COLORADO RARE BIRD REPORT for FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2020
Patrick O'Driscoll
Date: Friday, May 15, 2020
Email: RBA AT cobirds.org
Compiler: Patrick O’Driscoll, patodrisk AT gmail.com
Phone: 303-885-6955
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The Colorado Rare Bird report is an informational service.
Because of statewide coronavirus “Safer at Home” orders, this report is meant to keep homebound readers abreast of rare bird sightings across the state during spring migration. It does NOT endorse and is NOT meant to encourage the pursuit of rare birds beyond your local area.
We urge readers to respect state and local restrictions on non-critical travel.
As potentially asymptomatic outside visitors, unethical urban/suburban “chase” birders who travel to more remote locales risk exposing isolated Colorado populations to the virus.
To ensure the safety of yourself and others while birding, do the right thing. Please practice physical distancing, wear face masks and follow all other Covid-19 precautions.
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Birders have been helpful by reporting updates to COBirds. Thanks!
CAPITAL LETTERS denote very rare species, as listed by the Colorado Bird Records Committee at the CFO website.
(*) indicates new information on a species.
For more information on birds seen today, go to cobirds.org and scroll to the bottom for “Recent eBird Sightings.”
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Spring migration notes
How long will
Colorado’s widespread warblerfest continue? More than 25 of the rarer kinds have
made appearances across the state, in addition to our summer regulars. Certain
warblers, tanagers, vireos, grosbeaks and thrushes we would all be proud to
find or see seem to be everywhere. The shorebirds are also moving through, but
more quickly, from sandpipers and Whimbrels to dowitchers, phalaropes, a Ruddy
Turnstone and leggier waders on up to Glossy Ibis. Bring on the flycatchers!
Note: In an attempt to limit an already-overlong daily report, we are omitting these
recently listed species from the daily report:
White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Palm Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Northern Parula, and Summer Tanager.
Please continue, however, to report these birds and other finds on COBIRDS.
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Rare birds and some out-of-place or out-of-season birds include:
Snow Goose (Hinsdale)
Long-tailed Duck (*Arapahoe)
MEXICAN WHIP-POOR-WILL (*Fremont)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Park, Pueblo)
Ruddy Turnstone (*Kiowa)
Short-billed Dowitcher (Bent)
Red-necked Phalarope (Dolores)
Red Phalarope (Mesa)
Least Tern (*Kiowa, *Mesa)
Caspian Tern (Weld)
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Arapahoe)
Neotropic Cormorant (Bent)
Glossy Ibis (Boulder, Larimer)
BLACK VULTURE (Fremont)
Mississippi Kite (Baca, El Paso)
Broad-winged Hawk (Jefferson)
Red-headed Woodpecker (Huerfano)
Vermilion Flycatcher (Las Animas. Otero)
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Jefferson, Las Animas, Otero, Weld)
Winter Wren (Larimer)
Gray-cheeked Thrush (Bent, *El Paso, Prowers, *Weld)
Varied Thrush (Arapahoe)
Common Redpoll (Gunnison)
Field Sparrow (Adams, Jefferson, *Larimer)
Dark-eyed Junco (Baca)
Baltimore Oriole (Boulder, El Paso, Larimer, Otero)
Northern Waterthrush (*Mesa, *Saguache)
Golden-winged Warbler (Boulder, * El Paso, *Jefferson, *Larimer)
Blue-winged Warbler (Arapahoe, *El Paso, Fremont)
Prothonotary Warbler (*Broomfield, Jefferson)
LUCY’S WARBLER (Mesa)
Connecticut Warbler (*Bent)
Mourning Warbler (Prowers)
Kentucky Warbler (Chaffee, Prowers)
Hooded Warbler (Chaffee, Jefferson, Kiowa, Larimer, Pueblo, Saguache)
Cape May Warbler (Fremont, Prowers)
Blackburnian Warbler (*Denver, *Larimer)
Pine Warbler (*Jefferson, Prowers)
Yellow-throated Warbler (Broomfield, Jefferson, *Pueblo)
Magnolia Warbler (Boulder, Larimer)
Bay-breasted Warbler (*Larimer, Pueblo)
Grace’s Warbler (Las Animas, Ouray)
Black-throated Gray Warbler (*Broomfield, *Jefferson, *Kiowa, *Pitkin)
Scarlet Tanager (Boulder, Fremont)
Northern Cardinal (Arapahoe, *Boulder)
Blue Grosbeak (Larimer)
Painted Bunting (Baca, Otero)
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ADAMS COUNTY:
—On May 11 a Field Sparrow was reported at Barr Lake by Daniel Maynard.
ARAPAHOE COUNTY:
—On May 14 the continuing, very late Long-tailed Duck was reported by Quincy Reservoir. First reported by G Stacks.
—On May 13 a Blue-winged Warbler was reported at Cherry Creek Valley Ecological Park by Dave Hill and Cynthia Madsen.
—On May 12 a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was reported at Cherry Creek Valley Ecological Park. First reported May 9 by Rajkumar Manikandan.
—On May 10 a Northern Cardinal was heard and reported at Platte River Park-Northern Wildlife Area by Brian Johnson.
—On May 10 a Varied Thrush was reported “at feeders for last 3 days” at a private residence in Greenwood Village by Ann Coe. See eBird report.
BACA COUNTY:
—On May 11 four Mississippi Kites were reported in Cottonwood Canyon by Bez Bezuidenhout.
—On May 10 a female Painted Bunting was re-found below Two Buttes Reservoir dam. Two were first reported May 8 by Joey Kellner.
—On May 10 a Dark-eyed Junco was reported at Two Buttes SWA (below dam) by Bez Bezuidenhout.
BENT COUNTY:
—On May 13 a Connecticut Warbler was reported at Melody Tempel Grove by Jesse Casias and Christine Oblak.
—On May 13 a Gray-cheeked Thrush was re-found at Melody Tempel Grove. It is one of two first reported May 6 by the Phenegers.
—On May 10 a Neotropic Cormorant was reported at Lake Hasty below John Martin Reservoir Dam by Duane Nelson, who first found the bird on March 31.
—On May 10 two Short-billed Dowitchers were reported with a small flock of Long-billed Dowitchers at John Martin Reservoir by John Haycroft and Donna Stumpp.
BOULDER COUNTY:
—On May 14 a Northern Cardinal was found on Meadow Avenue, Boulder by Alex Cruz Jr. The location is less than 1 mile from the Linden Avenue/ 21st Street location where a continuing Northern Cardinal was last seen May 9.
—On May 13 a Magnolia Warbler was reported at Sawhill Ponds. First reported May 12 by several birders. A Magnolia Warbler also was reported May 12 at Eldorado Canyon SP by John Bryan.
—On May 13 a Baltimore Oriole was reported on Bear Creek Path, East Boulder by Deborah Bowman. Another was reported May 9 at a private residence on Apple Valley Road.
—On May 12 a Golden-winged Warbler was reported at Walden Ponds by Cara Stiles.
—On May 12 a Northern Cardinal was reported along Goat Trail, Boulder by Thomas Heinrich.
—On May 12 a male Scarlet Tanager was reported “coming to a private residence” in the Marshall Mesa area of Boulder County (homeowner declines to reveal location).
—On May 11 a Glossy Ibis was reported at Pella Crossing Open Space by Richard Klassen.
BROOMFIELD COUNTY:
—On May 14 a Black-throated Gray Warbler was reported at Alexx & Michaels Pond by Chipper Phillips, David Ely and Norman Erthal.
—On May 13 a Prothonotary Warbler was reported at Brainard Drive Pond by Chipper Phillips.
CHAFFEE COUNTY:
—On May 12 a Kentucky Warbler was reported at Sands Lake SWA. First reported May 8 by Jeff Guy.
—On May 11 a Hooded Warbler was re-found on the Arkansas River north and west of Sands Lake by Sally Waterhouse and Cole Sites. First reported May 5 at Sands Lake SWA by Tyler Wilson.
DENVER COUNTY:
—On May 14 a Blackburnian Warbler was reported at First Creek at Green Valley Ranch by Joe Chen. One also was reported May 13 on Sanderson Gulch Trail near Ruby Hill Park.
DOLORES COUNTY:
—On May 13 two Red-necked Phalaropes were reported at Glade Lake 20 miles NE of Cahone by Glenn Dunmire.
EL PASO COUNTY:
—On May 14 a Gray-cheeked Thrush was reported at Bear Creek Park East by Tyler Stewart.
—On May 14 a Golden-winged Warbler was reported at Clear Spring Ranch. First reported May 13 by Alan Ketcham.
—On May 14 a Blue-winged Warbler was reported at Clear Spring Ranch. First reported May 10 by Tyler Stewart.
—On May 13 two Mississippi Kites were reported over Adams Open Space. A Mississippi Kite also was reported May 12 at Clear Spring Ranch by Steven Brown.
—On May 13 a Baltimore Oriole was reported at private birdfeeders near Cherokee Ridge Golf Course by Sharon Milito. Another was reported May 12 at a private residence on Saddle Blanket Lane north of Peyton by Leslie Hill.
—County note: Chico Basin Ranch is closed to the public, except to dues-paying members of the birding, hunting and fishing clubs. Posts about birds seen there are being omitted from this report at the ranch’s request.
FREMONT COUNTY:
—On May 14 a MEXICAN WHIP-POOR-WILL was re-heard on Oak Creek Grade 6 miles south of Cañon City (continuation of 4th Street south of town, becoming 143 Road and Oak Creek Grade) (38.305, -105.255). First heard May 6 by Jerry DeBoer. Because of high interest in this bird, PLEASE refrain from playing birdsong recordings.
—On May 13 a male Scarlet Tanager was reported on the Cañon City Riverwalk (Sell Lake to Raynolds Avenue). First reported May 9 by Mark Peterson.
—On May 11 a BLACK VULTURE was reported high above the Arkansas Riverwalk Trail, Cañon City by SeEtta Moss.
—On May 12 a Blue-winged Warbler was reported on the Ca ñon City River Walk (Sell Lake to Raynolds Avenue) by several birders. First reported May 9 by Jerry DeBoer.
—On May 12 a Cape May Warbler was reported on the Cañon City Riverwalk (Sell Lake to Raynolds Avenue) by Brandon Percival.
GUNNISON COUNTY:
—On May 10 a Common Redpoll was reported by Drew Kelly as he hiked in Raggeds Wilderness Area on Daisy Pass en route to Mineral Point, about 7 miles NW of Crested Butte.
HINSDALE COUNTY:
—On May 12 five Snow Geese were reported at Williams Creek Reservoir (27 miles NW of Pagosa Springs) by Dorothy George.
HUERFANO COUNTY:
—On May 13 a Red-headed Woodpecker was reported along CR 340 SW of Walsenburg by David Tønnessen.
JEFFERSON COUNTY:
—On May 14 a Golden-winged Warbler was re-found at Tucker Gulch, Golden. First reported May 7 by Terrance Wells.
—On May 14 a Pine Warbler was reported at Tucker Gulch, Golden. First reported May 13 by Barbara Baring.
—On May 13 a Broad-winged Hawk was reported at Bear Creek Lake Park by Anne Craig.
—On May 14 a Black-throated Gray Warbler was reported at Chatfield SP (upstream of Kingfisher Bridge) by David Bailey. One was also reported May 13 at Tucker Gulch, Golden.
—On May 13 a Prothonotary Warbler was re-found at Tucker Gulch, Golden. First reported May 9 by Michael Lester.
—On May 12 a Field Sparrow was reported at Clement Park/Johnson Reservoir by Scott Somershoe.
—On May 10 a Hooded Warbler was re-found at Tucker Gulch, Golden. First reported May 9 by Bill Eley.
NOTE: Red Rocks Park is closed indefinitely because of the Covid-19 outbreak.
KIOWA COUNTY:
—On May 14 a Ruddy Turnstone was reported at Upper Queens (Neeskah) Reservoir by Steven Mlodinow.
—On May 14 a Hooded Warbler was reported at Upper Queens (Neeskah) Reservoir. First reported May 10 by David Dowell.
—On May 14 a
Black-throated Gray Warbler was reported at Upper Queens (Neeskah) Reservoir by
Steven Mlodinow.
—On May 14 a Least Tern was reported at Negronda Reservoir by Steven Mlodinow.
LARIMER COUNTY:
—On May 14 a Bay-breasted Warbler was reported at Lee Martinez Park, Fort Collins by Joshua Smith.
—On May 14 a Golden-winged Warbler and a Blackburnian Warbler were reported at Watson Lake, Bellvue by Edward Raynor and seen by many others.
—On May 14 a Field Sparrow was reported at Watson Lake and Bellevue Watson Fish Hatchery by Edward Raynor and John Shenot and seen by several others. A Field Sparrow also was reported May 14 at Lake Estes, Estes Park by Marc Hemmes.
—On May 13 a Blue Grosbeak was reported on Big Thompson River Trail west of Loveland by Denise Bretting.
—On May 12 ten Glossy Ibis were reported at Running Deer & Cottonwood Hollow NAs by Ken Duncan, who first reported them May 11.
—On May 11 a Baltimore Oriole was reported at Reservoir Ridge NA by Rob Sparks.
—On May 11 a Magnolia Warbler was reported at Boyd Lake by Nick Komar. Another Magnolia Warbler was reported May 10 at Seven Lakes Park, Loveland.
—On May 10 a Winter Wren was reported at Sheldon Lake in City Park, Fort Collins by E.J. Raynor. Location: vegetation tangle in dry ditch at southwest corner.
—On May 10 a Hooded Warbler was re-found on CR5 between Rd 82 and Rd 92. First reported May 9 by Nick Komar and Caleb Alons.
LAS ANIMAS COUNTY:
—On May 13 a Grace’s
Warbler was reported on CR 47.7, Trinidad by David Tønnessen.
—On May 10 a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and a Vermilion Flycatcher were reported
on Colorado 109 about 20 miles south of La Junta by by David Tønnessen and Will
Anderson.
MESA COUNTY:
—On May 14 a
Northern Waterthrush was reported at James M. Robb Colorado River SP, Pear Park
by Ryan Claar.
—On May 13 two LUCY’S WARBLERS were re-found at Gateway Cottonwoods west of
Gateway along the Dolores River. First reported April 26 by Kathleen McGinley. Because
these birds are nest-building, PLEASE refrain from playing birdsong recordings.
—On May 12 a Red Phalarope was reported at Connected Lakes SP/Blue Heron section, Grand Junction by Mike Henwood.
—On May 14 a Least Tern was reported at James M Robb Colorado River SP, Pear Park by Carol Ortenzio. A Least Tern also was reported May 11 on the Colorado River Trail in Grand Junction.
OTERO COUNTY:
—On May 11 a Painted Bunting, a Vermilion Flycatcher and a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher were reported on Higbee Valley Road (Otero CR 804) by Christine Alexander, Renee Casias and Ben Sampson.
—On May 10 a Baltimore Oriole was reported on Higbee Valley Road (Otero CR 804) south of La Junta By David Tønnessen and Will Anderson.
OURAY COUNTY:
—On May 12 six Grace’s Warblers were reported on Sims Mesa Trail 15 by Steve Dike, Jon Horn and Bill Harris.
PARK COUNTY:
—On May 10 a Ruby-throated Hummingbird was reported at a private feeder in Pueblo by Chuck Telotte. See eBird report.
PITKIN COUNTY:
—On May 14, eight Black-throated Gray Warblers were reported on Red Rim Road by John Anderson. Another was reported on May 11 at Wheatley Open Space.
PROWERS COUNTY:
—On May 11 a Kentucky Warbler was reported in a farm yard south of Lamar by Jane Stulp.
—On May 10 a Cape May Warbler was reported in Willow Creek Park, Lamar by Brandon Percival.
—On May 10 a Pine Warbler was reported at Fairmount Cemetery, Lamar by Brandon Percival.
—On May 10 a Mourning Warbler was reported in the Lamar Community College Woods by Brandon Percival and others. One was also reported in a farm yard south of Lamar by Jane Stulp.
—On May 10 a Gray-cheeked Thrush was reported in a farm yard south of Lamar by Jane Stulp. On May 9, one was reported at Lamar Community College.
PUEBLO COUNTY:
—On May 14 a Yellow-throated warbler was re-found at Roselawn Cemetery, Pueblo. First reported May 7 by Evan Carlson.
—On May 13 a Hooded Warbler was reported at Runyon Lake, Pueblo by Evan Carlson.
—On May 10 a Ruby-throated Hummingbird was reported at a private feeder in Pueblo by Alanna Fenlon. See eBird report.
—County note: Chico Basin Ranch is closed to the public, except to dues-paying members of the birding, hunting and fishing clubs. Posts about birds seen there are being omitted from this report at the ranch’s request.
SAGUACHE COUNTY:
—On May 14 a Northern Waterthrush was reported in the San Luis Valley 12 miles south of Saguache by Immanuel Thompson.
—On May 13 a Hooded Warbler was reported on the Lower Spanish Creek Trail, Crestone by Bayard and John Cobb.
WELD COUNTY:
—On May 13 two Gray-cheeked Thrushes were reported at Norma’s Grove in Pawnee NG by Robin Jasper.
—On May 10 a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was reported and photographed in Frederick near Frederick Skate Park (still under construction) by Kristen Davis. Location: between CR11 and CR13 north of Godding Hollow (40.118, -104.954).
—On May 10 three Short-billed Dowitchers were reported at Weld CR59 wetlands by Jack Bushong.
—On May 10 a Magnolia Warbler was reported at Poudre Ponds by Ryan and Jack Bushong.
—On May 10 two Caspian Terns were reported at Poudre Ponds by Ryan and Jack Bushong.
—County note: Crow Valley Campground is closed to all human activity (per USFS district office).
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PLEASE NOTE: Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Denver Field Ornithologists and other CO birding clubs have suspended all field trips scheduled for May and June, including the annual Colorado Field Ornithologists convention in Pueblo (reset for May 2021).
Please share interesting and/or unusual birds and behavior observations on COBirds.
Good birding,
Patrick O’Driscoll
Denver, CO
patodrisk AT gmail.com