Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 10 January 2018

[Joyce Takamine]

Compiler:   Joyce Takamine

e-mail:         RBA AT cobirds.org

Date:       January 10, 2018

This is the Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday,  January 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.

BARNACLE GOOSE (*Arapahoe)

Greater White-fronted Goose (Boulder, El Paso, Jefferson)

BRANT (*Douglas)

Trumpeter Swan (Garfield)

BLACK SWAN (*Weld)

MUTE SWAN (*Weld)

Wood Duck (Montrose)

EURASIAN WIGEON (Fremont)

Mallard (Mexican Intergrade) (Boulder)

Greater Scaup (Pueblo, Weld)

White-winged Scoter (*Arapahoe, La Plata, Weld)

Long-tailed Duck (Arapahoe, *Jefferson, Weld)

Barrow’s Goldeneye (Adams, Garfield, Pueblo) 

Greater Prairie-Chicken (Yuma)

Red-necked Grebe (*Jefferson, Larimer, Pueblo)

White-winged Dove (Pueblo)

Greater Roadrunner (*El Paso)

Greater Yellowlegs (Adams)

Mew Gull (Pueblo)

Iceland Gull (*El Paso, *Larimer, Pueblo) 

Glaucous Gull (Bent, Boulder, *Larimer, Pueblo)

Great Black-backed Gull (*Pueblo)

Pacific Loon (Pueblo)

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

Double-crested Cormorant (*Adams, Bent, *Pueblo)

American White Pelican (Bent, Boulder)

HARRIS’S HAWK (*Larimer)

Snowy Owl (*Jefferson, *Pueblo)

RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER (*El Paso)

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (El Paso)

American Three-toed Woodpecker (Boulder, Teller)

Say’s Phoebe (Arapahoe, *Denver, Larimer)

Steller’s Jay (Mesa)

Chihuahuan Raven (El Paso)

Common Raven (Adams)

Mountain Chickadee (Larimer, *Pueblo)

Pygmy Nuthatch (*Arapahoe, Morgan, Phillips)

Winter Wren (*Arapahoe)

Carolina Wren (Pueblo)

Mountain Bluebird (*Pueblo)

Hermit Thrush (*Arapahoe)

Varied Thrush (*El Paso)

Curve-billed Thrasher (El Paso, Weld)

American Pipit (Boulder, Pueblo)

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (Pitkin)

Red Crossbill (Arapahoe)

White-winged Crossbill (Pueblo)

European Goldfinch (*Boulder)

Lapland Longspur (El Paso, *Pueblo)

Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Fremont)

Fox Sparrow (*Larimer)

Lincoln’s Sparrow (El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Pueblo)

Swamp Sparrow (Weld)

Harris’s Sparrow (Denver, Larimer, Pueblo)

Rusty Blackbird (Larimer)

Yellow Warbler (Mesa)

Pine Warbler (Arapahoe, Larimer)

Yellow-rumped Warbler ( Adams, Jefferson, Larimer, Pueblo)

Prairie Warbler (*Pueblo)

Northern Cardinal (Logan)

ADAMS COUNTY:

---On January 8 at S Platte River and mouth of Sand Creek, David Dowell reported 4 Double-crested Cormorants and 3 Yellow-rumped Warblers.

---On January 6 at S Platte River at 88th, Julia Auckland reported 6 Barrow’s Goldeneyes and Double-crested Cormorant.  On January 7 at S Platte River at 88th Ave, Bill Fink reported m Barrow’s Goldeneye.  On January 8 at S Platte River at 88th Ave, Eric DeFonso reported Barrow’s Goldeneye and Double-crested Cormorant.

---On January 6 at McKay Road Ponds, Adam Veseley reported Greater Yellowlegs.

---On January 8 at 63rd and Fillmore, Christy Payne reported 2 Double-crested Cormorants and 7 Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warblers.

---On January 8 at S Platte River and 78th Ave, David Dowell reported 2 Double-crested Cormorants.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY:                                                                  

---On January 5 at Dahlia Hollow Park, Chris Gilbert reported Hermit Thrush.  On January 6 at Dahlia Hollow Park, Bez Bezuidenhout and Cynthia Madsen reported Pine Warbler, Hermit Thrush, and White-throated Sparrow.  On January 7 at Hollow Park, Cherry Hills Village Anna Troth and Gregg Goodrich reported Hermit Thrush.  On January 9 at Dahlia Hollow Park, Loch Kilpatrick reported 2 Pygmy Nuthatch and Hermit Thrush.

---On January 5 at S Platte Reservoir, Joey Kellner reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON in north end of reservoir.

---On January 7 At Cherry Creek Valley Ecological Park, Cynthia Madsen and David Hill reported Say’s Phoebe.

---On January 7 at High Line Canal Trail Blackmer Lake, Jared Del Rosso reported 3 Pygmy Nuthatch.

---On January 8 at Goldsmith Gulch Trail between E Crescent Parkway and E Prentice Ave in Greenwood Village, Connie Kogler reported Winter Wren.  On January 9 at 5400 E Crescent Parkway in Greenwood Village, Loch Kilpatrick reported Winter Wren.

---On January 9 at Aurora Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported BARNACLE GOOSE, Iceland (kumlieni) Gull, 3 Iceland (Thayer’s) Gulls, Glaucous Gull, and 4 Long-tailed Ducks.

ARAPAHOE/JEFFERSON COUNTIES:

---On January 5 at S Platte Reservoir, Joey Kellner reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON in north end of reservoir.  On January 6, Todd Deininger reported that the YELLOW-BILLED LOON was still present on the Arapahoe County side but was heading towards the Jefferson County side.  Many, many birders reported the YELLOW-BILLED LOON on January 6 is both counties.  On January 7 at S Platte Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow and many other birders reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON.  On January 8 at S Platte Reservoir, David Suddjian and many other birders reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON and in afternoon Phil Lyon and others reported White-winged Scoter.   On January 9, John Haycraft and many other birders reported YELLOW-BILLED LOON and White-winged Scoter at South Platte Reservoir.

BENT COUNTY:

---On January 6 at John Martin Reservoir, Duane Nelson reported 1st cyc Glaucous Gull, 3 American White Pelicans, 2 Doube-crested Cormorants.  Best viewpoint is Overlook Point on the north side of the Reservoir.

BOULDER COUNTY:

---On January 5 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Leslie S reported European Goldfinch.  On January 6 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Alex Brown reported European Goldfinch.  On January 9 at Boulder Creek and 75th St, Dan Zmolek reported European Goldfinch.

---On January 6 on Wild Basin Trail, Brian Schmid reported American Three-toed Woodpecker.

DENVER COUNTY:

---On January 6 at Westerly Creek Park, Jason Bidgood reported Harris’s Sparrow.

---on January 7 at Parkfield Lake Idalia Park, Patrick O-Driscoll reported Say’s Phoebe.

DOUGLAS COUNTY:

---On January 8 at Parker regional Park (aka Salisbury Equestrian Park), Loch Kilpatrick, Dale Pate, and Diane Roberts reported BRANT.  On January 9 at Parker Regional Park (aka Salisbury Equestrian Park), Bill Schreitz reported BRANT.  On January 9 at Bar CCC Park, David Suddjian and DFO Field Trip and Adam Vesely, and Christine Alexander reported BRANT.

EL PASO COUNTY:

---On December 21 and 22, David Tonnessen reported RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER (ruber) on Miranda Road in Colorado Springs.  This is a new state record if accepted.  The sapsucker has been seen on Broadmoor property.   On January 5 Kara Carragher and several other birders reported RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER at Austrian Pines at 13 Miranda Road.  On January 6 Sue Riffe and several other birders reported RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER at Austrian Pines at 13 Miranda Road and one mentioned that the sapsucker flew in from the golf course.  On January 7 Ginny Bergstrom and several other birders reported RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER at Austrian Pines at 13 Miranda Road.  On January 8, Norm Lewis, James McCall, David and Cheryl Hubbard, and David Tonnessen and others reported RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER at Austrian Pines at 13 Miranda Road.  On January 9 at Austrian Pines at  14 Miranda Road, Gregg Goodrich, Anna Troth, Paula Hansley and Peggy Gonder reported RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER.

---On December 31 at Northern Cheyenne Canyon Park in Colorado Springs, Deb Carstensen reported Varied Thrush.  The bird was along Cheyenne Creek upstream from footbridge near parking lot.  This park is across the street from Starsmore Nature Center.  On January 5 at Starsmore Nature Center and S Cheyenne Canyon, Kara Carragher and others reported Varied Thrush.  On January 6, Bill Kosar and several other birders reported Varied Thrush near Starsmore Center and S Cheyenne Canyon.  On January 7, Ginny Bergstrom and several other others reported Varied Thrush near Starsmore Discovery Center and S Cheyenne Canyon.  On January 8 at Starsmore Discovery Center, Norm Lewis, Cathy Bondy and Doug Flores reported Varied Thrush.  On January 9 at Starsmore Discovery Center, Anna Troth, Gregg Goodrich, Paula Hansley, and Peggy Gonder reported Varied Thrush.

---On January 5 near intersection of Meridian Road and Hanover Road, Mel and Jeanne Goff and Richard Bunn and Tanja Britton reported Greater Roadrunner.  On January 6 near intersection of Meridian Road and Handover Road, Todd Deininger, Joy and Leonard Lake, and Gloria Nikolai reported Greater Road runner; Pablo Quezada reported Curve-billed Thrasher.  On January 7 on Hanover Road, Robb Hinds and several other birders reported Greater Roadrunner.  On January 8 at Hanover Road and Meridian Road, Alan Ketcham, Jim Merrit, and Jeannie Mitchell reported Greater Roadrunner.  On January 9 on Hanover Road, Rod Schmidt reported Greater Roadrunner.

---On January 5 on Hanover Road, Richard Bunn, Tanja  Britton, Alan and MaryLynne Ketcham reported 2 Chihuahuan Rave, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, 3 Lapland Longsurs, and Curve-billed Thrasher.

---On January 6 at Hanover Fire Station, Gloria Nikolai and Todd Deininger reported Curve-billed Thrasher.

---On January 8 at Memorial Park and Prospect Lake in Colorado Springs, David Tonnessen reported 1-st cyc Iceland Gull.

FREMONT COUNTY:

---On January 5 at Canon City Valco Pond, Brandon Percival,  Bill Maynard, and Jerry DeBoer reported EURASIAN WIGEON.  This is private property so observed behind fence.  On January 6 at Canon City Valco Pond, Kevin Ash reported EURASIAN WIGEON.

---On January 5 at Tunnel Drive, Dan Stringer reported Rufous-crowned Sparrow.

GARFIELD COUNTY:

---On January 8 in Carbondale, Dick FIlby reported 15 Barrow’s Goldeneyes on the Roaring Fork River viewed from road bridge on Catherine Store Road.

---On January 6 at Coryell Ranch Ponds (private) viewed from Satank Road by Hwy 82 east, Dick Filby reported 55 Barrow’s Goldeneys and on January 7 Filby reported 4 Trumpter Swans.

---On January 8 at Devereux road and Two Rivers Park, JoAnn Riggle reported 3 Barrow’s Goldeneyes.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

---On January 6 on south shore of Standley Lake, Veronica Blazewicz reported Snowy Owl perched at top of large pine tree.  On January 7, Joey Kellner and many other birders reported Snowy Owl on top of dam at Standley Lake.  On January 8 S of 100th Ave and N of western extension of Lake, near where Woman Creek enters Standley Lake, Paula Hansley reported Snowy Owl; Shannon Cwik and Karl Brummert reported Snowy Owl on Standley Lake Dam.  On January 9 Bob Shade reported that the Snowy Owl was perched on a chimney at 9809 W 99th Ave; Chuck Pringle reported that the owl flew towards the dam from 

---On January 5 at Coors Ponds, Gwen Moore, Frank Farrell, Brian Johnson, and Pablo Quezada reported 2 Long-tailed Ducks and Red-necked Grebe.  On January 7 at Coors Ponds, Kevin DeBoer and Eric DeFonso reported 2 Long-tailed Ducks and Red-necked Grebe.  On January 9 at Coors Ponds, Lorraine Lanning and Sue Riffe reported 2 Long-tailed Ducks and Red-necked Grebe.

---On January 6 at Belmar One,  Mark Chavez reported Yellow-rumped Warbler.

---On January 7 and 8 at Clement Park and Johnson Reservoir, Doug Kibbe reported Greater White-fronted Goose.

LA PLATA COUNTY:

---On January 5 at CR 210 on Lake Nighthorse, Jack Maher reported White-winged Scoter.

LARIMER COUNTY:

---On January 2, Walter Wehtje reported HARRIS’S HAWK SW of Rest Area.  On January 6 near Rest Area, Michelle Puplava reported HARRIS’S HAWK.  On January 9, Josh Bruening reported HARRIS’S HAWK perche on tree at farm house N of Prospect and across from Welcome Center.

---On January 8 at Wild Horse Ct Birdfeeder, John Reichhordt reported Pine Warbler.

---On January 5 on Big Thompson River Rec Trail between Taft and Wilson in Loveland, Elain Coley reported Lincoln’s Sparrow.

---On January 5 at CSU Environmental Learning Center, Andy Bankert and Carl Bendorf reported Fox Sparrow (Red) with a flock of Juncos at intersection of Alden and Wilcox Trail.  On January 7 at CSU Environmental Learning Center, Dave Leatherman reported Fox Sparrow (Red).  On January 8 at CSU Enviromental Learning Center, Austin Hess and Lori Zabel reported Fox (Red) Sparrow.  On January 9 at CSU Environmental Learning Center, Christine Sparks, Irene Fortune, Josh Brueing, and Walter Wehtje reported Fox (Red) Sparrow.

---On January 6 at North Shields Pond NA, Doug Swartz and John Shenot reported Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler.

---On January 6 at Prospect Ponds, NA, DFO Chase trip led by Christ Gilbert reported Rusty Blackbird.

---On January 7 at Ryan Gulch, Christine and Richard Sparks reported Say’s Phoebe.

---On January 7 at North Shield Ponds NA, Rob Sparks reported Lincoln’s Sparrow and 2 Mountain Chickadees.

---On January 8 at Carter Lake, Andy Bankert and Walter Wehtje reported Iceland Gull, 4 Iceland (Thayer’s) Gulls,

3 Glaucous Gulls.

MONTROSE COUNTY:

---On January 8 at Nucla Sewage Lagoons, Coen Dexter and Brenda Wright reported m Wood Duck.

PITKIN COUNTY:

---On January 8 at Snowmass, Denise Landau reported Brown-capped Rosy-Finches at the feeder at the top of Village Express.

PUEBLO COUNTY:

---On January 5 at Pueblo Reservoir South Marina, Gloria Nikolai and Loch Kilpatrick reported 7 Greater Scaup, Pacific Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Glaucous Gull, 2 Iceland (Thayer’s) Gulls, Great Black-backed Gull and Yellow-rumped Warbler.  On January 6 at Pueblo Reservoir South Marina, David Tonnessen reported 3 Double-crested Cormorants, 6 Iceland (Thayer’s) Gulls, Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Mountain Chickadees, 33 Lapland Longspurs; Pablo Quezada reported Iceland (Kumlien) Gull, and Eastern Bluebird.  On January 6 at Pueblo Reservoir South Marina, David Tonnessen reported Pacific Loon, 2 Red-necked Grebe, White-winged Scoter, 2 Mew Gulls and 48 Mountain Bluebirds; Gwen Moore reported 9 White-winged Scoters.  On January 7 at Pueblo Reservoir South Marina, Glenn Walbek, Loch Kilpatrick, Ginny Bergstrom, and Adam Veseley reported 8 Double-crested Cormorants, Iceland  Gull (Thayer’s), Great Black-backed Gull, 42 Mountain Bluebirds, and Yellow-rumped Warbler.  On January 8 at Pueblo reservoir South Marina, Jim Merritt and Alan Ketcham and many other birders reported Great Black-backed Gull, Double-crested Cormorants, Iceland (Thayer’s) Gull.  On January 8 at Pueblo Reservoir South Marina, David Tonnessen reported Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Iceland (Thayer’s) Gulls, Glaucous Gull, Mountain Chickadee, 24 Mountain Bluebirds, and 29 Lapland Longspurs.

---On January 5 on Juniper Road at Pueblo Reservoir, Loch Kilpatrick reported Mew Gull, Iceland (Thayer’s) Gull, and Prairie Warbler.  On January 7 in Rock Canyon below the dam at Pueblo Reservoir, Debbie and Tom Behnfield and Ginny Bergstrom reported Prairie Warbler.  On January 8 at Pueblo Reservoir below the dam, Richard Bunn and Norm Lewis reported Prairie Warbler.  On January 9 at Pueblo Reservoir below the dam, Kevin Ash reported Prairie Warbler. 

---On January 7 on Juniper Road at Pueblo Reservoir, Jim Merritt reported 12 Mountain Bluebirds, American Pipit and Prairie Warbler.

---On January 5 on Arkansas River Trail East of Pueblo Blvd, Loch Kilpatrick reported Carolina Wren and 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows.  On January 7 on Arkansas River Trail east of Pueblo Blvd, Renee Casias reported 2 Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Carolina Wren, and 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers.

---On January 6 at Pueblo  Reservoir, Van Truan reported Pacific Loon, 2 Double-crestd cormorants, Mew Gull, Glaucous Gull, Great Black-Backed Gull, 4 Mountain Chickadees, 25 Mountain Bluebirds, Lapland Longspur, 3 Yellow-rumpled Warblers and Prairie Warbler.

---On January 7 at Pueblo Reservoir S Fishing Road, Renee Casias and Chris Gilbert reported 2 Double-crested Cormorants, Great Black-backed Gull, and 2 Mountain Chickadees, and 30 Mountain Bluebirds.

---On January 6 at Mountain View Cemetery on W Northern Ave, David Tonnessen reported a m White-winged Crossbill feasting on the many cones in the “forest” on the cemetery.  Brandon Percival went over to see and helped about 30 birders see the bird.  The crossbill likes Spruce cones between Acero and Brown St in the middle of the cemetery.  On January 7 at Mountain View Cemetery, Brandon Percival and many other birders reported White-winged Crossbill; Brandon also reported 2 White-winged Doves.

---On January 8 at Pueblo Reservoir South Marina tires, Brandon Percival reported Snowy Owl which was seen by many birders.  The Snowy Owl was still on the tires when Brandon left.  On January 9, Brandon Percival reported that the Snowy Owl was back at the South Marina of Pueblo Reservoir and many birders got to see the owl.

TELLER COUNTY:

---On January 3 on Pancake Rock Trail section after it diverges from Horsethief Falls Trail, Kevin Ash reported 6 American Three-toed Woodpeckers.  On January 5, on Pancake Rock Trail, John Maynard reported 9 American Three-toed Woodpeckers.

WELD COUNTY:

---On January 6 at CR 116 and CR 133, Gene Rutherford and Mike Stanley reported Curve-billed Thrasher.

---On January 7 at LUNA Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow and Gene Rutherford reported 4 Greater Scaup and White-winged Scoter.

---On January 9 at CR 61 bridge just east of Kersey, Derek Hill reported BLACK SWAN and MUTE SWAN>

DFO Field Trips:

The DFO Field Trip for Saturday, January 13 will be to Prospect Park (Wheat Ridge Greenbelt) led by Jackie King (jackie.king AT ccd.edu; 720-381-3314)  Directions:  From I-70 exit 267, take Kipling south about ¾ mile and turn right (west) on 44th Ave.  Go one mile west.  Look for entrance to Prospect Park on you left (south).  Meet at 0900 just inside the park in the lot right next to Prospect Lake.  

    This is an easy walking trip, accessible for mobility impaired individuals.  Bring water and a snack.  Lunch optional  Register online or contact leader.

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, January 14 will be South Platte River Trail at E 88th Ave and I-76 led by Mark Amershek (mamershek AT msn.com; 303-329-8646).  Meet at 0800 at the parking area at 88th Ave and South Platte River Trail.  From I-76 take E 88th Ave exit, go west on 99th for 1.6 miles, then turn south at Colorado Blvd.  Turn left again into the parking lot for South Platte River Greenway Trailhead.    Hike along paved tail and occasional in adjacent mud for up to 3 miles.  Register online or contact leader.

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, January 14 will be Cherry Creek SP Wetlands Loop led by Karen von Saltza and Bill Wuerthele (kvonsaltza AT yahoo.com; 303-941-4881).  Meet at 0900 at the Prairie Loop lot in Cherry Creek Sp.  From either park entrance, follow Lake View Rd to the Prairie Loop that is located at the south rim of the reservoir.  State Parks pass or day pass required.  

   This is a half day of walking that passes through most of the important habitats found in the park over a distance of about 3 miles.  Trails could be slippery or muddy.  Bring water and snacks; lunch is optional.  Register online or contact leader.

The DFO Field Trip for Monday, January 15 will be to First creek at Denver Open Space led by Patrick O’Driscoll (patodrisk AT gmail.com; 303-885-6955).  Directions:  From East Denver take 56th Ave east toward Pena BLvd.  First Creek parking lot is just before Pena on your left (North).  Or take I-70 east to Pena Blvd, Drive north to 56th Ave Exit.  Turn left at the light and at the bottom of the off ramp, pass under the highway and turn right, almost immediately, into the First Creek Parking Lot. 

   Meet at 0730.  Depending on the weather and birds, we may focus on the Denver Open Space side of the creek OR the Adams County portion inside Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR.  Dress for weather, bring water and snacks.  A scope may be useful.  Expect to walk 203 miles on flat surfaced pathes and paved trail.  There are no restrooms at this location.  The closest

Facilities are on Tower Road (Green Valley Ranch, King Soopers) and East 40th Montebello).  Register online or contact leader.

Good Birding,

Joyce Takamine

Boulder