Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Friday, January 4
Joe Roller
Date: January 4, 2019
Compiler: Joe Roller, jrol...@gmail.com
E-mail: RBA AT cobirds.org
This is the Colorado Rare Bird Alert for Friday, January 4, 2019, sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists.
Rare, out of place and out of season species include:
(*) indicates new information on this species; CAPITAL LETTERS are used for very rare species, as listed by the Colorado Bird Records Committee,
Observers have been diligent in reporting sightings on COBirds - thanks! Please check there for updates.
PINK-FOOTED GOOSE (*Weld)
Brant (Weld)
Trumpeter Swan (*Arapahoe, Jefferson)
Tundra Swan (*Arapahoe, *Boulder)
Black Scoter (*Arapahoe)
Long-tailed Duck (Pueblo, *Weld)
AMERICAN WOODCOCK (Larimer)
Black-legged Kittiwake (Larimer)
SLATY-BACKED GULL (Larimer)
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (*Larimer, Weld)
Great Black-backed Gull (Boulder, Larimer, Pueblo)
Williamson’s Sapsucker (Fremont)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (*Denver, La Plata)
GYRFALCON (*Larimer)
Vermilion Flycatcher (Boulder)
Winter Wren (Jefferson)
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (El Paso, *Jefferson)
Black Rosy-Finch (El Paso, *Jefferson)
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (El Paso, *Jefferson)
Clay-colored Sparrow (Broomfield)
Fox Sparrow (Red) (*Jefferson)
Rusty Blackbird (Arapahoe)
Yellow Warbler (Boulder)
ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
---On January 2 at South Platte Reservoir the long-staying (f) Black Scoter continued.
---On January 2 a (juv) Tundra Swan was reported in South Platte Park on the river, south of Mineral Ave, by Ben Sampson. It continued on Jan 3 in the Park, at Blackrock Lake.
---On January 3 a bevy of six swans was reported from South Platte Reservoir by Cheryl Teuton. Photo study suggests that although most were Trumpeter Swans, at least one Tundra Swan was present.
---On January 1 & 3 the Rusty Blackbird that has been hanging out since last Halloween at Cherry Creek SP, just east of the Swim Beach, was seen again.
BOULDER COUNTY:
---On December 29 the male Vermilion Flycatcher was seen again at Walden Ponds, having been here since mid-November.
---On December 29 at Erie Reservoir, Steve Frye and Boulder Flying Circus Birders Walk reported Great Black-backed Gull.
---On December 29 & 30 at Longmont Wastewater Treatment Ponds, Luke Pheneger reported an out-of-season Yellow Warbler.
---On January 2 a Tundra Swan was reported at Valmont Overlook (Legion Park) by Emil Yappert.
BROOMFIELD COUNTY:
---On January 1 an out-of-season Clay-colored Sparrow was reported by Matt Hofeditz & David Ely at Columbine Meadows Park. It was about 50-70 yards west along the trail, past a yard with a "Beware of Dog" sign. The sparrow was feeding on the ground right along the wooden fences. The closest intersection is 126th Ave & Hazel St. Perhaps a “1 day wonder,” it could not be found on Jan 2.
DENVER COUNTY:
---On December 31 a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was reported at Rocky Mountain Lake Park by Matt Gray; seen through Jan 3, when it was east of tennis courts.
EL PASO COUNTY:
---On December 21 at Rainbow Gulch Trail, Terence Berger, David and John Marvin reported 300 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, 5 Black Rosy-Finch and 8 Brown-capped Rosy-Finch on shoreline of Rampart Reservoir. Rosy-Finches have continued there in various numbers through December 30.
FREMONT COUNTY:
---On January 1 & 2 three (f) Williamson’s Sapsuckers were reported at Lakeside Cemetery in Fremont by Kara Carragher.
JEFFERSON COUNTY:
---On December 28 at Red Rock Trading Post, Myron Gerhard, Paulo and Santiago Tabares reported (Red) Fox Sparrow; seen through January 2.
---On December 29 at Morrison Park, Karen Goetz & Matt Clark reported Winter Wren near the bridge on west end of park; seen through January 2.
---On December 31 through Jan 3 a flock of all 3 species of Rosy-Finch was reported by Kirsten Witherell at her backyard feeders at 19540 W. 55th Pl, Golden. For permission to visit, please text her at (720) 372-0833, BEFORE 11 AM TODAY, FRIDAY, WHICH IS THE LAST DAY TO VISIT. She and her husband have been very hospitable!
---On January 1 a Trumpeter Swan was seen flying south from South Platte Reservoir toward Chatfield SP by Amy Darling.
---On January 2 a Winter Wren, present for weeks, was reported at Bear Creek Greenbelt--S Kipling to S Wadsworth by Mark Chavez.
LA PLATA COUNTY:
—On December 31 & January 3 a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was reported at Animas River--Huck Finn Pond & Hatchery area by Ryan Votta, who first found it there on Dec 2 as the second county record.
---On January 1 a Pacific Wren was reported by Ryan Votta there too.
LARIMER COUNTY:
—On December 14 through January 4 an imm, dark-phase GYRFALCON has been seen off & on along W Trilby Rd and from Taft Hill Rd (where parking is not safe) & over the Larimer County Landfill. (Check in at a pay window or the main office & park as directed). It was seen briefly at 71st & Franklin on Jan 1.
---On December 21 at Larimer County Landfill, David Ely reported a GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (seen through Jan 4) & second-cycle Great Black-backed Gull, (seen thru 12/30).
---On December 24 at Horsetooth Reservoir, Nick Komar and Peter Burke reported (juv) Black-legged Kittiwake, which continued through January 2.
---On December 28 at Bobcat Ridge NA Kevin DeBoer reported AMERICAN WOODCOCK downstream from the parking lot.
---On December 29 a Glaucous-winged Gull was reported at Warren Lake by Nick Komar and seen by many through January 1.
PUEBLO COUNTY:
---On January 1 a Long-tailed Duck was reported at Pueblo Reservoir--State Wildlife Area (NW side) by Norm Erthal & Dan Brooke.
WELD COUNTY:
---On December 12 through January 3 a PINK-FOOTED GOOSE continued at Frederick Lake (Milavec Reservoir) & Recreation Area, where it has been among a diverse gaggle of goose species & hybrids. It was first reported by Steve Mlodinow at Idaho Creek Open Space on Dec 11. This would be a first state record if approved by the CBRC.
---Long-tailed Duck has been at Milavec Reservoir for weeks, last on Jan 3.
---On December 29 at Windsor Lake, Steve Mlodinow reported 1st winter GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL and (Black) Brant.
Your last chance to go on a Christmas Bird Count will be tomorrow!
Saturday (1/05/2019)
Black Forest
Dotsero
Eagle Valley
Hotchkiss
Lake Isabel
Sterling
To learn more about Christmas Bird Counts, go to https://www.audubon.org/conservation/…/christmas-bird-count/
To sign up for Christmas Bird Counts, contact the compiler today.
DFO Field Trips...trip details are at the DFO website DFObirds.org
First Creek at Rocky Mountain Arsenal
Sunday, January 6
7:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Patrick O'Driscoll (Email: patodrisk AT gmail.com; 303-885-6955)
Elbert County
Monday, January 7
7:30 AM - 1:00 PM
David Suddjian (Email: dsuddjian AT gmail.com; 831-713-8659)
Southwestern Metro Area
Thursday, January 10
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Dale Pate (Email: dalelpate AT gmail.com; 575-706-4584)
South Platte River Trail at E 88th Ave and I-76
Saturday, January 12
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Mark Amershek (Email: mamershek AT msn.com; 303-329-8646)
Denver City Park (Denver County)
Sunday, January 13
7:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Patrick O'Driscoll (Email: patodrisk AT gmail.com; 303-885-6955)
Cherry Creek SP Wetlands Loop (Arapahoe County)
Sunday, January 13
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Karen von Saltza (Email: kvonsaltza AT yahoo.com; 303-941-4881)
Have a Happy New Year!
Joe Roller, Denver