County.  The exact locations will be determine based on weather conditions and recent sightings.  Will Carpool and drivers will be reimbursed for gas.  Will walk some trails up to 3 miles.  Bring lunch and water.  If you have a scope or walkie talkies, please bring them.  Register online or contact leader.

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, February 19 will be Buckley Road Raptor Ramble led by Patrick O'Driscoll (patodrisk ATgmail.com; 303-885-6955).  Meet at 0730 in parking lot for First Creek at DEN Open Space on 56th Ave just west of Pena Blvd.  Take 56th Ave from west or I-70 to Pena, then north to 56th Ave.  Exit left at bottom of ramp, drive under Pena overpasses about 2 block west.  Parking lot is on right (north).  

   Level, one-way walk follows Buckley Rd (closed to vehicles, asphalt pavement with some gravel at north end)  about 4 miles north to 99th Ave,  Where we will stage vehicles to carpool back at walk's end.  Fence line on left is bird-rich Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR, trees, prairie dog towns on right are First Creek open space.  Dress for weather.  Bring water and snacks.  Scopes helpful for long-distance views into Arsenal.  Register online or contact leader.

Good birding,

Joyce Takamine

Boulder