Colorado Rare Bird Alert for December 7, 2019

[Patrick O'Driscoll]

Date: Saturday, December 7, 2019

E-mail: R...@cobirds.org

Compiler: Patrick O’Driscoll; pato...@gmail.com

Phone: 303-885-6955

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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.”

 

Rare, out-of-place and out-of-season species include:

 

Trumpeter Swan (Delta, Mesa)

Tundra Swan (Jefferson, Mesa)

Surf Scoter (Arapahoe, Jefferson)

White-winged Scoter (Jefferson)

Black Scoter (*Arapahoe)

Long-tailed Duck (Arapahoe, *Weld)

Barrow’s Goldeneye (Weld)

Red-breasted Merganser (Mesa)

Eared Grebe (Grand)

Least Sandpiper (Arapahoe, Weld)

Mew Gull (Weld)

*NOTE: Other expected wintering gulls have appeared at Lake Pueblo and other favored sites

Red-throated Loon (Pueblo)

Yellow-billed Loon (Arapahoe)

Double-crested Cormorant (Delta, Larimer, Mesa)

GYRFALCON (*Larimer)

Winter Wren (*Larimer)

Eastern Bluebird (Huerfano)

Varied Thrush (*La Plata)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (El Paso, Weld)

Gray Catbird (Jefferson)

Green-tailed Towhee (*Ouray)

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Weld)

Rusty Blackbird (El Paso, Jefferson)

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ARAPAHOE COUNTY:

—On Dec 6, a Black Scoter was reported in the Arapahoe County section of South Platte Reservoir. First reported Nov 13 by Burke Angstman.

— On Dec 4, a Least Sandpiper was reported at the South Platte River - Northern Wildlife Area by Brian Johnson.

—On Dec 3, a Yellow-billed Loon was reported at Aurora Reservoir. First reported Dec 1 by Steve Mlodinow. This might be the same bird previously reported at Cherry Creek SP (Nov 8-28).

—On Dec 3, Long-tailed Ducks (2) were reported at South Platte Reservoir. First reported Dec 1 by Adam Vesely.

—On Dec 1, Trumpeter Swans (3) were reported at Cherry Creek SP Marina. First reported Nov 28 by Hap Ellis.

 

DELTA COUNTY:

—On Dec 5, Double-crested Cormorants (2) were reported at Confluence Park in Delta. First reported Dec 4 by Jon Horn and Bill Harris.

—On Dec 4, Trumpeter Swans (4) were reported at Sweitzer Lake. First reported Dec 3 by Don Marsh.

 

EL PASO COUNTY:

— On Dec 4, a Rusty Blackbird was reported at Clear Spring Ranch by Alan Ketcham.

 

GRAND COUNTY:

—On Dec 5, an Eared Grebe was reported at the Grand Lake Complex channel. First reported Dec 4 by Christina Leslie.

 

HUERFANO COUNTY:
—On Dec 5, Eastern Bluebirds (12) were reported at Lathrop SP by Tony Godfrey.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

—On Dec 3, a Gray Catbird was reported at Wheat Ridge Greenbelt - Prospect Park by Cynthia Madsen.

—On Dec 3, a White-winged Scoter was reported at Chatfield SP - N Boat Ramp area.  First reported Nov 29 by Joey Kellner.

—On Dec 2, Tundra Swans (6) were reported at Harriman Lake Park by several birders. First reported Dec 1 by Lucy Deakins.

—On Dec 1, a Rusty Blackbird was reported on Clear Creek Trail - Golden to I-70 by Aaron Shipe and Mark Chavez.

—On Nov 30, a Surf Scoter was observed in the Jefferson County section of South Platte Reservoir. First reported on Nov 13 by James McCall.

 

LA PLATA COUNTY:

—On Dec 6, a Varied Thrush was reported at the Animas River - Huck Finn Pond & Hatchery area in Durango. First reported Dec. 4 by Ryan Votta.

LARIMER COUNTY:

—On Dec 6, a Gyrfalcon, perhaps the same bird reported last winter, was observed outside the Larimer County Landfill in SW Fort Collins. First reported on Nov 3 by Robert Beauchamp. Please post sightings to CObirds.

—On Dec 6, a Winter Wren was reported in Lee Martinez Park by Carrie Olson.

—On Dec 5, a Double-crested Cormorant was reported at Sheldon Lake in Fort Collins City Park by David Leatherman.

 

MESA COUNTY:

—On Dec 5, Trumpeter Swans (2) were reported at Highline Lake SP by Don Marsh.

—On Dec 5, a Tundra Swan was reported at Highline Lake SP. First reported Dec 3 by Charlie Chase.

—On Dec 4, a Red-breasted Merganser was reported at Jerry Creek Reservoirs SWA by Charlie Chase.

—On Dec 4, Double-crested Cormorants (2) were reported at Jerry Creek Reservoirs SWA by Charlie Chase.

OURAY COUNTY:

—On Dec 6, a Green-tailed Towhee was reported at Ridgway SP marina by Janet Haw.

 

PUEBLO COUNTY:

—On Dec 1, a Red-throated Loon was reported at Pueblo Reservoir. First reported on Nov 28 by Brandon Percival. 

 

WELD COUNTY:

—On Dec 6, a Long-tailed Duck was reported at Windsor Lake. First reported Dec. 5 by Josh Bruening.

—On Dec 5, a Yellow-headed Blackbird was reported in Masters by Norm Lewis.

—On Dec 5, a Barrow’s Goldeneye was reported at Union Reservoir. First reported Dec. 4 by Norman Erthal.

—On Dec 5, a Mew Gull was reported at Union Reservoir. First reported on Nov 28 by Steve Mlodinow.

—On Dec 4, a Long-tailed Duck was reported at Union Reservoir by Norman Erthal.

—On Dec 3, a Least Sandpiper was reported at Union Reservoir by Steve Mlodinow.

—On Dec 1, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches (3) were reported in Raymer at CR 105 (40.644,-104.068) by Norm Erthal.

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Upcoming Denver Field Ornithologists field trip (details at dfobirds.org)

 

Park County Explorations
Tuesday, Dec 10
6:30 AM - 3 PM
David Suddjian (dsud...@gmail.com; 831-713-8659) 

 

It's Christmas Bird Count season across Colorado between Dec 14 and Jan 5. Please help out and sign up for one or more of these CBCs!

For a clickable map of Colorado's counts with registration/location details, go to https://audubon.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=ac275eeb01434cedb1c5dcd0fd3fc7b4

Good birding,

 

Patrick O’Driscoll

pato...@gmail.com

Phone: 303-885-6955