Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 27 August 2017

[Joyce Takamine]

Compiler:             Joyce Takamine

e-mail:                 RBA AT cobirds.org

Date:                    August 27, 2017

This is the Rare Bird Alert for Sunday, August 27 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 changes.

Snow Goose (Morgan)

Wood Duck (Jackson, Otero)

Bufflehead (Boulder, *Larimer)

Barrow’s Goldeneye (Grand)

Common Merganer (Washington)

White-tailed Ptarmigan (Mineral)

Dusky Grouse (Larimer, Mineral)

White-winged Dove (Prowers)

Yellow-billed Cuckoo (*Bent)

Greater Roadrunner (*Bent)

Chimney Swift (*Boulder, Jefferson, Prowers)

Black Rail (*Bent)

Sandhill Crane (El Paso, *Montezuma, Weld)

Snowy Plover (*Alamosa)

Semipalmated Plover (*El Paso, Washington)

Ruddy Turnstone (Sedgwick)

Stilt Sandpiper (*El Paso, *Larimer, Washington)

Sanderling (Washington)

Pectoral Sandpiper (*El Paso, Washington)

Semipalmated Sandpiper (*El Paso, Sedgwick, Washington)

Solitary Sandpiper (*Alamosa, *Boulder, El Paso,*Jefferson, *Moffat, Montrose, Pueblo, Sedgwick, Washington)

LONG-TAILED JAEGER (*Park)

Lesser Black-backed Gull (*Douglas, *Jeffferson, Washington)

Caspian Tern (*Larimer)

Black Tern (El Paso, Otero, Washington)

Common Tern (*Alamosa)

Common Loon (Kiowa, Ouray)

SWALLOW-TAILED KITE (Prowers)

Mississippi Kite (*El Paso, *Prowers)

Lewis’s Woodpecker (*Chaffee)

Red-headed Woodpecker (Adams, *Phillips, *Prowers, Washington)

Williamson’s Sapsucker (*La Plata)

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (El Paso, Pueblo)

American Three-toed Woodpecker (Gunnison, Mineral)

CRESTED CARACARA (Adams, Denver, Douglas)

Merlin (*Chaffee, Moffat,  Pueblo)

Least Flycatcher (Adams, *Boulder, *Broomfield, *Jefferson, Washington)

Gray Flycatcher ((MesaMontrose)

Eastern Phoebe (Denver, *Jefferson)

Great Crested Flycatcher (Kiowa, *Prowers)

Cassin’s Kingbird (*El Paso, *La Plata, Pueblo)

Bell’s Vireo (Pueblo)

Gray Vireo (Montrose)

Red-eyed Vireo (Moffat)

Carolina Wren (*Prowers)

Bewick’s Wren (El Paso, Logan, Pueblo)

Curve-billed Thrasher (El Paso)

Red Crossbill (El Paso, *Larimer, Pueblo)

Evening Grosbeak (Kiowa, *Moffat)

Northern Waterthrush (El Paso)

Golden-winged Warbler (Routt)

Nashville Warbler (Boulder)

Northern Parula (*La Plata)

Magnolia Warbler (*Phillips)

Cassin’s Sparrow (El Paso)

Clay-colored Sparrow (*Denver, Eagle, *El Paso, *Larimer, Logan, Pueblo, Washington)

Brewer’s Sparrow (*Denver, *El Paso, *Mesa, Pueblo, Washington)

Lark Bunting (El Paso, Jackson)

Fox Sparrow (San Juan)

Northern Cardinal (*Prowers)

Indigo Bunting (Logan)

Dickcissel (El Paso)

Bobolink (Boulder)

ADAMS COUNTY:

---On August 22 at Barr Lake Banding Station, Meredith Mc Burney  banded Least Flycatcher.

---On August 25 at 91st and Tower, Loch Kilpatrick reported CRESTED CARACARA soaring over dump.

ALAMOSA COUNTY:

---On August 25 at Blanca Wetlands, John Rawinski reported Snowy Plover best seen at North Mallard area.  On August 26 at Blanca Wetland, Ed Huestis reported Snowy Plover.

---On August 26 at San Luis Lakes SP, Steve Mlodinow reported Solitary Sandpiper and Common Tern.

BENT COUNTY:

---On August 22 at Fort Lyon CR 16 marshes, Loch Kilpatrick heard 2 Black Rail.  On August 26 at Fort Lyon CR 16 marshes, Joey Angstman reported hearinging Black Rail and Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

---On August 25 at Hasty Campground Dan Stringer reported 2 Greater Roadrunners.

BOULDER COUNTY:

---On August 20 at Teller Farm and Lakes, Rebecca Laroche reported f-type Bufflehead.

---On August 21 at Warembourg OP in Louisville, Jack and Ryan Bushong reported Nashville Warbler.

---On August 26 at Golden Ponds Park and Nature Area, Luke Pheneger reported Solitary Sandpiper, 2 Chimney Swift, and Least Sandpiper.

BROOMFIELD COUNTY:

---On August 26 at Plaster Reservoir, Matt Hofeditz reported Least Flycatcher.

CHAFFEE COUNTY:

---On August 26 at Buena Vista City Parks, Steve Mlodinow reported 12 Lewis’s Woodpecker and Merlin.

DENVER COUNTY:

---On August 26 at First Creek at DEN Open Space, John Breitsch and others reported CRESTED CARACARA.  On August 27 at First Creek at DEN, John Breitsch reported 2 Brewer’s Sparrows and Gregg Goodrich and Anna Troth reported 2 Clay-colored Sparrows.

---On August 26 at Westerly Creek Park, Jason Bidgood reported Eastern Phoebe.

DOUGLAS COUNTY:

---On August 24 at Highline Canal, Lowell Baumunk reported CRESTED CARACARA in dead cottonwood.  It took off and headed towards Chatfield SP;  Peggy Wait also reported CRESTED CARACARA at Highline Canal in Sunshine Acres area – see her photos on CoBirds.

----On August 24 at Reuter-Hess Reservoir, Tim Ryan reported CRESTED CARACARA circling above the dam.  Reuter-Hess has restricted access.

---On August 26 at Chatfield SP, Joey Kellner et al reported Lesser Black-backed Gull.

EL PASO COUNTY:

---On August 22 at Clear Spring Ranch, Steve Brown Banded 2 ad Clay-colored Sparrows and Brewer’s Sparrow.

---On August 21 at Fountain RP, Gary Koehn reported Mississippi Kite and Mary Cornier, Sharon Cornier-Aagard, and Jeanelle Richardson reported 5 Mississippi Kites.  On August 24 at Fountain Creek RP, David Tonnessen and Joel Adams reported 4 Mississippi Kites and Northern Waterthrush.  On August 26 at Fountain Creek Regional Park, Gloria Nikolai reported 3 Mississippi Kites.

---On August 19 at Chico Basin Ranch, Jim Rowoth el at reported 5 Curve-billed Thrashers, 9 Cassin’s Sparrows, 3 Clay-colored Sparrows, and 20 Lark Buntings.  On August 20 at Chico Basin Ranch, John Drummond et al reported 6 Solitary Sandpipers, 3 Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, 3 Curve-billed Thrashers, 4 Cassin’s Sparrows, 8 Brewer’s Sparrows, Bewick’s Wren, Northern Waterthrush.

---On August 19 at Ramah Reservoir SWA, Alan Ketcham reported 2 Stilt Sandpipers, Black Tern, 2 Cassin’s Kingbirds, Dickcissel.  On August 22 at Ramah Reservoir SWA, Alan Versaw reported 2 Stilt Sandpipers and 3 Dickcissel.  On August 26 at Ramah Reservoir SWA, John Drummond reported Semipalmated Plover, 7 Stilt Sandpipers, 3 Pectoral Sandpipers, 4 Smeipalmated Sandpipers, Cassin’s Kingbird, Clay-colored Sparrow, 6 Brewer’s Sparrows.

---On August 20 at intersection of S Peyton Hwy and Apelt Ranch Road, Ed Pandolfino reported 2 ad Sandhill Cranes, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Curve-billed Thrasher, and Brewer’s Sparrow.

---On August 22 on Santa FE Regional Trail Pine Creek, David Tonnessen reported 2 Clay-colored Sparrows, Brewer’s Sparrow and calling flyover Red Crossbill (type 2 or Ponderosa)

---On August 24 on Dearing Rd and Squirrel Creek Rd, Mel and Jeanne Goff reported Ladder-backed Woodpecker.

GRAND COUNTY:

---On August 24and 25 at Windy Gap Reservoir, Doug Gochfeld reported f-type Barrow’s Goldeneye.

JACKSON COUNTY:

---On August 23 at Arapaho NWR Auto Loop, Walter Wehtje reported 3 Lark  Bunting.

---On August 23 at Hwy 14 in Walden, Walter Wehtje reported 2 Wood Ducks S of bridge.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

---On August 21 and 22 at Deer Creek at W Buckhorn Road, David Suddjian reported Eastern Phoebe.

---On August 22 at Deer Creek near South Valley Park parking lot, David Suddjian reported Eastern Phoebe.

---On August 25 at Crown Hill Regional Park, Steven Snyder reported Chimney Swift.

---On August 26 at Chatfield SP South Platte River Delta, Rebecca Jackson reported Solitary Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Least Flycatcher, and juv Eastern Phoebe.

KIOWA COUNTY:

---On August 22 at Lower Queens Reservoir, Glenn Walbek and Mart Peterson reported calling Pine Siskin.

---On August 24 at Kiowa Creek at CR 40, Nick Moore reported Great Crested Flycatcher.

LA PLATA COUNTY:

---On August 26 on Animas River trail behind Home Depot in Durango, Heather and Riley Morris reported 2 Williamson’s Sapsucker and hatch year Northern Parula.  On August 26 on Animas River Trail across from Mercury Payments, Jason St. Pierre reported Cassin’s Kingbird.

LARIMER COUNTY:

---On August 23 in Rocky Mountain NP Fern Lake Trail, Kay Hawklee and Lis Grubbs reported 2 Dusky Grouse.

---On August 25 at CSU Environmental Learning Center, Jean Olson reported Caspian Tern.

---On August 26 at CR 70 ponds near CR 13, John Shenot and Nick Komar reported Bufflehead and 2 Stilt Sandpipers.

---On August 26 at Grandview Cemetery, Dave Leatherman reported 23 Red Crossbills – mostly juv and Clay-colored Sparrow.

---On August 26 at Kechter Pit wetland, Nick Komar reported Caspian Tern.

---On August 26 at Topminnow Nautral Area (East Horsetooth Gravel Pit), Nick Komar reported Bufflehead.

LOGAN COUNTY:

---On August 23 at hedgerow on CR 8 between CR 65 and CR 67, Steve Larson reported Bewick’s Wren, 4 Clay-colored Sparrows and Indigo Bunting.

MESA COUNTY:

---On August 26 on Canal Road in DeBeque, Nan Perkinds reported Gray Flycatcher and Brewer’s Sparrow.

MINERAL COUNTY:

---On August 22 on Fisher Mountain, John Rawinski reported 5 White-tailed Ptarmigan, American Three-toed Woodpecker, and Dusky Grouse.

MOFFAT COUNTY:

---On August 25 at Loudy-Simpson Nature Trail in Craig, Jan Leonard and Tresa Moulton heard 2 Sandhill Cranes and reported Merlin (Prairie) and continuing Red-eyed Vireo first found by Leonard On 8/23.

---On August 26 at Freeman Reservoir and Campground, Jan Leonard reported Solitary Sandpiper and 2 Evening Grosbeaks.

MONTEZUMA COUNTY:

---On August 26 at 275 Spruce in Mancos, Kristi Dranginis reported 3 Sandhill Cranes see from road in field.

MONTROSE COUNTY:

---On August 21 on Ketchup trail near Bedrock, George Steel reported Gray Vireo.

---On August 25 at Airport Lake, Coen Dexter and Brenda Wright reported Solitary Sandpiper and Gray Vireo.

MORGAN COUNTY:

---On August 24 on Hwy 71 south of CR Z, Jay Wilbur reported Snow Goose flying along Hwy.

OTERO COUNTY:

---On August 22 at Cheraw Lake, Mark Holmgren reported Wood Duck, 9 Black Terns, and Dickcissel

PARK COUNTY:

---On August 25 at Antero Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported juv LONG-TAILED JAEGER.

PHILLIPS  COUNTY:

---On August 26 at Haxtun City Park, Bill Kaempfer reported Red-headed Woodpecker and Magnolia Warbler.

PROWERS COUNTY: 

---On August 21 at Willow Creek Park, Brandon Percival reported 10 Mississippi Kites, SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, 8 White-winged Doves, 20 Chimney Swifts, and 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers.  On August 22 at Willow Creek Park swimming pool parking lot, Loch Kilpatrick reported SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, 52 Mississippi Kites, and White-winged Dove; Jesse and Renee Casias and Susan Meiler reported SWALLOW-TAILED KITE and Mississippi Kite.  On August 22 at Willow Creek Park, Glenn Walbek reported SWALLOW-TAILED KITE and 45 Mississippi Kites.  On August 23 at 3rd and Walnut in Lamar, John Drummond reported SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, 8 Mississippi Kites and 2 Chimney Swifts.

On August 24 at Willow Creek Park, Eric DeFonso reported SWALLOW-TAILED KITE.  Dale and Joel Adams followed the Kettles on Memorial Drive and saw SWALLOW-TAILED KITE with about 70 Mississippi Kites.

---On August 23 at Parkview Elementary School in Lamar, Dave Leatherman reported Red-headed Woodpecker.

---On August 23 at Lamar Community College Woods, Dave Leatherman reported two families of Northern Cardinals.  On August 25 at Lamar Community College Woods, Dan Stringer reported 2 Carolina Wrens, 2 Great Crested Flycatchers, pair of Northern Cardinals, Red-headed Woodpecker.

---On August 25 in Lamar, Dan Stringer reported lots of Mississipppi Kites in Lamar.

PUEBLO COUNTY:

---On August 24 at Chico Basin Ranch, David Tonnessen reported 32 Solitary Sandpipers, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Cassin’s Kingbird, Bell’s Vireo, Bewick’s Wren, 2 Clay-colored Sparrows, 2 Brewer’s Sparrows, and 2 Red Crossbills.  

ROUTT COUNTY:

---On August 19 along Yampa Core Trail in Steamboat Springs, Machael San Miguel reported ad m Golden-winged Warbler about 100-200 yards upstream from where trail corsses Trafalager Dr just behind “Flour Mill” camp.  On August 22 along Yampa Core Trail on Hitchens Island, Michael San Miguel

Reported Golden-winged Warbler.

SEDGWICK COUNTY:

---On August 22 at Jumbo Reservoir, Steve Larson reported Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Sandpiper, and Solitary Sandpiper.

WASHINGTON COUNTY:

---On August 20 at Prewitt Reservoir, Jack and Ryan Bushong reported Common Merganser, Semipalmated Plover, 30 Stilt Sandpipers, 7 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 6 Solitary Sandpipers, and juv Red-headed Woodpecker.  On August 22 at Prewitt Reservoir, Steve Mlodinow reported 2 Semipalmated Plovers, 205 Stilt Sandpipers, Sanderling Pectoral Sandpiper, 10 Semipalmated Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 15 Black Tern, Red-headed Woodpecker, Least Flycatcher, Clay-colored Sparrow, 2 Brewer’s Sparrows.  On August 23 at Prewitt Reservoir, Norm Lewis reported Common Merganser, 20 Stilt Sandpiper, 2 Semipalmated Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Red-headed Woodpecker.

WELD COUNTY:

---On August 22 at Pawnee NG Murphy’s Pasture Auto stops 2 and 3, Nan Perkins reported 8 Chesnut-collared Longspurs, 4 McCown’s Longspurs, 5 Brewer’s Sparrows.

Denver Field Ornithologists Field Trips:

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday August 27 will be to Prewitt and Jackson Reservoirs led by Joey Kellner (vireo1 AT comcast.net; 303-978-1748).  Meet at 0530 at Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 6060 N Broadway to carpool.  Exit I-25 at 58th Ave, go west 2 blocks to Broadway, then north 2 blocks to parking lot on right.  State Parks pass and and Jumbo Res/Prewitt Res access permit required (Habitat permit or Fishing License).

    This is an all-day trip so bring snacks, lunch, plenty of water, sunscreen, and bug spray, Long pants are recommended.  Register online or contact leader.

For more information on the field trips go to dfobirds.org.

Good Birding,

Joyce Takamine

Boulder