Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 13 April 2018

[Joyce Takamine]

Compiler:   Joyce Takamine

Date:        April 13, 2018

e-mail:      RBA AT cobirds.org  

This is the Rare Bird Alert for Friday, April 13 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, Boulder, Jefferson, San Miguel)

Ross’s Goose (Douglas)

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

Tundra Swan (Alamosa)

Greater Scaup (Fremont, Montrose, *Phillips, Weld)

Barrow’s Goldeneye (Gunnison)

Red-breasted Merganser (*Montrose)

CALIFORNIA QUAIL (Moffat)

Sharp-tailed Grouse (Weld)

Red-necked Grebe (*Jefferson, Pueblo)

White-throated Swift (Pueblo)

ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD (*Boulder, *Larimer)

Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Arapahoe, El Paso)

Virginia Rail (Chaffee)

Sora (Montezuma)

Black-necked Stilt (La Plata)

Snowy Plover (Alamosa)

Mountain Plover (El Paso, Weld)

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

Marbled Godwit (Mesa, Pueblo)

Baird’s Sandpiper (Larimer)

Least Sandpiper (*Larimer, Weld)

Semipalmated Sandpiper (*Mesa)

Western Sandpiper (La Plata)

Spotted Sandpiper (Mesa)

Solitary Sandpiper (*Mesa)

American White Pelican (Douglas)

Great Egret (Fremont, Park, Weld)

Snowy Egret (Douglas)

Turkey Vulture (Boulder, Douglas)

Osprey (Pitkin)

Northern Goshawk  ( Jefferson, Larimer)

Rough-legged Hawk (*Denver)

Ferruginous Hawk (Mesa)

Burrowing Owl (Arapahoe)

Acorn Woodpecker (La Plata)

Red-naped Sapsucker (Weld)

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (El Paso)

Black Phoebe (Fremont, Mesa, Pueblo)

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

Vermilion Flycatcher (*Pueblo)

Western Kingbird (Adams, Jefferson)

Common Raven (Weld)

Tree Swallow (Larimer, Pueblo)

Violet-green Swallow (Pueblo)

Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Adams)

Bank Swallow (Chaffee, Pueblo)

Cliff Swallow (*Larimer, Pueblo)

Barn Swallow (Pueblo)

Mountain Chickadee (Weld)

Bushtit (*Weld)

House Wren (*Moffat)

Carolina Wren (Las Animas)

Eastern Bluebird (Chaffee)

Curve-billed Thrasher (*El Paso)

Sage Thrasher (El Paso)

Northern Mockingbird (Broomfield, El Paso)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (San Miguel)

Black Rosy-Finch (San Miguel)

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (San Miguel)

Red Crossbill (*Arapahoe, Pueblo)

Chestnut-collared Longspur (Weld)

McCown’s Longspur (Weld)

American Tree Sparrow (Arapahoe, Boulder, *Denver, Larimer)

Chipping Sparrow (*Boulder, Larimer)

Clay-colored Sparrow (Adams)

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

Lark Sparrow (*Ouray)

Sagebrush Sparrow (Arapahoe, Larimer, Mesa)

Savannah Sparrow (*Arapahoe)

Fox Sparrow (Eagle)

Lincoln’s Sparrow (*Adams, Ouray)

Harris’s Sparrow (Denver, El Paso)

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Park)

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

Northern Waterthrush (Boulder)

Common Yellowthroat (*Arapahoe, Chaffee)

Pine Warbler (Larimer)

Black-throated Gray Warbler (Montrose)

ADAMS COUNTY:

---On April 11 at Barr Lake SP boat ramp area, Danny Fritz reported 3 Clay-colored Sparrows.

---On April 8 at Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR Bluestem Loop Trail, John Breitsch reported Vesper Sparrow.  On April 11 at Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR, R Knapp reported Western Kingbird.

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

---On April 12 at McKay Lake, James McCall reported 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 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.

BOULDER COUNTY:

---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 8 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Chuck Hundertmark and Bob Spencer reported Eastern Phoebe.  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 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 at 179 Eldorado Springs Dr, Eldorado Springs, Alison Sheets reported a m ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD coming to her feeder.  Many birders got to see this bird thanks to Alison.

---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.

CHAFFEE COUNTY:

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

---On April 10 at Mt Shavano Fish Hatchery, Riley Morris reported Eastern Phoebe.

---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 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.

DOUGLAS COUNTY:

---On April 8 at Parker Regional Park (aka Salisbury Equestrian Park), Tim Ryan and Nancy Davis reported Ross’s Goose.  On April 9 at Parker Regional Park (aka Salisbury Equestrian Park), Tim Ryan reported Ross’s Goose.

---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.

---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.

EAGLE COUNTY:

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

EL PASO COUNTY:

---On April 8 on Hanover Road, Robin Bredl and Mark Chavez reported Curve-billed Thrasher and 2 Ladder-backed Woodpecker

---On April 8 at Chico Basin Ranch, Alan and Mary Lynne Ketcham reported 3 pair of Curve-billed Thrashers and Sage Thrasher.  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.

FREMONT COUNTY:

---On April 8 at Brush Hollow, Dale and Joel Adams reported 2 Greater Scaup.

---On April 8 at Canon City Valco Pond, Dale and Joel Adams reported Great Egret and 2 Black Phoebe.

GUNNISON COUNTY:

---On April 9 at Blue Mesa Reservoir eastern end, High Lonesome Grouse Tour reported 4 Barrow’s Goldeneyes.

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.

LA PLATA COUNTY:

---On April 8 at Pastorius Reservoir, Susan Allerton reported Least Sandpiper and Western Sandpiper.  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 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 10 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 11 at North Shield Pond NA, Brad Biggerstaff reported Chipping Sparrow.

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

---On April 8 at Boedecker Lake in SW Loveland, Nick Komar, Ethan Kistler, Bill Krochud, and Georgia Doyle reported Sagebrush 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.

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 8 at Horsetheif canyon SWA Jon Horn reported Spotted Sandpiper and Black Phoebe.

---On April 8 at Brewster’s RidgeBar X Wash, Nic Korte reported Ferrugious Hawk and Sagebrush Sparrow.

---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.

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

MONTROSE COUNTY:

---On April 11 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 Warbler.

MONTEZUMA COUNTY:

---On April 8 at Totten Reservoir, Erik Hendrikson reported Sora.

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.

PITKIN COUNTY:

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

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 8 at Pueblo Reservoir, Brandon Percival reported Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, and Bank Swallow.   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 8 at Pueblo Reservoir SWA, Brandon Percival and David Chartier reported Marbled Godwit.  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.

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY:

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

---On April 9 at Mountain Village (town) and Elk Lake, David Webb reported 2 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch and 63 Brown-capped Rosy-Finch.  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 8 at Behrens Reservoir, Gene Rutherford reported Least Sandpiper and Ross’s Goose.

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

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

---On April 8 at CR 47 S of Cr 48, Gary Lefko reported Great Egret.

---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 12 at Glenmere Park in Greeley, Shawn Mason reported 4 Bushtits.

DFO Field Trips: 

The DFO Field Trip for Saturday April 14 will be to Prospect Park (Wheat Ridge Greenbelt) led by Jackie King (jackie.king AT ccd.edu; 720-3314).  From I-70 exist 267, take Kipling south about ¾ mile and turn right (west).  Look for the entrance to Prospect Park on your left (south).  Meet at 0800 just inside the park in the lot right next to Prospect Lake.  Good time to look for shorebirds and early songbird migrants.  Bring binoculars and appropriate shoes and clothing layers, water and snacks.  Register online or contact leader.

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