Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 11 April 2018

[Joyce Takamine]

Compiler:   Joyce Takamine

Date:        April 10, 2018

e-mail:      RBA AT cobirds.org  

This is the Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday, April 10 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, Weld)

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

Greater Scaup (Fremont, Weld)

Barrow’s Goldeneye (Gunnison)

Red-breasted Merganser (*Montrose)

CALIFORNIA QUAIL (*Moffat)

Sharp-tailed Grouse (Weld)

Red-necked Grebe (Jefferson, *Pueblo)

Clark’s Grebe (Fremont)

White-throated Swift (Pueblo)

Broad-tailed Hummingbird (El Paso)

Virginia Rail (Chaffee)

Sora (Montezuma)

Sandhill Crane (Larimer, Weld)

Black-necked Stilt (Weld)

Mountain Plover (El Paso, Weld)

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

Marbled Godwit (*Mesa, Pueblo)

Baird’s Sandpiper (Larimer)

Least Sandpiper (Weld)

Western Sandpiper (La Plata)

Spotted Sandpiper (Mesa)

Solitary Sandpiper (*Mesa)

Pacific Loon (Fremont)

Double-crested Cormornants (Denver)

American White Pelican (Douglas)

Great Egret (Fremont, Larimer, Park, Weld)

Snowy Egret (Denver, Douglas)

Little Blue Heron (Otero)

White-faced Ibis (*Mesa)

Turkey Vulture (Boulder, Douglas)

Osprey (Pitkin)

Northern Goshawk (Douglas, *Jefferson, Larimer)

Swainson’s Hawk (Jackson)

Ferruginous Hawk (Mesa)

Burrowing Owl (*Arapahoe, El Paso, Mesa)

Acorn Woodpecker (La Plata)

Red-naped Sapsucker (Weld)

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (El Paso)

Black Phoebe (Fremont, Mesa, Pueblo)

Eastern Phoebe (*Boulder, *Chaffee, *Douglas, Fremont, *Jefferson, Larimer, Otero, Pueblo)

Western Kingbird (*Jefferson)

Chihuahuan Raven (Crowley, Fremont)

Common Raven (Weld)

Tree Swallow (Larimer, Otero, Pueblo)

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

Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Adams, Larimer)

Bank Swallow (Chaffee, Larimer, Otero, Pueblo)

Cliff Swallow (Chaffee, Larimer, Otero, Pueblo)

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

Mountain Chickadee (Otero, Weld)

Carolina Wren (*Las Animas)

Golden-crowned Kinglet (Denver)

Eastern Bluebird (*Chaffee)

Swainson’s  Thrush (Adams)

Hermit Thrush (Denver, Weld)

Curve-billed Thrasher (El Paso, Fremont)

Sage Thrasher (Boulder, El Paso)

Northern Mockingbird (Broomfield, El Paso)

American Pipit (Crowley)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (*San Miguel)

Black Rosy-Finch (*San Miguel)

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (*San Miguel)

Red Crossbill (Pueblo)

Chestnut-collared Longspur (*Weld)

McCown’s Longspur (Weld)

American Tree Sparrow (Arapahoe, Boulder, Larimer)

Chipping Sparrow (Yuma)

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

Sagebrush Sparrow (*Arapahoe, Larimer, Mesa)

Savannah Sparrow (Weld)

Fox Sparrow (Eagle)

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

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

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Park)

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

Common Yellowthroat (*Chaffee)

Pine Warbler (*Larimer)

Blue Grosbeak (Larimer)

ADAMS COUNTY:

---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 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.

BOULDER COUNTY:

---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 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 10 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Ted Floyd and Bill Kaempfer reported Eastern Phoebe.

---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.

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

BROOMFIELD COUNTY:

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

CHAFFEE COUNTY:

---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.

---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.

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 7 at First Creek at DEN OS, Lorraine Lanning reported Harris’s Sparrow.  On April 10 at First Creek at DEN OS, John Breitsch 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 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 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 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.

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

---On April 10 at Platte Canon Reservoir, Matt Crooks reported 2 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 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 8 at Chico Basin Ranch, Alan and Mary Lynne Ketcham reported 3 pair of Curve-billed Thrashers and Sage Thrasher.

---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.

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

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.

GUNNISON COUNTY:

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

JACKSON COUNTY:

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

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

---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.  On April 8 at Coors Ponds, Frank Farrell and Cathy Fennelly 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.

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

LARIMER COUNTY:

---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 9 at Arapahoe Bend NA Rigden Reservoir (Strauss Cabin Lake), Lori Zabel reported 2  Baird’s Sandpipers.

---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 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 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.

LAS ANIMAS COUNTY:

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

LINCOLN COUNTY:

---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 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.

---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.

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.

MONTROSE COUNTY:

---On April 10 at Otter Pond, Betty Fenton and Tom Johnson reported Red-breasted Merganser.

MONTEZUMA COUNTY:

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

OTERO COUNTY:

---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.

OURAY COUNTY:

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

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.

PROWERS COUNTY:

---On April 9 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.

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 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.  

---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.

YUMA COUNTY:

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

DFO Field Trips: 

The DFO Field Trip for Thursday, April 12 will be to Wetland Wonders of Weld County led by Joe Roller and Mark Amershek (jroller9 AT gmail.com; 303-2-4-0828).  This trip is FULL.

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